Little Sisters of Jesus
The Little Sisters of Jesus are a community of Catholic religious sisters. Inspired by the life and writings of Charles de Foucauld, they were founded by Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus (Madeleine Hutin).
Not to be confused with Sisters of the Infant Jesus.Abbreviation
LSJ (Post-nominal initials)
1939
Madeleine Hutin
Touggort, French Algeria
Centralized Religious Institute of Consecrated Life of Pontifical Right (for Women)
To be Sister to the People of God especially the poor and the least considered in the Society
Generalate
Tre Fontane, Rome
70 countries in Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania
1400
Sr. Maria Chiara Ferrari, LSJ
Jesus Caritas Latin,
Jesus is love English
Behind the Iron Curtain 1957[edit]
Eastern Europe[edit]
Her passion for unity forced Little Sister Magdeleine to take a further step. As soon as she heard about a country whose frontiers were closed she wanted to go there. Believing that even an Iron Curtain could open, from 1957 onwards she began her journeys to Eastern Europe. Every year she left discreetly with a small group of Little Sisters to visit friends in the different countries behind the iron curtain. Such journeys prepared for the present-day communities in these countries. She travelled in a Citroen van, rearranged for up to four Little Sisters to live and sleep in, which she called "the Shooting star". In the front of the van, the Blessed Sacrament was reserved as it is wherever the Sisters live, even if it be a caravan, a tent or a hut.
Russia[edit]
In 1952, Little Sister Magdeleine wrote:
Tre Fontane, Rome 1956[edit]
Little Sister Magdeleine had always wanted the central house to be in Rome. In 1956 a collection of wooden prefabricated houses were built under the eucalyptus trees on a piece of ground belonging to the Trappist Fathers of Tre Fontane, near the site of the beheading of St Paul, which became the Generalate in 1964. The Little sisters built this family house where they could gather from every corner of the world and where Little Sisters of every nationality could come to prepare for final vows. From such diverse cultures it was a unique occasion to share and to broaden their vision.
The Vatican Council and Ecumenism[edit]
The opening of the Second Vatican Council in 1962 brought many bishops to Rome (many of whom took the opportunity to visit Tre Fontane). Vatican Council II would affirm some of Little Sister Magdeleine's intuitions, above all her desire for unity between the Churches. Already in 1948 she made her first contact with Brother Roger of Taizé. She met the Patriarch Athenagoras several times and Metropolitan Bartholomew who later became Ecumenical Patriarch.
A last journey to Eastern Europe[edit]
In 1989, at the age of 91, Little Sister Magdeleine made her last journey to Eastern Europe, including Russia where she met Fr. Alexander Men of the Russian Orthodox Church, a writer and inspirational preacher influential among the young. He was later assassinated.
Little Sister Magdeleine's Death[edit]
Little Sister Magdeleine died on 6 November 1989 at Tre Fontane, Rome, in a little room prepared to welcome young people travelling the roads.
Her funeral and farewell Mass (during which the Gospel was sung in Arabic) took place in the open air in Tre Fontane on 10 November 1989 - the day the Berlin Wall fell.
Little Sisters of Jesus Today[edit]
There are communities of Little Sisters of Jesus scattered around the world in 63 countries. There are about 1400 members of 65 different nationalities. Some communities date from the first years of the Foundation while new communities continue to be established. A community is usually three or four Little Sisters, often from different races, nationalities and backgrounds.