Since I arrived in the community at Plérin, a commune near the city of Saint-Brieuc, FRANCE, I have been teaching catechism to children aged 8, 9. This catechesis course is entitled “Promise of God. God walks with us”.
To inaugurate the time of Advent, children are invited to discover the life of Saint Kateri – a Native American who took care of children, the sick and the elderly. Saint Kateri lived from 1656 to 1680 in Canada, in a country other than ours of the first sisters of the Congregation, but in similar conditions since most of the children of that time were not schooled. Thus the children are called to live generosity on the example of this woman.
Also I invited Angèle, from my community of Plérin, place of origin and second “house of charity”, to come and explain to the children how we used to live and how our first sisters carried out the work of teaching children and caring for the sick with the means of the time. Our house has a ‘room-museum’ where ancient objects are located. The children therefore discovered – the three frames that show the first ‘charity house’, the white sisters (dressed in white), and a sister giving soup to the children; – the pharmacopoeia of the time; – then their gaze was drawn to the large books on display, the jars with drumsticks to make medicines and they were amazed by the large scale and the different weights of various sizes to weigh the ingredients necessary for making the medicines.
At the end of the visit, Angèle and I showed them the portrait of Dom Jean LEUDUGER: a child from my group who goes to the school named «Jean LEUDUGER» in Plérin, was surprised to see his portrait in our community! We explained to him that he was the one who helped our very first sisters to move forward on the path of religious life.
Another child saw the representation of the dove: it was an opportunity to talk to them about the Holy Spirit and the name of our congregation of the “Daughters of the Holy Spirit”.
We had a beautiful moment of sharing. The children were interested and open. The lives of our first sisters still affect the little French people of today. May we continue to pass on these beautiful examples of generosity! It has survived for centuries and is still very much alive.
Odile DESIRE, DHS. Published on 30 November 2025
Photo ‘Witnesses 1’: First ‘House of Charity’
