The Courage to Love

Plot

Henriette Delille, a free woman of color, was born in 1813 into one of New Orleans most prominent families. Her family assumed she would follow her mother and sisters path and become a mistress for a wealthy white man. However, Henriette had different plans for her life.

Cast

The life story of Mother Henriette Delille is really the story of her founding the first community of nuns of color. On Saturday, March 27, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI signed a decree advancing the cause of sainthood of Henriette Delille, declaring that this exemplary New Orleans Creole had lived a life of "heroic virtue."

During the 1840s Mother Delille began assembling the group of young women who would become the Sisters of the Holy Family. Judging by the books the sisters held in their library, noted Father Cyprian Davis, Henriette Delille’s biographer, they were all literate, intelligent women.

One of their first works of charity was caring for several elderly women, probably former slaves, who lived in the house next door to their own. Thus began one of the congregation’s primary charitable works, caring for the elderly and infirm.

Sisters of the Holy Family

Members, community leadership, and missions, for 2012:

Sister M. Henrietta Lazare Sister Agnes Marie Sampia Sister M. Angela Merici Luis Sister Ann Michelle Mercier Sister M Bertha Pierre-August Sister M. Bertille Hazeur Sister M. Bonaventure Jackson Sister Canice Lastrapes Sister M. Canisius Lastrapes Sister M. Catherine Henrietta Ferguson Sister M. Concetta Augustine Sister M. Cornelia Hall Sister M. Daniel Cooper Sister Doris Goudeaux Sister Elma Olivera Sister Esther Marie Estero Sister M. Eva Regina Martin Sister Evelyn Estrado Sister M. Frances Cabrini Turnbull Sister Gertrude Uloko, SSh Sister. Geneva James Sister M. Greta Jupiter Sister Jean Martinez Sister Joan Flores Sister Josephine Francisco Sister Joseph Angela Parker Sister Joseph Ann Gillette Sister M. Laura Mercier Sister. M. Lucia Carl Sister. M. Luke Rubit Sister Madeline Sophie Jolivet Sister Marian Perpetua Sister Maria Gonzales Sister Maria Consilia Saizan Sister. Patricia Hardy Sister M. Rose de Lima Hazeur Sister Sarah Cecile James Sister Sheila Marie Wllliarns Sister Sylvia Vallet Sister M. Timothy Lancelin

MOTHERHOUSE 6901 Chef Menteur Highway New Orleans, LA 70126 504-241-3088

Sister Clare of Assisi Pierre Sister Jennie Louise Jones Sister Andria Donald Sister Cecilia Dimaku, SSH Sister Cynthia Marie Jackson Sister M. Frances Therese Remi Sister Marie Antoinette Sister Judith Therese Barial Sister M. Janet Peters Sister Joseph Ellen Cavalier

ST. MARYS ACADEMY 6903 Chef Menteur Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70126 504-245-0200

Sister M. Leona Bruner Sister Marie de Montfort Breaux Sister M. Zita Andrades

ST. JOAN OF ARC CONVENT 900 Cambronne Street New Orleans, LA 70118 504-861-8700

Sister Theresa Sue Sister Angela Smith Sister M. Francella Jackson

HOLY GHOST CONVENT 3325 Danneel Street New Orleans, LA 70115 504-895-2450 504-895-2452 fax

Sister John Mary Jackson Sister Stephanie Marie Langston Sister M. Magdalen Antoine

HENRIETTE DELILLE CONVENT SHREVEPORT 1755 Corbitt Street Shreveport, LA 71108 318-213-7028 318-225-5051 School

Sister Clare Thomas Sister M. Charlotte Rubit Sister Beulah Mae Sam

MERE HENRIETTE CONVENT ALEXANDRIA 3000 Elliott Street Alexandria, LA 71301 318-483-9480

Sister Marie Antonia Rideau Sister Edna Mae Jones Sister M. Letitia Senegal Sister Hortensia Maria Flowers Sister Philomena Malveaux

JULIETTE GAUDIN CONVENT ALEXANDRIA 3110 Georges Lane Alexandria, LA 71301 318-308-0500

Sister Rita Darensbourg Sister M. Lucille Stelly

HOLY GHOST CONVENT MARKSVILLE P.O. Box 472 Marksville, LA 71351 318-240-7787 phone 318-253-9211 fax

Sister M. Rachael William Sister M. Joseph Charles Sister M. Romuald Cormier

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CONVENT BATON ROUGE 1150 S. 12th Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802 225-379-8561

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY LAFAYETTE 900 Surrey Street Lafayette, LA 70505 337-235-8553 phone 337-235-2286 fax

Sister Joan Marie Alexander Sister Marie George Henry Sister M. Innocente Wiltz Sister Josita Marie Ogaldez

HOLY GHOST OPELOUSAS 317 Congress Street Opelousas, LA 70570 337-942-2052

Sister M. Patricia Ann Williams Sister M. Regina Amos Sister M. Aquinas Judge Sister M. Prompt Succor Arceneaux

SACRED HEART VILLE PLATTE 708 E. Main Street Ville Platte, LA 70586 337-506-3100

Sister M. Hilary Daigle Sister Elizabeth Ann Holmes Sister Laurita Oliver Sister Gloria Lewis Sister Alicia Costa Sister Claudia Marie Sister Richard Francis Daigle Sister Sylvia Thibodeaux

AUSTIN PLACE 3925 State Street Drive New Orleans, LA 70125 504-861-1065

Sr. Carmel Rose Saizan

VISTE Program 1610 Reynolds Road, #81 Lakeland, FL 33801 863-665-1019

Studying in Rome

Sister Veronica Ruth Lambey Sisters of the Resurrection Via Marcantonio Colonna 52/A 00192 Rome, Italy Ph. 3906-3221005 ext. 305

Sister M. Camillus Durald St. Clare Manor 7435 Bishop Ott Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Mission Locations

ST. JOSEPHS CONVENT 8466 Beechwood Court New Orleans, LA 70127 504-241-0508

Sister. M. Ann Elise Sonnier Sister M. Rose Fatima Henry Sister Benjamin Auzenne Sister M. Carolyn Leslie Sister M. Tekakwitha Vega

DELILLE INN APARTMENTS 6924 Chef Menteur Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70126-6250 504-245-8660

Sister M. Avila Thomas Sister M. Rebecca Carlos Castillo Sister M. Rosalind Luciani Barbeneaux Sister Richard Francis Daigle

ST. JOHN BERCHMANS MANOR 3400 St. Anthony Street New Orleans, LA 70122-3098 504-943-9331 or 504-943-9382

Sister Augustine McDaniel Sister M. de Ricci Egby Sister Clara Jackson Sister M. Jacinta Blanchard Sister Mary M. de Pazzi Andry Sister Mary Margaret King Sister M. Anthony Allen Sister M. Thomas More Rochon

LAFON NURSING HOME 6900 Chef Menteur Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70126-5216 504-241-6285

Sister Germaine Henry 1011 N. Prater Street Lake Charles, LA 70601

Sister Eva Regina Martin Congregational Leader Sister Greta Jupiter

Assistant Congregational Leader Sister Leona Bruner

Second General Councilor Sister Alicia Costa

Third General Councilor Sister Clare of Assisi Pierre