In our daily lives, we are called sisters. We live in fraternal communities of varying sizes. For the sake of Christ and the Gospel, each one is welcomed as a sister, regardless of her age, background, or personal history. The fraternity lived out in community calls for respect, trust, and kindness—a demanding path that must be constantly built, marked by forgiveness and reconciliation.
At the founding of our Institute, we received the name « Sisters of Christian Instruction » a name that encapsulates the entire founding vision: to enable girls from rural areas to receive an education and to gain access to the Gospel and the knowledge of Jesus.
Today given that the Sisters’ missionary work has been multifaceted since the Institute’s inception, encompassing education, healthcare, and pastoral and social activities—we focus our efforts on helping everyone grow in humanity and embrace the Good News of the Gospel. We are called to dedicate our energy and gifts to ensuring that all people and especially those left behind—can gain access to a better, more humane life through their own efforts. The Sisters are deeply committed to instilling human and Christian values in young people, shaping them into the responsible men and women of tomorrow. They strive to foster self-reliance among the disadvantaged and to give them a reason to hope.
We are also Sisters of Saint-Gildas. This name reflects our history. When the sisters settled in a former Benedictine abbey in Saint-Gildas-des-Bois (in the Loire-Atlantique region, within the Diocese of Nantes) in 1828, the site became what is known as our Motherhouse. A long series of foundations followed within the diocese, establishing small communities in towns and rural areas—communities of three or four sisters dedicated to teaching, nursing, catechism, social outreach, and more. Before long, people began calling us the « Sisters of Saint-Gildas.» This informal name, given by the local populations whose lives we shared, was eventually officially adopted by the Congregation, which added “Saint-Gildas” to its official title, “Sisters of Christian Instruction.”