VincentWiki:Ephemerides/6 December

1658 In 1658, St. Vincent gives one of his most important conferences to the missioners about “the end of the Congregation of the Mission: personal sanctification, instruction of the poor, formation of the clergy. He listed other works which are secundary: the Direction of the DCs, hospital apostolate, etc. He also refuted some objections.

1854 In 1854, Florence Nightingale leaves for Crimea, heading a group of Protestant nurses from England. A curious fact is that before leaving, they wanted to visit the Mother House of the DCs where Fr. Etienne received them. He told them that without the Eucharist, he feared the work would not last. After a short time there, the nurses returned to England.