THE DAY HAS COME, WHEN LIFE SINGS THANK YOU!
TO CELEBRATE HER 100 YEARS,
MARIE LOUISE INVITES US TO THE PARTY!
As for all great events, Sister Marie Louise Suffisais started celebrating the evening before, with those born in November in her long-term care home. There were snacks, supplemented with small cakes baked that morning by volunteers, bringing together all the residents who were able to attend. It was truly fraternal, just the way Marie Louise likes it.
Saturday, November 30, 2024, the day the Church celebrated Saint Andrew, the first apostle to meet Jesus, was the day! Accompanied by Sisters Pauline Joly and Marie Yvonne Houeix, with a celebrating heart, Sister Marie Louise Suffisais left in haste to Laval to celebrate 100 years with her whole family, old and young gathered for the event, “their affection is a grace that makes me live.” “A good family life is a treasure!” she told us. “A big thank you to my family whose closeness has never failed me.”
The party continued Thursday, December 5 at the Pole Saint Hélier site, a day looked forward to by Sr Marie Louise and the community.
Let’s hear from Marie Louise. “Welcome everyone! Thank you for accepting our invitation to celebrate my 100 years of life. I received much more than what I gave…my heart is filled with a “huge bouquet” of thanks. And yes, the day has come when life sings thank you!
During the Eucharist, I want to give thanks to God, with all of you, for the life he has given me! Thanks to all of you here today, who I hoped to see again, I want to say a warm thank you for your material and spiritual help, for all the times we met, for the generosity and faithfulness of your friendship.
Dear Family of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus where I have lived 80 years of happiness, I want to thank God for all you have been, for who you are and for all you will be and what you will reveal to others about the “heart of God full of tenderness and mercy”. A very fraternal thank you to the sisters with whom I shared community life and to the sisters “in charge” for placing their trust in me.
I also want to thank the Lord for the Church, for what she allowed me to live, the sacraments and other riches that nourished my Faith. Thank you for the priests that I collaborated with in mission.
40 years of presence in Ploërmel gave me the opportunity to meet many people. Thank you, Lord, for the talks and sharing that we had together.
My gratitude also extends to the sisters of other Congregations; the nursing profession brought us together for two different events involving reflection and action: UNCASH for the purpose of developing skills, between Christians and non-Christians, to better serve people; the second, the REPSA, was held between religious working in health professions to reflect, review, and stimulate the missionary aspect of our commitment.
Thank you to the brothers and sisters of the Charismatic Movement.
My sincere thank you also goes out to those who allowed me, thanks to the “telephone line for depressed persons” and for the “Gleam of Hope”, to have such beautiful encounters, through welcoming and sharing between “listeners-and those listened to”, to have participated in healings or to see the dawn of hope for future healing.
I would like to end with the long-term care facility “Saint-Hélier Residence”, where I have lived for the past 5 years. A very cordial thank you to each member of the staff, for their presence, nearness, dedication and thoughtfulness. Thank you to those who oversee this house, for their listening and their willingness to do everything they can to make each resident happy! The day has come when life sings thank you…
Sister Anne Marie Mabon (a participant)
Rennes, December 5