Saints

St. Jeanne Jugan

St. Jeanne Jugan Biography

In 1839, Jugan founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order of nuns whose mission was to care for the elderly poor. The order was approved by the Church in 1841. Jugan served as the Superior General of the order until her death in 1879.

Under Jugan’s leadership, the Little Sisters of the Poor established homes for the elderly poor in several countries, including France, Belgium, England, and the United States. Jugan believed that the elderly poor deserved to live their remaining years with dignity and respect, and she worked tirelessly to provide them with a comfortable and loving environment.

St. Jugan was known for her selflessness and her tireless dedication to the poor. She was beatified by the Catholic Church in 1982 and canonized as a saint in 2009. Today, the Little Sisters of the Poor continue to operate homes for the elderly poor in over 30 countries around the world. St. Jeanne Jugan is the patron saint of the elderly and her feast day is August 30th.

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Detailed Biography of St. Jeanne Jugan: A Saint for the Elderly and the Poor

St. Jeanne Jugan was a French religious sister who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, a congregation dedicated to serving the elderly poor with love and dignity. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009, and her feast day is August 30. In this blog post, we will explore her life story, her spirituality, and her legacy.
 

Early Life and Vocation

Jeanne Jugan was born on October 25, 1792, in Cancale, a fishing village in Brittany, France. She was the sixth of eight children of Joseph and Marie Jugan, devout Catholics who secretly taught their children the faith during the anti-religious persecutions of the French Revolution. When Jeanne was four years old, her father was lost at sea, leaving her mother to raise the family alone. Jeanne helped by working as a shepherdess, a knitter, and a spinner.
 
At age 16, Jeanne became a kitchen maid for a wealthy and pious family, the Viscountess de la Choue. She accompanied her mistress on visits to the sick and the poor, and developed a strong sense of charity and compassion. At age 18, she declined a marriage proposal from a young sailor, saying that God had other plans for her. She repeated this refusal six years later, telling her mother that God was calling her to “a work which is not yet founded”.
 
At age 25, Jeanne joined the Third Order of the Eudists, a lay association founded by St. John Eudes. She also worked as a nurse in the hospital of Saint-Servan, where she cared for the sick and the dying with great devotion. However, after six years of hard work, she had to leave the hospital due to her own health problems.
 
She then became the servant and companion of an elderly widow, Francoise Lescop, who was also a member of the Eudist Third Order. Together they taught catechism to children and assisted the poor in their neighborhood. After Lescop’s death in 1835, Jeanne rented a small apartment with another widow, Francoise Aubert, and an orphan girl, Virginie Tredaniel. They formed a small community of prayer and charity.
 

Founding of the Little Sisters of the Poor

In 1839, Jeanne met Anne Chauvin, an elderly woman who was blind, paralyzed, and abandoned by her family. Jeanne felt moved by compassion and brought her home, giving up her own bed for her. She said: “The poor are our Lord”. Soon more elderly people in need came to her door, and more young women came to help her. Thus began the Little Sisters of the Poor.
 
Jeanne took the religious name of Sister Mary of the Cross and became the first superior of the new congregation. She also became the chief beggar, going from door to door to ask for alms for her poor. She would say: “Give me something for God’s sake”. She trusted in Divine Providence to provide for all their needs.
 
The work of the Little Sisters spread rapidly across France and beyond. They opened homes for the elderly poor in many cities and countries, always following Jeanne’s motto: “Making the elderly happy – that is what counts”. They treated each resident as a person created in God’s image and destined for eternal life. They offered them not only material care but also spiritual comfort and companionship.
 

Humility and Holiness

However, Jeanne’s success also attracted envy and opposition. In 1843, an ambitious priest named Father Auguste Le Pailleur took over the direction of the congregation and sidelined Jeanne from her leadership role. He claimed that he was the real founder of the Little Sisters and erased Jeanne’s name from their history. He sent Jeanne away from the motherhouse and assigned her to various homes as an ordinary sister. He forbade her to speak about the origins of the congregation or to receive any visitors.
 
Jeanne accepted this humiliation with humility and obedience. She did not complain or defend herself. She remained faithful to her vocation and continued to serve the elderly poor with love until her death. She spent the last 27 years of her life in obscurity and silence at La Tour Saint-Joseph in Saint-Pern, where she died on August 29, 1879.
 
Many of the young sisters did not even know that she was their foundress until after her death. Her tombstone simply read: “Sister Mary of
the Cross – Here lies simplicity itself”.
 
Jeanne’s holiness was recognized by the Church after her death. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 1982, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. Her relics are venerated at La Tour Saint-Joseph, where a museum tells her story and displays her personal belongings.
 

Saint Jeanne Jugan’s Legacy and Inspiration

Today, the Little Sisters of the Poor continue Jeanne’s mission of serving the elderly poor in 31 countries around the world. They follow her example of humility, trust, and joy. They also share her charism of hospitality, which Pope Francis described as “a precious gift for the Church and for the world”.
 
St. Jeanne Jugan is a saint for our times, especially for the elderly and the poor who are often neglected and marginalized by society. She teaches us to see Christ in them and to serve them with respect and tenderness. She also teaches us to embrace our own crosses with faith and hope, knowing that God can bring good out of evil and that he rewards those who are faithful to him.
 
St. Jeanne Jugan, pray for us!

Why is Saint Jeanne Jugan the patron saint of elderly?

Saint Jeanne Jugan is the patron saint of the elderly because of her dedicated service to the elderly poor throughout her life. She founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order dedicated to caring for the elderly poor, and devoted her life to providing for their needs and showing them love and compassion.

St. Jeanne Jugan believed that every person, no matter their age or circumstances, deserved to be treated with dignity and respect. She saw the elderly as a gift from God and took great care to ensure that they were comfortable and well-cared for.

Because of her tireless work on behalf of the elderly, St. Jeanne Jugan has become a symbol of compassion and care for the elderly, and is venerated as the patron saint of the elderly by Catholics around the world.

Miracles of Saint Jeanne Jugan

Saint Jeanne Jugan, also known as Sister Mary of the Cross, was a French nun who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order that provides care for the elderly poor. She is known for her devotion to the poor and her selfless service to others. Many people attribute miraculous events to her intercession, and she has been recognized by the Catholic Church as a saint. Some of the miracles attributed to her include healings and other extraordinary events that have occurred through her intercession.

Prayers to Saint Jeanne Jugan

Prayer of Intercession to Saint Jeanne Jugan

Dear Saint Jeanne Jugan, you dedicated your life to serving the poor and the elderly. Please intercede for me, that I may follow your example of selflessness and charity. Help me to see the face of Jesus in those in need, and give me the strength and courage to serve them with love. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Jeanne Jugan

O Saint Jeanne Jugan, you were known for your compassion and kindness towards the sick and the poor. Please pray for me and for all those who are suffering, that they may find comfort and healing through your intercession. May your example inspire us to show compassion and care for all those in need. Amen

Prayer to Saint Jeanne Jugan

Dear Saint Jeanne Jugan, you lived a life of simplicity and humility, always putting others before yourself. Help me to imitate your virtues and to follow your example of service and love. Please pray for me and for all those who seek to serve the poor and the elderly, that we may be guided by your wisdom and grace. Amen

Quotes by Saint Jeanne Jugan

  • “Let us love poverty, because it is the only thing that will remain to us until the end.”

  • “The poor, our Lord’s poor, must be served as if they were our Lord Himself. We must love them and serve them with the same love with which we would serve our Lord.”

  • “Love is not proved by grand deeds, but by little attentions.”

  • “Let us love the poor as God loves them, and let us recognize them as our masters.”

  • “Let us love poverty, because it is the only thing that will remain to us until the end.”

  • “We must be faithful in little things, because it is in little things that our love is proved.”

Children’s Story about the life of Saint Jeanne Jugan

There was once a kind and compassionate woman named Jeanne Jugan who lived in France in the 1800s. She had a heart full of love and a desire to help those in need.

One day, while walking through the streets of her town, Jeanne came across an elderly woman who was begging for food. Jeanne felt sorry for the woman and brought her home to care for her. Soon, other elderly people in the town heard about Jeanne’s kindness and came to her for help.

Jeanne knew she couldn’t care for all these people on her own, so she asked her friends to help her. Together, they formed a group called the Little Sisters of the Poor, and they dedicated themselves to caring for the elderly and poor.

As word of their good works spread, more and more people came to them for help. Jeanne and her friends worked tirelessly to provide for the needs of the poor and elderly, and they showed them love and compassion at every turn.

Jeanne Jugan’s selfless love and dedication to the poor and elderly inspired many others to follow in her footsteps. She became known as Saint Jeanne Jugan, and her feast day is celebrated on August 30th.

Papal Writings and Sermons about Saint Jeanne Jugan

Pope Pius IX recognized Saint Jeanne Jugan as a Servant of God, the first step on the path to sainthood, in 1869. Pope Leo XIII beatified her in 1892, and Pope John Paul II canonized her as a saint in 2009.

Pope John Paul II wrote about Saint Jeanne Jugan in his homily at her canonization, saying, “In her, the Church recognizes a shining example of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and a model of the spiritual life nourished by the Eucharist and by devotion to the poor Christ.”

Pope Benedict XVI also spoke about Saint Jeanne Jugan during a visit to a home for the elderly run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, the order founded by Saint Jeanne Jugan. He said, “In your midst, dear Sisters, I feel close to Saint Jeanne Jugan, whose cause for beatification I had the joy of promoting. May her example of loving service to the elderly and the poor always inspire you and all those who follow in her footsteps.”

Reflection on the Feast of Saint Jeanne Jugan

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Jeanne Jugan on August 30th. St. Jeanne Jugan, also known as St. Mary of the Cross, was a French nun who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order dedicated to caring for the elderly poor. She was born in 1792 and died in 1879. She was canonized by the Catholic Church in 2009.

St. Jeanne Jugan is remembered for her selfless service to the poor and her dedication to the care of the elderly. She believed that every person, no matter their age or circumstances, deserved to be treated with dignity and respect. She devoted her life to providing for the needs of the elderly and impoverished, and her work has inspired many others to follow in her footsteps.

The feast day of St. Jeanne Jugan is celebrated on August 30th. This is a day for Catholics to reflect on her life and her example of compassion and service to others. It is a time to remember the importance of caring for the elderly and the poor, and to strive to follow St. Jeanne Jugan’s example of selfless love and devotion to others.

Lessons learned from Saint Jeanne Jugan

Saint Jeanne Jugan is remembered for her selfless dedication to serving the poor and the elderly. Some of the lessons that can be learned from her life include:

  1. The value of selfless service: Saint Jeanne Jugan dedicated her life to caring for the poor and the elderly, often at great personal sacrifice. She teaches us the importance of putting the needs of others before our own and of serving others with love and compassion.

  2. The importance of humility: Despite her many achievements and the recognition she received for her work, Saint Jeanne Jugan remained humble and sought to put others first. She reminds us of the value of humility and of the importance of staying grounded and focused on our true purpose.

  3. The power of compassion: Saint Jeanne Jugan was known for her deep compassion for others, particularly for those who were suffering or in need. She teaches us the importance of showing kindness and compassion towards others, and of being willing to offer help and support when it is needed.

  4. The virtue of simplicity: Saint Jeanne Jugan lived a simple life, focused on serving others and putting their needs before her own. She reminds us of the value of simplicity and of the importance of letting go of material possessions and focusing on what truly matters in life.

Next up: Biography of St. Jerome

Also check out our handmade St. Jeanne Jugan Medal and St. Jeanne Jugan Rosary and St. Jeanne Jugan Rosary Bracelet .

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