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. 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. 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. In 1885, at the request of
Cardinal Francis Moran in Sydney, Australia, six sisters traveled by ship to Australia, establishing a community there. 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. She also oversaw the founding of a hospital in
Port Elizabeth, South Africa. 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. == Modern day ==