La congregación de las Hijas de la Caridad en Mérida en el siglo XIX: Fundación, instituciones y prácticas

Abstract

The arrival of the Sisters of Charity in Mérida, Yucatán, helped address some of the social problems caused by the inadequate local beneficence system. One of the few surviving institutions from the time of New Spain was the hospital, but from its inception to the arrival of the sisters it had undergone significant changes, and its performance left much to be desired. The nuns played a fundamental role in improving the services offered by the hospital and its administration. With the collaboration of members of society as a whole they also undertook initiatives to assist the needy: an orphanage and a girls’ school, which were run by the nuns.