The Canonization of Jeanne Jugan

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Beatification Memories

The Beatification of Jeanne Jugan on October 3, 1982, was a powerful experience for many people. For some, it was the confirmation of a vocation to following in Jeanne’s footsteps…

At the time of the beatification of Jeanne Jugan I was 21 years old and just beginning my senior year of nursing school. I had known the Little Sisters since I was in grade school and was irresistibly drawn to their spirit of joy, faith and kindness. It is very difficult to put into words what I experienced during that unforgettable trip. Just being in Rome for a week was one of the most extraordinary things that had ever happened to me, and to have actually been present when Pope John Paul II pronounced the humble foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor Blessed, is a memory that I will always treasure.

What impressed me the most, though, was the family spirit that pervaded the entire celebration. There were Residents and Little Sisters there from every country where they had a home. Some Residents wore their native costumes. They formed one huge, colorful family in the eternal city. Priests and bishops, as well as benefactors and volunteers, were also a part of this great extended family. Even the bus drivers who took us to and from the events were drawn into our exuberance. Several times I saw Residents who were lost or in need go to a Little Sister from another country who spoke a different language to ask for help. I was amazed by the trust that they had in their Little Sisters–of any race or nationality. I realized that those women really were “Little Sisters” to them, in the truest and best sense of the words.

Several months after the beatification, I entered the Little Sisters of the Poor as a postulant. Twenty five years later I am still in awe of this family spirit of Jeanne Jugan which transcends age, culture, race, nationality and language. The sentiments which I experienced at the time of her beatification have grown deeper, and my heart overflows with gratitude for the gift of my vocation and the charism of Blessed Jeanne Jugan.

Sister will celebrate her silver jubilee (25 years) as a Little Sister in 2010.

Click here for Pope John Paul II’s Beatification homily. (pdf)