Laos

January 14, 1934: when in Rome His Holiness Pius XI proclaimed our foundress Jeanne Antide Thouret, 4 sisters of charity, from the Province of La Roche (Savoy), came to Thakhet, a small town, capital of the province of Khammouane.

Father Victor Barbier, responsible for the Christianity of Thakhek, composed mainly of Vietnamese from Vinh, where he had been parish priest, asked the women’s congregations of Europe to come and work in Laos. After 26 negative answers, what was his joy in receiving the affirmative answer from our Congregation: the Superior General, Mother Anna Lapierre, had accepted his question.

The first 4 missionaries were: Sr Marie Céleste, Sr Marie-Geneviève, Sr Annunziata and Sr Anastasie Pernolet.

The aim was to help him in his charitable works: teaching and educating the youth, creating nurseries for orphans and abandoned children. Thus, in the urban centres, primary schools and orphanages quickly opened.

In 1975, with the political changes, the Sisters had to leave all these works to take care of the Christians in the villages scattered throughout the territory and share the simple life of the people of the countryside.

The main services in which the Sisters are engaged:

Currently the Sisters are present in 14 communities, in sectors located in the 5 urban centres: Luangphrabang, Vientiane, Thakhek, Savannakhet and Pakse.

• in the pastoral care of children, of young people, in the care of the sick
• in the 4 foyers where they receive young girls in difficulty, to allow them to study.
• in a school of deaf-mute in luangphrabang
• in kindergartens in Vientiane and Savannakhet.