Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph

The Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph (also known as Réligieuses hospitalières de Saint-Joseph) was a religious order founded in La Fleche, France by the Venerable Jerome le Royer de la Dauversiere and Venerable Marie de la Ferre.

Jerome le Royer was born in La Flèche, France on March 18, 1597. He pursued his studies at the Jesuit College of there and when his father died in 1619, Jerome succeeded him as tax collector. He also inherited the small estate “La Dauversière”, whence comes the title attached to his name. He was married to Jeanne de Bauge who bore him five children.

M. le Royer collaborated in the administration of the old Maison Dieu (House of God), where the sick poor received care. The three women who worked there lived on alms obtained in the city. Jérôme wondered what to do to improve their situation. First he rebuilt the dilapidated hospital at la Flèche.

Marie was born around 1589, in small village of Roiffé, Towards 1601, she lost her mother, when her father remarried she went to live with her aunt, Catherine de Goubitz, at her manor in Ruigné, near la Flèche. Her aunt wanted her to make a brilliant match; but Marie decided to consecrate her life to the Lord. Several experiences of religious life having failed, Marie devoted herself to her aunt’s service, as well as those wounded by life. The people, witnesses of her charity, called her “The Holy Woman”. After the death of her aunt, Marie visited the sick poor in the little Maison Dieu in la Flèche where she met M. le Royer.

Le Royer founded the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph (RHSJ) order with Marie de la Ferre in 1636. This order is distinct from the Sisters of Saint Joseph founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France in 1650.

In May 1636, Marie de la Ferre and Anne Foureau formed a community at the Hotel-Dieu with three servants of the poor already on site. Thus began the Congregation of the Daughters Hospitallers of St. Joseph. The first constitutions of the congregation were approved and on January 22, 1644, Marie de la Ferre and her eleven companions made simple vows for one year in the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Joseph. Then they proceeded to the election of Marie de la Ferre as superior of the newly-born community. In the spring of 1652, an epidemic fever broke out in the town of Moulins, where the Sisters had come to serve the sick. The infection claimed many people and even the Sisters fell ill. As the epidemic began to regress, Sister Marie de la Ferre, already exhausted, succumbed July 28, 1652.

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