Henriette Delille

Last week, a visitor told us that she was related to a nun featured on the front page of the Times-Picayune. I misunderstood her to refer to another nun, who was on the front page of the T-P the day before. (Yes, we are talking two nuns in two days. If this surprises you, welcome to New Orleans. )

Anyway, the real story is at the link above. (click on message title, but be ready for lots of advertising). Almost unbelievably, she doesn't appear to be listed in the wikipedia. (Note to self: put together an article.) However, here seems to be a very good discussion of Delille and the Sisters of the Holy Family.

She was an amazing woman, a free "woman of color" (not a slave) in the early 1800's who gave up what was apparently a very comfortable life to minister to the poor (and the slaves) in New Orleans. She is being considered for sainthood by the vatican. Regardless of what the Roman Catholic church decides, she seems to have been an amazing woman, and our visitor should be proud to have her in her family tree.

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