The suffering of the poor touched the hearts of Mother Gamelin and the sisters.

From an early age, Emilie Tavernier Gamelin developed a love of the poor. Added to this were her own experiences of suffering, which began at age 4 when her mother died, and came again at 14 years of age when her father died.

As a young woman she married Jean Baptist Gamelin and their marriage was a happy one. They shared together an interest and love of the poor. Within 5 years however, by 1828, Emilie had lost 3 young sons and her husband.

In reflecting on our Mother of Sorrows and her own sorrows, Emilie turned her grief outward. God called her to live and express the gifts of confidence in and manifestation of God's providence and our compassionate Mother of Sorrows, by responding to people most in need.