The service of the aged poor
Founded, Date/Place: Winter 1839 St. Servan, Brittany, France
Founder: Saint Jeanne Jugan
Canonical Status: Pontifical
Mission Statement: To Offer The Neediest Elderly Of Every Race And Religion A Home Where They Will Be Welcomed As Christ, Cared For As Family And Accompanied With Dignity Until God Calls Them To Himself
Arrival Date In Nigeria: 1975
Special Contribution To The Church In Nigeria: Our Contribution To The Church Was The Foundation Of A Home For The Elderly Poor And Handicapped In Enugu
Location Of Generelate: La Tour Saint Joseph, Brittany, France
Location Of Principal House In Nigeria: Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Home For The Elderly 35/37 Ufuma Street, Awkunanaw, Enugu, Enugu State
Names Of Places/Countries Where We Are: We Are In 32 Countries In The 5 Continents
Location Of Formation House: Republic Of Benin (Tokan), France, U.S.A., Colombia, Australia, India Etc
Superior Provincial: Mother Febronia Mtui Mrisha, LSJ
Little Sisters of the Poor,
Home for the Elderly,
35 – 37 Ufuma Street,
Awkunanaw, Enugu,
P.O. Box 1144,
Enugu 400001
Enugu State,
Nigeria
MOBILE: 08064771061
EMAIL: lspenugu@yahoo.com
Our Apostolate
Spirituality And Charisma
The Spirit Of The Congregation Is The Evangelical Spirit Of The Beatitudes (Mat, 5). Saint Jeanne Jugan, our foundress, faithful to the Holy Spirit, radiated particularly in her life gentleness and humility of heart which enabled her to surrender herself, in simplicity to the joy of hospitality. To be a Little Sister of the Poor, reminds us that we have vowed our lives to go always to the aged poor and to create a flow of apostolic collaboration and fraternal charity, in order to assist Christ in the poor. For each one, it is personally an invitation to share in the beatitude of spiritual poverty, leading us towards that radical dispossession which surrenders a soul to God.
Consecrated hospitality is, in the midst of the world, a witness to the mercy of the Father and the compassionate love of the Heart of Jesus.
Foundress:
Saint Jeanne Jugan Born in Cancale, Britanny, France on October 25th 1792, Jeanne lost her father, a fisherman, at sea when she was hardly four years of age. Working from a young age to help her mother raise the family, at sixteen she began working as a kitchen maid in a manor near Cancale and later left home at the age of 25 for Saint Servan where she worked as a nurse’s aide. Asked in marriage she replied: God wants me for himself. He is keeping me for a work which is not yet founded.” Having joined the Third Order of the Admirable Mother, founded by Saint Jean Eudes, she finally opened her door and her heart to a blind, semi-paralysed elderly woman who had suddenly found herself alone and without help… This act committed her forever.
A second and then a third elderly woman followed and by 1843 they numbered 40. Firstly named superior of the little congregation she was soon ousted from this responsibility and reduced to have the simple activity of collecting, a hard task which she herself had begun to help the poor.
Her faith and love helped her to discern God’s will and although she was kept in the background for 27 years she always had full confidence that God’s work would succeed.
In fact at her death in 1879 there were already 2,000 little sisters working in various countries including France, Belgium, U.K., Spain, Italy, Malta, U.S.A., Algeria etc.
Apostolate:
Our only apostolate is the care of the elderly poor and infirm in homes where we can better take care of them up to the end of their lives. For this work some sisters are assigned to go out collecting for their basic needs and those of the house. This latter ministry is also an occasion to spread the idea of fraternal charity and the message of the Beatitudes to all.
Sisters In Perpetual Vows
- Sr. Sylvia Bianshard
- Sr. Mary Bibiana Mwakuba
- Sr. Ann Catherine Emetibe
- Sr. Ellen Creed
- Sr. Theresa Nwadinaka Noh
- Sr. Philomena Ifeoma Udeh
- Sr. Evangeline Onwuekwikpe
- Sr. Catherine Ugwuolagu