Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

Hôtel-Dieu, Paris

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“Louise’s foundation (the Daughters of Charity) served a capital city of half a million inhabitants. She was responsible for the aging and enormous Hôtel-Dieu.” (Source: Website of Saint Nicolas des Champs Church)

The Hôtel-Dieu was a large, overcrowded hospital where patients were often assigned four to a bed.

[It began in 1634 when] Genevieve Fayette, Madame Goussault, who had been active in the Confraternity of Charity at her own parish and also in visiting those of the countryside, approached Vincent to suggest a new kind of Confraternity. She had been visiting the sick of the Hôtel-Dieu and was appalled at the neglect of their spiritual needs. Vincent did not want to interfere in what was the apostolate of the Canons of Notre Dame. But the determined Madame Goussault took her observations to the Archbishop of Paris, who responded by ordering Vincent to establish a Charity for the Hôtel-Dieu. Vincent accepted the command as God’s Will and called a meeting at the home of Mme. Goussault early in 1634. The ladies present decided to undertake the work. Describing the meeting and its results to Louise, Vincent added, “They will need you and the girls.”* “Of all the Confraternities of Charity,” Coste says, “that of the Hôtel-Dieu was, without question, the most important both from the social position of its members, the extent of its field of action, and the amount of aid received and distributed.”** (Source: Saint Vincent’s First Foundation: The Ladies of Charity, by Collette Padberg and Daniel Hannefin D.C., p. 109. *Louise de Marillac by Joseph I. Dirvin, C.M., p. 123. ** Coste, Life and Works of St. Vincent de Paul, Vol. I, p. 278)

Engraving of the Hotel Dieu by I, Clio, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org:w:index.php?curid=2294132

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, with Hôtel-Dieu at right (Depaul archive)

Notre-Dame of Paris, Hôtel-Dieu

Paris, Hôtel-Dieu, sisters and Ladies of Charity (Depaul archive)

All Vincentian Places in this Series

Red = Vincent de Paul, Blue = Frederic Ozanam, Teal = Elizabeth Seton, Yellow = Louise de Marillac

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