Frances Taylor
Frances Taylor was born on 20th January 1832 in Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire, as the youngest of ten children. After her father's death in 1842, the family moved to London, where Frances was shocked by the poverty and squalor, which sparked her compassion for the poor.
In 1854, Frances went to the Crimea with Florence Nightingale's Lady Volunteer Nurses. The suffering of wounded soldiers, the faith of Irish men, and the dedication of the Irish Sisters of Mercy inspired her to convert to Catholicism. Upon returning to London, she continued her work with the poor and also began writing.
In 1872, Frances founded the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, alongside three companions. Their work focused on addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, emphasizing the dignity and worth of every individual.
Today, the Congregation of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God continues Frances' work in social, pastoral, healthcare, education, and outreach across the UK, Ireland, Kenya, the USA, Italy, and Venezuela through Associate members.
The Frances Taylor Foundation carries forward Frances’ spirit, energy, and commitment to improving the lives of marginalized individuals. Her "Charism" (gift) lives on, promoting the use of one's gifts for the benefit of others, regardless of religious belief.
The Journey Of Beatification: Mother Magdalen Taylor
On 13th June 2014, Pope Francis authorised the promulgation of the decree concerning the Heroic virtues of Servant of God Mother Magdalen of the Sacred Heart (nee Frances Margaret Taylor), foundress of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God (1832-1900).
We seek to have Venerable Magdalen of the Sacred Heart canonized for numerous reasons, though none more important than her role as Prophet. A Prophet communicates God’s message. The message gives a vision to the world that inspires people and encourages them.
Here are four marks of her being a Prophet:
She was inspired to write a book, Eastern Hospitals and English Nurses – an expose' showing the neglect of the soldiers, and the injustice and indignities they suffered. As Prophet, her message was:
It is not sufficient to accept things the way they are. People deserve better and they should get it.
She called for the reform of the character of paid nurses, whom she often found to be drunk, immoral and insubordinate. The horror for Venerable Magdalen of the Sacred Heart was that sick and dying patients were left in the care of these so-called nurses.
She was not willing to accept things the way they were; things should be better and most certainly the sick and the dying deserved better.
In the Apostleship of Prayer programme, a person unites with the intentions of the church daily all over the world so as to be as close as possible to the mind of the church in its concerns and prayers for its suffering members. Prayer touched the two great loves of her life – the Sacred Heart and the Poor.
As an encourager, she convinced Fr. Dignam, SJ, to change the Messenger of the Sacred Heart from being an expensive literary magazine into a popular penny-worth magazine which quickly circulated freely among the poor. She further encouraged Fr. Cullen, SJ, in Dublin to make the magazine available to people in Ireland. Within a year, the first Irish Messenger of the Sacred Heart appeared, reaching a circulation of 73,000. This Messenger is still published in Ireland today.
Her call to be the Foundress of our Congregation, the Poor Servants of the Mother of God.
We continue to pray for the Beatification of Venerable Magdalen of the Sacred Heart:
Poor Servants of The Mother of God
The Poor Servants of the Mother of God are inspired by the vision of their Foundress, Frances Taylor/Mother Magdalen. The Incarnation deeply moved her, and she called on her Sisters to respond with their entire lives to the generosity of God.
“God will have our hearts love and the whole of it”, she cried.
For her, this was the only response worthy of the gift of the Incarnation.
Frances Taylor expressed the belief that we are given the hands of Christ to work, the heart of Christ to love, and the mind of Christ to illuminate the world.
The spirituality of the Congregation is rooted in the legacy of St Ignatius, who emphasized the importance of recognizing God’s presence in our everyday lives, that is, "finding God in all things." Indeed, for St Ignatius, all is done for the greater glory of God.
An invitation is extended to anyone who feels God’s call. We encourage you to reach out for our accompaniment in your journey of discernment.
