Today is the Memorial of Bl. Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. In case you haven't had a chance to read any of my previous posts, the Little Sisters of the Poor is a religious order dedicated to caring for the elderly poor. I am going to visit their home in Chicago next week to continue discerning whether I am called to religious life.
More about her in the extended section of this post:
Jeanne Jugan was born in Brittany, France in the fishing village of Cancale on October 25, 1792. Her father died when she was very young. She grew up during the French Revolution, so was educated in the faith secretly with the help of a group of women consecrated to Christ. These women belonged to an Institute, or sort of a Third Order founded by St. John Eudes.
Jeanne Jugan knew when she was young that God "wanted her for Himself", and refused two marriage proposals. Long before she founded the Little Sisters, she left home to live with and serve the poor. She became a member of the same "Third Order" that had catechized her when she was young, the Society of the Heart of the Admirable Mother. She would gather with this community for prayer and sharing, and continued to serve the poor.
It wasn't until 1839 (she was almost 50) that she would found the Little Sisters. This is when, as the story goes, she carried a poor, elderly woman who had no-one to care for her on her back up a narrow flight of stairs to her apartment. Jeanne gave up her bed and moved to the attic to make room for her. Before long, Jeanne and her friends were welcoming other elderly poor into their home, and this grew into the Little Sisters of the Poor. Jeanne spent the next 10 years begging on their behalf and caring for them. Her work was noted in France, and even got the attention of English writer Charles Dickens:
There is in this woman something so calm, and so holy, that in seeing her I know myself to be in the presence of a superior being. Her words went straight to my heart, so that my eyes, I know not how, filled with tears. (As quoted by John Paul II).
Soon after she began her work, politics came into the picture. The Abbe Le Pailleur (who was apparently a little bonkers) appointed a young, inexperienced woman as the superior of the new order, even though they had elected Jeanne Jugan. He would eventually send Jeanne Jugan (Sister Mary of the Cross) to live the rest of her days in the motherhouse, even though she was very capable of the demands of her work. He took credit for the work she had done in the very beginning, and assumed absolute authority over the Little Sisters as their Superior General. She lived a "hidden" life at the motherhouse for twenty-seven years. None of the novices or postulants or other Little Sisters had any idea that she was the true foundress of their order. Jeanne was known to have said to the Abbe, "You have stolen my work from me....but I willingly give it to you!" After her death, the truth was revealed and an accurate history of the Little Sisters' beginnings was written. Jeanne Jugan died on August 29, 1879, and was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 2, 1982. Today, the Little Sisters carry on the tradition of opening their homes to the elderly poor (they take a fourth vow of hospitality).
Most of my information comes from author Paul Milcent, who wrote the biography of her life: Jeanne Jugan - Humble So As to Love More.
Comments