Research into the history of religious societies which made their appearance in the history of Torun is still at the beginning of a long road. This statement applies to all periods of the city’s history. The author of this article looks at one of the less known religious orders of
women, the Society of Pastorelle Sisters of Divine Providence. They came to Toruń in 1920 with the aim of running a hospital for VD-infected women. The Pastorelle Sisters and their mission could not fail to send ripples through the urban community which received them; interestingly, there was also a backlash effect on the sisters themselves. It turned out that work with VD-infected women shook the very foundations of the order.
This study is divided into four parts. Part I contains an outline history of the Society until 1920, ie. the setting up of the Toruń foundation. It deals with events preceding the Sisters’ arrival in Toruń and recounts the history, first, of
the VD ward taken over by the Sisters, and then the history of the hospital they ran on their own. Part II chronicles the efforts aimed at amending the Society’s Constitutions so as to make it better attuned to sisters’ fresh commitment, especially in the field of nursing. The process of reshaping the Constitutions was completed in 1928. Part III examines the changes that were made in the Society after the opening of the Toruń hospital in the light of the clauses of the amended Constitutions. The last part surveys the changes in the outward activities of the Society in the same period, ie. after the opening of the Toruń hospital. Part IV also looks at the Society’s new initiatives and the reactions of the general public.