1899
The Monastery of the Sacred Heart at Maffles draws its origin from Saint-Amand. On 18th September 1899, two religious, one of whom was Reverend Mother Marie-Alphonse, left the convent of the Holy Family to come and found a new house of the Order at Maffles. They were soon joined by a third Sister, and they saw vocations flood into the provisional house that they occupied at 122, rue Seche. Their numbers increased rapidly when persecution chased them from their home. After 28th September 1901, to avoid any trouble to their proprietors, they left Armentieres and installed themselves at Maffles, a little village in Hainault, a few kilometres from Ath. Reverend Mother Marie-Alphonse, three religious, a novice and eight postulants then formed the community, whose number has increased now to twenty four. Through the manifest protection of the Sacred Heart, exile has not hindered the rapid extension of this nascent house, but obtained for it the blessing of complete destitution. Living from day today, entirely abandoned to a Providence which has never failed them, these daughters of Saint Alphonsus are making every effort to attract the divine mercy upon their country, by imitating the hidden virtues of the Most Holy Redeemer. May their prayers hasten the conversion of France, and obtain the return of the numerous religious that it has chased from its territory!
This necrology is translated from Fleurs de l'Institut des Rédemptoristines by Mr John R. Bradbury. The copyright of this translation is the property of the Redemptoristine Nuns of Maitland, Australia. The integral version of the translated book will be posted here as the necrologies appear.
