Today we celebrate Sister Rosalie Rendu, declared Blessed by Pope St John Paul II almost 20 years ago.

A great figure of the Vincentian family, she marked her time by her audacity, her independence and her devotion to the poorest.

Superior of the community in the Mouffetard district (one of the most miserable in Paris) at the age of 29, she wrote in a report in June 1840 to the bursar of the Lazarists:

"I think I should tell you about the customs and habits of the poor in the parish of Saint-Médard. There are many of them, and they have no resources in the neighbourhood, because there are no rich families. Most of them are engaged in unprofitable work. There are generally many children and consequently a large family burden. They are generally very unhappy. They are all largely in poor health. Unhealthy localities, deprivation of even necessary food, are often the cause of illness."

Her thirst for action and her sense of service motivated her devotion to this population, particularly during the two revolutions and three epidemics which did not spare her time.

She shone through her commitment and, driven by "a burning desire for charity", she never ceased to set up concrete actions to help the poor: dispensary, free school for poor children, crèches, pharmacy, cloakroom, hospices, linen room, ....

She united people and knew how to surround herself with precious supporters. Her popularity attracted the support of the wealthy.

She listened to the poor who knocked on her door for support, a question, spiritual guidance...

She took the time to receive everyone without distinction, workers, notables, kings and empresses, police prefects or lonely mothers.Sister Rosalie's charity for the poor had no limits, but she had an idea of it that was not restricted to immediate needs.

"There are so many ways of doing charity," she said to her nuns, "the little help in money or in kind that we give to the poor cannot last long, we must aim at a more complete, more lasting good, study their aptitudes, their degree of education and try to get them work in order to help them out of their difficulties."

Inspired by the audacity of Sister Rosalie Rendu, the Rosalie Projects want to perpetuate this network of charity around the sisters' missions.

This participative financing platform was created to support the projects of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul for the benefit of the most destitute throughout the world.

It allows to :

- To attract financial support from benefactors who, through their donations on the platform, contribute to the realisation of these projects
- Animate the community of donors by telling the story of the realisation of the projects financed
- To make visible the actions of the Daughters of Charity for the benefit of those who need to become aware of their dignity and to regain confidence in their destiny

Since their creation, the Rosalie Projects have been dedicated to financing projects on a human scale but with a transformative impact.

Each project is the subject of a presentation and must be carried out locally by a Daughter of Charity, like Sister Rosalie in her time.

Cover: Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie visit Sister Rosalie's cot
Édouard Alexandre Sain (Cluny, 1830 - Paris, 1910) © RMN - Grand Palais (Château de Compiègne) / Stéphane Maréchalle