People
Little Sisters of the Poor leaving Richmond after 145 year presence
“It’s not because we don’t love them [the residents],” Sister Jeanne Mary said. “It’s very sad to see such a mission which is so needed today is diminishing because there are very few to follow us.”
From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
The Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic congregation of religious women whose mission is to serve the elderly in nursing homes around the world, announced Wednesday that they would be withdrawing from the Richmond region and leaving St. Joseph’s Home in Henrico County.
The congregation is seeking to partner with another mission-driven organization to take over running the 96-bed home and has offered all of the residents the opportunity to transfer to another home operated by the sisters in another state. The other alternative is that the staff will help the residents find another home, said the Rev. Mark Cregan, general counsel for the Little Sisters of the Poor.
The withdrawal is one of seven across the country in the last six years due to a decrease in the number of women joining the religious order, said Sister Jeanne Mary, who works at St. Joseph’s Home.
“It’s not because we don’t love them [the residents],” Sister Jeanne Mary said. “It’s very sad to see such a mission which is so needed today is diminishing because there are very few to follow us.”
