Little Sisters of the Poor
Entry Author: John
McGuckin, Jr.
The Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor was founded
by Blessed Jeanne Jugan in Brittany, France, in 1839. The
purpose of this Catholic order of religious women is to care
for the elderly poor of the community without regard to religious
affiliation. The order spread throughout Europe and the eastern
United States during the 19th century. On March 14, 1901,
four Little Sisters of the Poor arrived in Oakland by train
from Chicago to open the order's first home in the West.
The Little Sisters were greeted by San Francisco's Roman
Catholic Archbishop Patrick Riordan, who had rented a house
for them at 2030 Howard Street. The Little Sisters welcomed
their first residents, men and women, two weeks after their
arrival, and provided room, board, medical care, and religious
support without charge. The first home was dedicated to St.
Joseph, the special patron saint of the order.
The Howard Street building was quickly filled, and in August,
1901, Edward J. Le Breton, president of the French Savings
& Loan Society, told the Little Sisters he would buy the
land for a new home, which he would build and furnish entirely
at his own cost. The new home was to be located on Lake Street,
between 3rd and 4th Avenue, immediately south of the Presidio.
The groundbreaking took place on April 28, 1902, and the new
home was completed and opened on May 15, 1904, at the cost
of more than $350,000, all paid by Le Breton. The architect
was Albert Pissis, another member of San Francisco's French
community, who had already designed the Hibernia Bank building
at McAllister and Market Streets and the Emporium on Market
Street. The new home was dedicated, at Le Breton's request,
to St. Anne, the patron saint of Brittany, France.
St. Anne's Home for aged and poor (Little Sisters of the poor)
1909. Courtesy of San Francisco Public Library
The Little Sisters have continued their care of the elderly
poor in San Francisco for more than 100 years. A second home,
dedicated to St. Joseph, was opened in Oakland in 1913, but
closed in 1979 when it became impossible to modernize the
building to meet modern health and safety standards. In San
Francisco during the mid-1970s, the original St. Anne's Home
was found to be unsafe under new health and safety standards.
During the next six years, the Little Sisters raised money
and constructed a new home on the same property, while successfully
responding to the arguments and legal challenges of historical
preservationists who sought to preserve the old building.
According to Mother Regina, the Little Sisters' superior at
St. Anne's, "Our decision to demolish the old home was
a difficult one, but people are more important than bricks."
The new St. Anne's Home was dedicated on March 19, 1982, and
continues to thrive at its Lake Street location.
The Little Sisters, who, according to Mayor George Moscone,
are "as much a part of the City as the Golden Gate Bridge",
support the residents of St. Anne's by begging for donations
of food and supplies from merchants and individuals throughout
the Bay Area.
Exterior of the new St. Anne's (Little Sisters of the Poor)
at 300 Lake Street, ca 1982.
Photographer Larry Moon. Courtesy of SFPL
This is a tradition which began with Jeanne Jugan and is
continued in the modern home. The efforts of the Little Sisters
have been supported, over the years, by volunteer men and
women from San Francisco's Catholic community, who dedicate
their time, talent, and treasure to sustaining the mission
of "bringing the merciful love of God to the elderly
poor.
|
Order founded in France in 1839