III
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 62
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 14, 2023
Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Young) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the Little Sisters of the Poor of Indianapolis on its 150th Anniversary.
Whereas, in 1839, Saint Jeanne Jugan brought a blind, paralyzed woman in from the cold and placed the woman in Saint Jeanne Jugan's own bed;
Whereas, in 1841, the family
of Saint Jeanne Jugan and other women who helped care for the growing number of individuals in need that arrived at the doorstep of Saint Jeanne Jugan relocated to a larger home in order to house more individuals in need;
Whereas Saint Jeanne Jugan and the other caregivers took the form of a religious community, first calling themselves the Servants of the Poor and later the Little Sisters of the Poor;
Whereas Saint Jeanne Jugan was elected Mother Superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor;
Whereas the Little Sisters of the Poor received diocesan approval on May 29, 1852;
Whereas Pope Pius XI recognized the Little Sisters of the Poor as a Pontifical Institute on July 9, 1854;
Whereas Pope Leo XIII approved of the Constitutions of the Little Sisters of the Poor on March 1, 1879, when there were 2,400 Little Sisters of the Poor in 9 countries;
Whereas the congregation spread across Europe and North Africa before coming to the United States;
Whereas, in February of 1873, the Little Sisters of the Poor came to Indianapolis, Indiana, and opened a small home on Kentucky Avenue;
Whereas, in the spring of 1878, the Little Sisters of the Poor received a permit to construct a new building to support the large demand for their assistance;
Whereas the cornerstone for the new home of the Little Sisters of the Poor was completed in 1878, and Bishop Silas Francis Marean Chatard dedicated the building in 1879; and
Whereas the Little Sisters of the Poor have provided food, shelter, and medical care to the Indianapolis, Indiana, community since 1873: Now, therefore, be it
That it is the sense of the Senate that—
the Little Sisters of the Poor should be commended for its philanthropy, the care it provides for the aging poor, and its dedication to the care of those in need, all of which have been vital to the health and well-being of the at-risk community in Indiana;
the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor continues to enrich the United States and the world through—
dedication to the health and wellness of those who are unable to provide for themselves; and
service to the community; and
the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor should be recognized, emulated, and celebrated, especially during February 2023, which marks 150 years of service to the Indianapolis, Indiana, community by the Little Sisters of the Poor.