1891-2026 : 135 years of mission in New York
New-York – Newburgh – Walden : 135 years of service, a legacy that leaves on
On 13 June 2026, the Little Sisters of the Assumption gave thanks for 135 years of missionary work in New York City during a celebration at St Francis de Sales Church (located in Upper East Side Harlem).
This date marks the end of a presence that began in 1891, when the first six Little Sisters arrived in New York to share the lives of working-class families and the poorest members of society.
An important chapter in the Congregation’s history is coming to a close, but the spirit that drove it remains very much alive.
A mission born out of a focus on the poorest members of society
From the very beginnings of the Congregation, the Founders, Father Étienne Pernet and Antoinette Fage, sought to ‘see the world through the eyes of those in need’.
Their vision was simple and deeply rooted in the Gospel: to live as closely as possible alongside families, to share in their joys and trials, and to bear witness to God’s love through an attentive presence and simple acts of service.
This vision has taken the Little Sisters far beyond the borders of France. Very early on, they realised that ‘the whole world was open to them’ and that the world was called to form one family.
135 years of supporting families
Over the decades, more than 250 Little Sisters from all over the world have worked in various neighbourhoods of New York, as well as in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Kentucky and New Mexico.
They have accompanied families in their daily lives, supported migrants, visited the sick, shared in the lives of workers, encouraged children and young people, and reached out to all those whom life had left vulnerable.
In New York, Newburgh, Walden, East Harlem, Worcester, Dorchester and many other places, they sought to foster hope through close, trusting relationships.
In 1933 a foundation in Montreal, Canada was made expanding a missionary presence in numerous places thereby becoming its own province in 1963. Strong bonds of sisterly affection have always been maintained with one another.
A mission shared with the laity
Since the early years of the Congregation, the Little Sisters have carried out their mission alongside lay people.
Deep bonds have been forged with women and men from all walks of life: volunteers, colleagues, friends, benefactors, partners and members of boards of trustees.
Together, they have learnt to build relationships based on reciprocity, respect and concern for the most vulnerable.
Even today, this ‘Family on a Mission’ continues to embody the values that inspire the Congregation:
- a commitment to people living in poverty;
- the pursuit of peace and justice;
- mutual care;
- a contemplative spirituality in action;
- the conviction that we are all part of one human family.
A legacy that continues to bear fruit
Over the course of these 135 years, the mission has given rise to numerous organisations that continue their work today.
The Pernet Family Health Service in Worcester, the LSA Family Health Service in East Harlem, Project HOPE in Dorchester, the Newburgh Ministry, as well as numerous educational, social and community initiatives, continue to support the most vulnerable families.
These organisations bear witness to the fact that the Little Sisters’ mission does not end with the closure of a house. It is passed on, shared and continues to grow through those who carry its spirit forward today.
The ministries (CREA, LAZOS, Arcoiris and Anne Mary’s Place) founded by the lay members of LSA Family in Mission operate in the same family spirit as a continuation of the mission.
These organizations are changing lives and neighbourhoods daily. They are the embodiment of the Little Sisters mission and will be their permanent legacy in America.
In leaving New York, the Sisters will be settling in our Worcester community. The USA mission began with six Little Sisters and today six Little Sisters remain. We have come full circle.
A new chapter begins, but the mission remains the same
The celebration on 13 June was not merely a look back at the past; it was also a step towards the future.
The participants recalled that the charism received from Étienne Pernet and Antoinette Fage now belongs to a vast family comprising religious sisters, lay people, associations and partners committed to the same mission.
Whilst one house is closing in New York, others are already opening elsewhere in the world: in Porto Novo in Benin and in Angers in France.
The history of the Little Sisters of the Assumption is one of a loving presence on the margins which continues to reinvent itself in the service of the least among us.
As our Rule of Life reminds us:
« To bear witness of the Father’s love among the poor, the workers and their families by means of an attentive presence and simple acts of service » (RV n°3)
Yes, the locations change, but the mission remains the same…
