The Rhode Island Catholic, the newspaper of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, has published an article to celebrate the Bicentenary of the FCJ Sisters. The article describes and celebrates the presence and contribution of the sisters in the Diocese:
The Faithful Companions of Jesus taught locally at Blessed Sacrament School in Providence from its very beginning in 1925. The religious sisters were invited to Providence by Bishop William A. Hickey who saw the need for a Catholic School in the diocese of Providence. Many Sisters, FCJ, devoted years of their lives to educating the children of Providence from 1925 through 1989. Today one sister is still teaching at Blessed Sacrament.
The religious sisters also taught at St. Patrick’s High School from 1933 until 1984 when changing times led to regionalization of high schools. The Faithful Companions of Jesus were recognized as amazing educators.
In 1927, the Superior General of the Faithful Companions of Jesus, bought property on the Narraganset Bay in Portsmouth for the sisters to use as a summer vacation. In 1953, at the request of neighbors on Cory’s Lane, four FCJs, welcomed seven students to St. Philomena School which began it’s 66th year in September. St. Philomena School was staffed by FCJs for many years, but has transitioned to a lay faculty and administration that continues to be inspired by the charism of Venerable Marie Madeleine and her sisters.
Follow celebrations across the world on the Bicentenary News page and on social media #FCJ200.
