Little Sisters of Jesus

The Little Sisters of Jesus are a Roman Catholic community of religious sisters inspired by the life and writings of Charles de Foucauld, founded by Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus (Madeleine Hutin).

Madeleine Hutin, taking the name Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus, founded the Little Sisters of Jesus on 8 September 1939, in Touggourt, Algeria, following the path marked out by Charles de Foucauld (also known as Father de Foucauld or Brother Charles of Jesus).

Little Sister Magdeleine began by sharing the life of semi-nomads on the outskirts of a Saharan oasis. Little Sisters of Jesus now live in sixty-three countries throughout the world.

Little Sister Magdeleine wrote:

"I felt initially that I was only being called to found a congregation of little sisters who would live as nomads in the Sahara, their lives wholly consecrated to the Islamic people. They would spend part of the year in tents in conditions of extreme poverty."

but later decided:

"I will go to the ends of the earth to say again to everyone that we must love one another and to leave behind little sisters who will say this after I have gone" (written on 31 August 1951).

On 8 September 1939, a few days after the declaration of the second world war, Madeleine and her companion, Anne, took their first step as religious sisters. Madeleine was 41.

"Today was our profession and we are filled with joy... From now on we shall be known officially as Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus and Little Sister Anne of Jesus. Today marks the end of the first stage of our journey and the beginning of the second. It is an important day that will always be remembered for the foundation of the Little Sisters of Jesus so that the birthday of the Blessed Virgin will mark the birth of a new religious congregation."

In October 1939 the first community was founded on the outskirts of Touggourt, Algeria, near a well where the nomads came with their animals.

In August 1940, Little Sister Magdeleine returned to France and found three quarters of her country occupied. In these difficult circumstances she gave many talks and showed a film that she had made herself of her life in Touggourt with her nomad friends:

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Wikipedia