Obituary Notice
Back to Élisabeth Bruyère yesterday and today
SISTER M. A. JOSEPHINE JONES
in religion
SISTER SAINT PETER
October 22, 1881
Sister Mary Ann Josephine Jones was born in County Cavan, Ireland, of Protestant parents who died when she was quite young. She was adopted by an uncle who brought her with him to America. His intention was to settle in the United States.
The child became ill on the journey, so that, arriving in Canada, the uncle entrusted her to a Protestant family in Montreal. Since this illness was considered contagious, this couple, who feared for its children, sent the young Maria to the Hôtel-Dieu where the excellent care of the good religious brought her back to health.
It was while she was in this institution that she had the inspiration to become a Catholic, such that, after adequate preparation, she received Baptism. Shortly afterwards, her uncle returned to Canada in order to bring her back with him but, learning that his niece had renounced her Protestant roots and staunchly held to the Catholic beliefs, he abandoned her. Young Maria was then sent to the Grey Nuns of Montreal to be taken in with the orphans. Later she would enter the novitiate of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame, but her frail health did not allow her to persevere. She then returned to the Grey Nuns’ orphanage.
At the time of the foundation of our community in Ottawa, then Bytown, in February, 1845, Maria Jones, then 26 years of age, accompanied Mother Bruyère to the new establishment. She entered the novitiate the following March 10 and had the joy of professing her vows on June 29, 1847. She was given the name Saint Peter, the patron saint of Father Telmon, O.M.I., founder of the Ottawa mission.
The entire religious career of our beloved and late Sister Saint Peter can be summarised as follows: a heroic spirit of sacrifice, unbounded dedication to our congregation, obedience under any form of hardship, charity for the needy and those who were abandoned. Always involved in the most important leadership roles, our dear sister demonstrated great prudence, rare judgment and a true religious spirit.
The Superiors, who knew well the merit and the strong skills of the one who was rightly called Mother Saint Peter, and who counted on her total submission, never hesitated to entrust her with the most difficult assignments. We all know that some of our houses owe their survival to her labours and her efforts. In spite of her frail health, she never spared her pains or her fatigue so that the mission entrusted to her would progress, and, as a true daughter of the congregation, our Mother, she equally cherished all her undertakings.
The first mission where Mother Saint Peter demonstrated her zeal was in Saint Andrew, in the diocese of Kingston, where she won the esteem of all those with whom she had to deal. In 1857, she founded our mission in Buffalo, our first in the United States, where the sisters took charge of the parish school. This mission had been offered to the Grey Nuns of Bytown by Bishop Timon of Buffalo, at the request of Fr. Chevalier, pastor of Holy Angels parish. Mother Saint Peter’s companions can vouch that she suffered from want and from vexations during the six or seven years she spent in this house.
She was then placed in the leadership of our missions in Plattsburg and Ogdensburg, where she demonstrated equal zeal, and where her efforts were crowned with success. Appointed once again as superior at the convent in Buffalo in 1874, our dear sister Saint Peter assumed the leadership of this important academy with renewed courage. It was during her second three-year mandate that our sisters in Buffalo were so cruelly tried by the destructive fire in a house that had cost them such labour and sacrifices. This trial could not discourage a stalwart soul like that of Mother Saint Peter, honed by all forms of challenges, and ready, as was the Venerable Mother d`Youville, to recite the Te Deum over the smoking ruins. She wasted no time in beginning the work of rebuilding with her invincible trust in Divine Providence who revealed itself in so many ways. In just a few months, our sisters and their students had once again gathered under the roof of Holy Angels, now become quite flourishing, thanks no doubt to the protection of its foundress.
Called to return from Buffalo, Mother Saint Peter was named superior in Buckingham, then in Aylmer which became the last theatre of her fruitful activity.
Although her energy brought her to fight valiantly against her illness, her weakened state became more and more evident. Early in September, 1881, a violent haemorrhage created much anxiety among her sisters, and though she tried to resist, she had to give in to nature. No sooner had this news reached our good Mother Phelan than she hurried to Aylmer to bring our dear sick sister back to the mother house. It would be the last stage before leaving for heaven. The following morning, Mother Saint Peter experienced such a weak spell that it was deemed prudent to have her receive the Last Rites from the hands of Father Gaudet, chaplain.
Our dear elder lived for several more weeks during which one could not cease to admire her humble but constant virtues. No complaint passed her lips. Far from being demanding, she in fact would not even think of asking for anything. Totally submitted to God’s will, she would have been ready to go back to work had it been God’s pleasure to return his little servant to health. Yet, she was content to die if this was what the Lord wanted. She showed no fear, trusting in the mercy of the Sacred Heart whose love had always sustained her in all her work.
A priest who visited her, offering words of encouragement proper to her sufferings, said, among other things: “My sister, you are now living your purgatory”, to which she responded, “Oh, Father, have I done anything else in my life than live purgatory?” She spoke correctly. The crosses of every shape and form, which this worthy mother had to carry, had they not purified her in preparation for the indescribable delights of heaven?
On October 22, the end was clearly near. Our sister received Viaticum and the plenary indulgence accorded by the Church at the hour of death. She was fully conscious and did her best to respond to the prayers and make the sign of the cross. At 8:30 P.M., violent abdominal pains wracked her body and she succumbed, giving back to God her beautiful and meritorious soul.
Mother Saint Peter had lived 63 years and 1 month. She had spent 36 years and 8 months in religious life.
She is no longer among us, but her memory will live long. May her example inspire in us a spirit of sacrifice, of self-denial, and of obedience to authority, all of which transformed her in her life and inspired our veneration.
R. I. P.
Taken and translated from: "Nécrologies des Soeur Grises de la Croix", Tome 1, 1850 to 1909, Mother House, Ottawa, 1932, p. 131 - 133