Little Sisters of the Poor in India
At the service of the elderly Poor
La Tour Saint Joseph
Mother House of the Little Sisters of the Poor - FRANCE
Leadership - General Council
Mother General
Maria del Monte Auxiliadora
General Council of the Congregation
Behind:
Sr. Sophie de St Joseph
Sr. Joseph Christine
Mother General
Sr. Patricia Yvonne del Espiritu Santo
Front:
Sr. Marie Rose
Sr. Marie Helene du Saint Esprit
Sr. Brigid Mary of Jesus
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The Congregation is governed by a Superior General and a Council of six Assistants General. Each of the 20 provinces is governed by a Provincial Superior, in close collaboration with the Superior General and her Council.
La Tour Saint Joseph
As the number of postulants kept growing the Home of Rennes was too small to accommodate them. The large estate of La Tour Saint Joseph was for sale which was bought with the help of Abbe Gontard and Abbe Lelievre. In the Spring of 1856, Jeanne, along with a group of postulants and novices, moved to La Tour to Joseph, house. Jeanne lived her life hidden from the world for 23 years until her death in 1879. However, her influence on the young postulants and novices was profound. She taught them to live by faith and to practice charity, she also passed on much practical advice on caring for the elderly poor.
Little by little, light was shed on the situation. In 1902, the truth began to emerge and Jeanne Jugan, known as Sister Mary of the Cross, who had died in quiet obscurity a quarter of a century before was not the third Little Sister, as everyone had been led to believe, but the foundress!
On 13th July 1979, the Church recognised the heroicity of Jeanne Jugan’s virtues. On 3rd October 1982, Pope John Paul ll proclaimed her Blessed and on 11th October 2009 on St Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed Jeanne Jugan to be a Saint!
A glimpse of La Tour Saint Joseph
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A tribute to Mother Celine de la Visitation
Former Superior General of Little Sisters of the Poor
Deceased on Saturday December 3, 2022, at La Tour Saint Joseph
Since 1976, Mother Celine de la Visitation was a member of the General Council of our Congregation. She served the congregation in the General Council, as Assistant General and as Mother General for 19 years, all in a hidden way, for the good of the Congregation during the past 46 years of her life.
Mother Celine was in San Francisco, California found her religious vocation at the Little Sisters of the Poor in her home town, She followed her formation and became a Little Sister of the Poor at the Novitiate in Queens Village, New York in 1958. After making her final commitment at our Mother House La Tour Saint Joseph, Mother Celine returned to Baltimore. From then on she assumed many responsibilities and served as Superior of many Homes in the United States till 1976 when she was called to La Tour Saint Joseph
Mother Celine had a smile on her face always, she was very and kind in her attitudes, knew how to be positive, listening and welcoming.
In 2009, Mother had the joy of participating in the Canonization Ceremony of Saint Jeanne Jugan whom she loved so dearly
Her funeral was presided by Most Reverend Pierre d'Ornellas, archbishop of Rennes, Dol and St Malo o Wednesday, December 7 at 3 pm at La Tour Saint Joseph. She is buried at the Cemetery of La Tour Saint Joseph.
May her beautiful soul rest in peace!
