Mother General flies out for reconnaissance THE. Mother General of the "Chigwell nuns," the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary at Chigwell, Essex, flew on Monday to the vicariate of Abercorn, in Northern Rhodesia, where she is to spend several weeks on reconnaissance.
At the request of the White Father Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Van den Biesen, the Mother General will examine the possibilities of opening a hospital there and of sending a number of the Chigwell sisters to organise it and head the staff.
This would be the second overseas expedition from Chigwell and the first missionary venture in the ordinary sense. Already a number of Chigwell sisters arc teaching in California.
The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary were founded in 1866 by Fr. Victor Braun, a French priest. They have foundations in 11 English dioceses and a number of houses in Ireland.
These include hospitals, maternity homes, homes for unmarried mothers, open-air schools for children, a school for mental defectives, and an Approved school.
The sisters also teach in a number of primary schools in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex, including Harlow New Town. where a small community lives in a council house. Last year they were worried by a lack of postulants, but at a ceremony last week at which Bishop Beek of Brentwood presided, there were 36 professions.