Saint Jeanne Jugan

Life story

Jeanne Jugan was born on 25 October 1792 at Cancale in Brittany, France. Her father, a fisherman, was lost at sea when she was young. As an adult she worked as a domestic servant and in a hospital in the Saint-Servan area.

In the winter of 1839 she took into her home an elderly woman called Anne Chauvin, who was blind and partly paralysed. She then took in other poor elderly women one by one, and the group that formed became the Little Sisters of the Poor. She and the sisters begged door to door for food, clothing and money to support those in their care.

The priest Auguste Le Pailleur, who was involved in running the community, took the leadership from her in 1843, when he appointed a young sister, Marie Jamet, as superior. After the bishop of Rennes recognised the congregation in 1852 and Le Pailleur became its superior general, he recalled her to the motherhouse, where she spent her last 27 years in retirement. Many in the congregation did not know she was the founder, and her role as foundress was recognised only later.

She died on 29 August 1879 at Saint-Pern. John Paul II beatified her on 3 October 1982 and Benedict XVI canonised her on 11 October 2009. The Little Sisters of the Poor still work in many countries.

Works and witness

• Took elderly poor people into her home from the winter of 1839
• Founded the community that became the Little Sisters of the Poor
• Begged for food, clothing and money to support the elderly
• Removed from leadership in 1843 and lived in retirement from 1852 until her death
• Canonised in 2009

Saints from the same country

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis de Sales

References

• Martyrologium Romanum
• Decrees of beatification (1982) and canonisation (2009)
• Holy See, biography for the canonisation of 11 October 2009 (vatican.va)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.