Sister Marceline Pauper travelled extensively in the Auvergne and Limousin,
coming eventually in 1705, to found the first Community of the Sisters of
Charity of Nevers in Tulle…

Marceline was 22 years of age, in 1688 when she joined the small Community at St. Saulge, becoming one of the founder members of the Congregation. Over a period of twenty years she was responsible for a vast amount of apostolic endeavour. She led the life of a pioneer and made many new foundations. She set up numerous Communities in the Auvergne and Limousin, arriving in Tulle – 1705.

Marceline began by providing free education for young girls from the
Village. She visited the poor and the sick. In many and varied ways she applied herself to securing unbelievable relief and support for the poor. She bandaged wounds and took care of the sick, even those abandoned by doctors and surgeons. She achieved all of this in the most difficult circumstances of dire poverty. In the midst of incessant apostolic work this ‘Adventurer of Christ’ lived in continual prayerful union with God.

“With regard to helping the poor, I don’t spare myself. I willingly leave prayer, Mass and even deprive myself of Holy Communion to be of assistance to them and in order to obtain all the help I possibly can, begging from house to house, if necessary, to meet their needs…”
(Sr. Marceline Pauper – an extract from a letter to M. Michel, written in Tulle in 1706)

“...My prayer has become continual, but taking in no way from my work outside.”

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