Activity of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy of St. Vincent de Paul in the field of health care in Eastern Galicia in the XVIII - first third of the XX century.

Abstract

The article deals with history of the spread of the abodes of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. It examines the process of opening the medical institutions of the Congregation in Eastern Galicia XVIII – the first third of XX century. Activity of the Sisters of Mercy in the healthcare was analyzed, clarified the role of this activity at the life of local population. Special attention is paid to the sources of funding and property status of the Congregation that enabled its charitable functioning. Earlier the funds came from the monarchs of Poland and Austria. Later the wealthy families of Potocki, Rzewuski, Lubomirski and Czartoryski started to fund Sisters of Charity. Thanks to this, Sisters of Mercy were able to finance their activities, leading their own economy.

The author determines the quality and efficiency of health services of Sisters of Mercy. He concludes that they gained valuable experience and professionalism in their work as a junior medical staff in its own medical institutions, as well as in public and private hospitals in Eastern Galicia, in particular in the “People's Hospital”. The author argues that social and medical care played an important role in the activities of the eastern branch of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The Congregation gave impetus to the formation of other charitable organizations and monastic communities whose apostolic activity included the care of the sick. But the treatment without doctor`s control in small hospitals of the Congregation was not effective, therefore, these institutions served rather as shelters, where patients could receive elementary care and first medical care. The ascetic and sacrificial nature of this work and the ministry of the sisters of charity are emphasized on the example of Blessed Marta Wiecka. This example was not isolated because the Sisters of Mercy practically always kept their promises.