States. Father Louis Querbes died in Vourles 1 September 1859, but his work and charity continued after his death. At the death of its founder, the Congregation numbered between 250 and 300 members, including some fifty in Canada. They constituted four provinces: Vourles, Saint-Flour, Rodez, and Canada. 19th century After the death of Father Querbes and up until about 1880, the movement continued to grow. In France, the typical Cleric of Saint Viator served in small rural parishes, where he was, according to the wishes of the founder, "the cantor, sacristan, catechist, table-mate, and companion" of the priest and the principal of the school. Afterward, as the country entered an era of political turbulence, religious congregations that, up until that time, could direct public communal schools had to abandon them. They opened parish schools, which were free but poor. Members were obliged to do military service. The number entering novitiates declined. In 1900, there were approximately 500 French members of the 760 members in the entire Congregation. Clerics of the Province of Canada went in a different direction, directing primary schools as well as secondary schools, accepting responsibility for a parish, and creating an Institution for the Deaf. The development of the Congregation proceeded based upon apostolic works. In 1897, a half-century after its founding, the Canadian chapter was composed of 215 members. In 1865, three Canadian members founded a school in Bourbonnais, Illinois, in the United States; this school later developed as St. Viator College. A novitiate was opened, and in 1882, the members of the United States formed the Province of Chicago. At the end of the century, the Chicago Province was composed of about forty members. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the members of France formed the predominant group in the Congregation. Except for the Chicago Province, the other provinces were engaged in apostolic works that fit into the same framework: elementary schools, some of which were small boarding schools, which represented the principal commitment of the Congregation; several secondary schools, which involved a small number of members; social works (orphanages in France, the Montreal Institute for the Deaf); and sacristan duties in several parishes. Small or medium-sized local communities predominated and consisted for the most part of religious brothers. 1903-1908 In May 1903, in France, the government decreed closing 11,000 schools and hospitals administered by religious congregations. Within the space of two months, the