{{Distinguish|Company of Mary|Sisters of the Company of Mary, Our Lady}} right|thumb|Venerable Mary PotterThe '''Little Company of Mary''', also known as the '''Blue Sisters''', is a Catholic religious institute of women dedicated to caring for the suffering, the sick, and the dying.<ref>[http://generalate.lcmglobal.org/ LCM Generalate] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061014131732/http://generalate.lcmglobal.org/ |date=2006-10-14 }}</ref><ref>[http://lcm.org.au/ Little Company of Mary Australian Province]</ref> The order was founded in 1877 in Nottingham, England by Mary Potter.
==History== The Little Company of Mary began in 1877, in an abandoned factory in Hyson Green, Nottingham. Their principal work was the care of the sick and dying.<ref name=":1">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14029a.htm Patrick, Mother Mary. "Sisters of the Little Company of Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 27 February 2019</ref> Their charism was based on the idea that Mary was at the foot of the Cross at the Crucifixion. In a similar way, the Company seeks to accompany the sick and dying.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Little Company of Mary {{!}} Religious Order |url=https://www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/religious-orders/little-company-of-mary |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.dioceseofnottingham.uk}}</ref>
In 1882, they went to Italy. Mary Potter had gone to gain approval for the constitutions of her new congregation, and while there she established Calvary Hospital on the Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, not far from St. John Lateran.<ref name=calvary>[https://www.calvarycare.org.au/about/heritage/mary-potter/ "Venerable Mary Potter", Calvary Health Care]</ref>
In 1885, at the request of Cardinal Francis Moran in Sydney, Australia, six sisters traveled by ship to Australia, establishing a community there.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History and heritage|url=https://www.calvarycare.org.au/about/heritage/|access-date=2021-04-18|website=Calvary Health Care|language=en}}</ref> Under the leadership of Mother Mary Xavier Lynch, the first provincial for Australasia, the order grew and established numerous hospitals in Australia and New Zealand.<ref name=":0">{{Citation|last=Dewdney|first=J. C. H.|title=Lynch, Annie (1870–1938)|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lynch-annie-7269|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|place=Canberra|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|access-date=2021-04-18}}</ref> She also oversaw the founding of a hospital in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.<ref name=":0" /> In 1888, the sisters expanded their work to Ireland.<ref name=":1" />
In 1893, three Little Company of Mary sisters arrived in Chicago to begin their ministry in the United States, providing home-based hospice care. In 1930 Little Company of Mary Hospital was founded in Evergreen Park, Illinois.<ref>[http://www.lcmh.org/ Little Company of Mary Hospital, Evergreen Park, IL]</ref><ref>[http://www.lcmsistersusa.org/index.php/features "Our Story", Little Company of Mary, USA]</ref> As of 2019, there were sisters working in California, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Their healthcare ministries include hospitals, home care, hospice, extended care, and outreach programs.
By 1922, the Little Company of Mary congregation had grown large enough to establish provinces with regional provincials. The four provinces were Australasia, England, Ireland, and Italy.<ref name=":0" />
== Modern day == The Little Company of Mary is currently present and operational in Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, Philippines, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Zimbabwe.<ref name=":2" /> They continue to assist in healthcare in these countries, as well as praying and accompanying them during their illness.
In Australia, the congregation's health, aged care and community ministries are administered through Little Company of Mary Health Care, which operates nationally under the trading name Calvary Health Care.<ref name="CalvaryHeritage">"History and heritage". Calvary Health Care. Retrieved 2021-04-18.</ref> Established as the corporate arm of the Little Company of Mary Sisters, Calvary provides hospital services, specialist health services, residential aged care, retirement living communities and home care services across several Australian states and territories.<ref name="CalvaryAbout">"About Calvary". Calvary Health Care. Retrieved 2025-01-10.</ref>
==See also== *Little Company of Mary Health Care (Australia) *Sisters of Finding Jesus in the Temple
== References == {{Reflist}} {{catholic|wstitle=Sisters of the Little Company of Mary}} {{commons category|Little Company of Mary}}
==External links== * [https://www.lcmsisters.org/ Little Company of Mary]
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Category:Religious organizations established in 1877 Category:Catholic female orders and societies Category:Catholic religious institutes established in the 19th century Category:1877 establishments in England