Outstanding Vincentians

Franciscus Hubertus Schraven was a Dutch Vincentian priest and bishop known for his missionary zeal and charity. Serving in China during turbulent times, he was martyred on 9 October 1937 in Zhengding for refusing to hand over Chinese women to Japanese soldiers. His life reflected the Vincentian spirit of service to the poor, Gospel fidelity, and hospitality.

Mathieu Renard, a confrere of the Congregation of the Mission, was famous for his heroic and astute dedication in moving aid from Paris to Lorraine during the war, making 54 risky journeys without losing property or protected persons. Deeply inspired by Vincent de Paul, his life was an example of how an authentic follower of the Vincentian charism could embody its spirit with courage, creativity and compassion.

Sister Euphemia Blenkinsop, born in Dublin in 1816, immigrated to the United States and became a key leader of the Daughters of Charity, serving as visitatrix from 1866 until her death in 1887. Her visionary leadership during the post-Civil War era strengthened the community’s spiritual life and expanded its educational, healthcare, and charitable missions across the country.

Sister Chrysostom Moynahan, Daughter of Charity, was a visionary nurse, administrator, and educator whose pioneering work transformed healthcare in the USA South and set new standards in nursing education.

Sister Ursula Mattingly (1808–1874) was a pioneering American nurse and hospital administrator who founded Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, New York, and led its courageous response to the 1849 cholera epidemic. Her legacy endures as a model of Vincentian compassion, professional healthcare, and servant leadership in service to the poor and sick.

Sister Ann Alexis Shorb, DC, was a pioneering Daughter of Charity who founded Carney Hospital in Boston and served heroically as head nurse at Satterlee General Hospital during the Civil War, embodying the Vincentian virtues of humility, charity, and zeal.

Suor Giuseppina De Muro, a Daughter of Charity from Sardinia, risked her life during the Nazi occupation of Italy to smuggle food, medicine, and hope to prisoners in Turin’s Le Nuove Prison. Honored posthumously as “Righteous Among the Nations,” her fearless compassion remains a powerful symbol of resistance and humanitarian courage.

Sister Anthony O’Connell, born Mary O’Connell, is remembered as one of the most heroic and compassionate figures of the American Civil War.

In the annals of American nursing history, few figures stand out with the quiet strength, vision, and enduring impact of Sister Matilda Coskery, a Daughter of Charity who lived her vocation with extraordinary depth.