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Jeanne JuganCatholic Saint
Date of Birth: 25.10.1792
Country:  France |
Content:
- Early Life
- Charitable Beginnings
- Nursing and Caring
- Founding the Congregation
- Recognition and Growth
- Expansion and Vatican Approval
- Legacy and Sainthood
Early Life
Jeanne Jugan was born on October 30, 1792, in Cancale, Brittany, France, as the sixth of eight children in a poor Breton family. Her father passed away when Jeanne was a child, leaving her mother to raise the children alone.
Charitable Beginnings
At the age of 16, Jeanne found employment as a cook for a devout noblewoman who took her on charitable visits to hospitals. Nine years later, Jeanne moved to Saint-Servan, near Saint-Malo, and began working in the local hospital, where she served until 1823.
Nursing and Caring
Afterward, she cared for Madame Lecoc until her death in 1835, and tended to the sick and needy in the diocese. In 1839, Jeanne sheltered a blind and aging woman in her apartment, which marked the beginning of her work in assisting and caring for the poor and homeless.
Founding the Congregation
Soon, other women joined Jeanne in her efforts. With the approval of the Vicar of Saint-Servan, Jeanne became the superior of a small congregation in May 1842, taking the name "Servants of the Poor." The name was later changed to "Sisters of the Poor" and finally to "Little Sisters of the Poor." Jeanne established simple rules for the congregation.
Recognition and Growth
In 1845, Jeanne Jugan received the Montyon Prize from the French Academy of Sciences for her charitable work. In 1846, she founded more houses for the care of sick and poor in various towns in Brittany, and the congregation began to grow rapidly.
Expansion and Vatican Approval
By 1879, the Little Sisters of the Poor had over 2,400 members and had spread throughout Europe and North America. Pope Leo XIII approved the congregation's constitution in the same year that the founder passed away. Jeanne Jugan died on August 29, 1879.
Legacy and Sainthood
Today, the congregation she founded has grown to include over 2,710 members. They operate approximately 200 nursing homes on five continents, providing care for over 13,000 needy individuals. Jeanne Jugan was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 1982, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009.
