{"id":429,"date":"2022-04-13T17:33:10","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fillesdustesprit.org\/about-us\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T14:04:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T12:04:50","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.fillesstesprit.org\/en\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"

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General Concil<\/h2>\n

\"\"From left to right<\/span><\/span><\/span>: Sister Olga KIENDREBEOGO (Burkina Faso), Sister Jeannine LEGERE (USA), Sister Judith MBOUNGHOUL (Cameroon), Sister Ann ALMODOVAR (France) Superior General, Sister Abiola ADIGBOLUJA (Nigeria)<\/p>\n

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Our spirituality<\/h2>\n

\"\"For us DHS, “There is no mission without adoration, without calling on the Spirit to renew the face of the earth.” Since our beginnings, we consecrate our lives to the least favored of society. Each day we draw the strength to love in this way from the love of the Trinity, and we pray in a special way to the Holy Spirit. To live this on a daily basis, we draw from Trinitarian love, the strength to love, and we pray especially to the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

We also like to pray to the Virgin Mary. We see her as a woman totally surrendered to the Spirit. We celebrate in a special way the feasts of Pentecost and December 8th, the Immaculate Conception.<\/p>\n

We participate in the prayer of the people among whom we live. And with other believers, we try to hear what God is saying to us today through the Scriptures and events. (Rule of Life art. 35) Jesus’ Word in Matthew’s gospel: “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me” (Mt. 25:40) speaks to us and stimulates us to be close to all people, especially the most disadvantaged.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text module_id=”notre-histoire” _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n

Our history<\/h2>\n

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1706.<\/strong> 1706. At the port of Le L\u00e9gu\u00e9, in the bay of Saint-Brieuc, in Brittany, France, on December 8th 1706, two women from modest families, Marie Balavenne and Ren\u00e9e Burel, commit themselves to live together to serve God by serving the poor, the sick and the children. They are encouraged and supported by M. Leuduger, a diocesan priest, Director of Missions in Haute Bretagne.<\/p>\n

1733.<\/strong> The sisters ask and receive official approval from the diocesan church. They are known as “The Sisters of Charity of Pl\u00e9rin” or “The White Sisters” or “Daughters of the Holy Spirit”. “The Houses of Charity” are established mainly in the countryside parishes.<\/p>\n

1789.<\/strong> The French Revolution: religious congregations are suppressed. The 75 Daughters of the Holy Spirit are dispersed, but they keep the charism close to their heart faithfully: “To love and serve Jesus Christ in the person of the poor.” As soon as the storm passes, most of the communities are reconstituted and others are founded throughout Brittany.<\/p>\n

In the 19th century.<\/strong> In 19th century society, the Daughters of the Holy Spirit are at the service of the poor in every possible way, especially in times of epidemics: cholera, dysentery, typhus… They adapt to the needs of the times. They live simply among the people and participate in parish prayer.<\/p>\n

1901-1905. <\/strong> In 1902 because of the laws of secularization, schools close one after another leading to the departure of sisters to other countries. The Congregation opens beyond Brittany: Belgium, Holland, England, the United States, Canada. This encounter with different cultures changes and enriches the manner in which this service to the poor is carried out by the sisters.<\/p>\n

Still in response to the appeals of the Church, the Congregation sends sisters
– in 1936, to Manchuria. They are expelled from there in 1951 by the communist regime.<\/strong>
– in 1954, to North Cameroon <\/strong>
– in 1962, to Chile <\/strong>
– in 1964, to Nigeria1978 <\/strong>
– in 1974, to Chad <\/strong>
– in 1979, to Peru <\/strong>
– in 1994, to Burkina-Faso <\/strong>
– in 2004, to Romania<\/strong><\/p>\n

1994. The Congregation of the sisters of Notre Dame de Briouze,<\/strong>in Normandy, merges with the Congregation of the DHS<\/p>\n

1987. Commitment of the first Associates in the United States of America.<\/strong> 1996. Official recognition of the Associate Movement, men and women attracted by the spiritual tradition of the Congregation, wanting to deepen the grace of their baptism and to put themselves at the service of the Gospel.<\/p>\n

2003. The Congregation of sisters Hospitallers of the Holy Spirit of Poligny<\/strong> merges with the Congregation of the DHS<\/p>\n

2003. Founding of the Secular branch of the DHS (consecrated seculars)<\/strong> (consecrated seculars)<\/p>\n

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The DHS are a religious congregation founded in 1706 in Britany. The two founders, of modest origins, Marie Balavenne, widow, and Ren\u00e9e Burel were from the port of L\u00e9gu\u00e9 and the parish of Pl\u00e9rin, near Saint-Brieuc (C\u00f4tes-d’Armor) where poverty was glaring at the beginning of the 18th century. century. They undertake to live together simply in this people, for the service of God, of the poor, of the sick, of children. They are encouraged by Father Jean Leuduger, diocesan priest, doctor of theology, director of the Missions of Upper Brittany.<\/p>\n

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Where we are<\/h2>\n

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