Our History

Cross Obituary Notice

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Sister Sainte-Victoire

SISTER LEOCADIE BEAULIEU
in religion
SISTER SAINTE VICTOIRE  (Coadjutrix)

February 21, 1914

Sister Leocadie Beaulieu was the daughter of Philippe Beaulieu, farmer, from Rivière-du-Loup, Teminscouata County, Quebec and Canut Mercier.

She entered the Novitiate at the age of 28 years, 4 months and 10 days, on October 22, 1860, and had the joy of making her religious profession on October 2, 1862.

This dear sister in her youth never had a taste for leisure activities or for the comforts of society, and she refused several times to settle down.  She loved God, and pious activities were her delight.

She had spent some years as a seamstress in the home of Mrs. Pelletier, sister of our elderly Sister Moreau, and no doubt that is where she grew to know our congregation.

In the different missions where Divine Providence placed her, this dear sister always gave herself to her work with great devotion, with a spirit of faith and obedience.  As early as her Novitiate, she worked at the mother house kitchen, and after 1863, she spent six years at St. Joseph College, which today is Ottawa University, where our sisters were housekeepers.  From 1871 to 1886, she employed her fingers and her eyes as seamstress at our Pembroke Boarding School, all the while nourishing her intense interior life.

Called back to the mother house, she continued the same work, and then gave of her care and her work for the orphans at St. Joseph for twelve years, without ever tiring of this life of sacrifice.  The mother house requested her services one more time as seamstress as well as the one responsible for the wardrobe and the linens, in such a way that she continued her industrious and helpful career for the benefit of the community as well as for the growth of her personal piety.  She excelled in a wise use of her time, and her charity led her to be of service in as much as her strength would allow.

However age with its infirmities became part of her life.  She needed to accept care from the nursing sisters. Yet, she would return to lighter work as soon as her suffering abated.

Finally, in February 1914, it would seem that the Divine Master was ready to call to himself this wise virgin whose fervour had always kept her lamp lit.  She died peacefully on the 21is of that month at the age of 81 years, 8 months and 8 days.  She had spent 53 years, 3 months and 36 days in religious life.

She left in the community a younger sister, Sisters Sainte Vitaline.

R. I. P.

Cross

Taken and translated from: "Nécrologies des Soeur Grises de la Croix", Tome II, 1910 to 1927, Mother House, Ottawa, 1933, p. 58 - 59.

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