Sœur Monique
My name is Monique, I’m a nun and very proud to belong to the “Les
petites sœurs de Lisieux” community.
I was born in 1945 in Vendée, into a Catholic family. I believed in God
but, I must confess, without great conviction. Everything changed when I turned
15. I saw a movie about St Thérèse de Lisieux
and that's when I realized how important God was to me and that I needed Him in my life. As a child, you need a model or a hero to look up to and to
relate to: SainteThérèse became my heroine! Her true commitment to God and her
blind faith were so inspiring. However, at that time, I wasn't considering
taking holy orders.
There was obviously an event that led me onto God's path and made me
want to become a nun. It happened while I was celebrating Christmas with my
family at the age of 20. Christmas then wasn't what it is today; what ought to
be a religious celebration of the birth of Christ has become a commercial event. At that time, God literally became one of us. And that year, I truly felt His presence which filled me with joy and happiness. That is what gave me the
desire to devote my life to God as a nun and to make God's love known! However,
I was a bit afraid of the sacrifices I would have to make. I finally made the
leap to become a nun a few years later…
The first step in a nun's life is a two-year religious training period called the "Novitiate". I really enjoyed those
two years. I had to make my final decision and took my vows. Then I had to choose a mission: a religious,
social or humanitarian project. I first thought of becoming a social worker to
help families in need. But I wanted a project that would give me the opportunity
to make God's love know and pass on God's Word. I finally decided to carry out
an ecclesiastical mission and become a Sunday School teacher. It was a very
rewarding and pleasing assignment. It requires teaching and interpersonal skills.
I met a lot of people and made many friends that I've kept in touch with. Today, I can say that I have fulfilled my deepest desire: sharing my
love of God with others.
When I look back, I see the faces of those I have worked with and who
have often become lifelong friends. I see the faces of children I have helped get
to know God and that I've seen grow up and become adults. I was amazed to see
how children are so spontaneously open to spirituality. I also see the faces of
their parents, happy to see their children blossom and let God be part of their
lives.
However, there has been much hardship along the way, as always in every
individual life. Community life, for instance. It was not always easy to live in
a community, with the other nuns. We didn't choose the people we had to live
with and each nun has her own personality. We didn't always get along, but we
had to look beyond our differences to live together peacefully. How does one overcome difficulties? Through the trust we give each
other, through dialogue and forgiveness. But also, when you devote your life to
God, you know you can always rely on Him, you know He will always be there for
you and never let you down. He helps you through the hard times and to overcome
hardships.
Today, at the age of 71, when I reflect on every aspect of my life, the joyful but also the difficult moments, and the wonderful encounters, I can say that I am
content with my life because I believe I have the best job in the world:
spreading God's Word and His love.
Article by Juliette MAGNIER
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