Bl. Eulalie Durocher (Mother Marie-Rose)

The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) were founded in the 1850s by Mother Marie-Rose in Quebec, Canada. By 1859, a group had traveled all the way to Oregon to teach. In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan in Oregon tried to outlaw private education, fearing the influence of ‘foreign nationals’ in the Catholic Church on American students. The Sisters took them to Federal Court – and won.

SNJMs live an amazing commitment to social justice. They cared about human trafficking long before most were willing to admit that humans are still bought and sold in the US. Now they’re passionate about equitable access to water.

My history with the Sisters goes back 36 years and I am only 42. Herewith, a list of things I have learned from them, on the playground and otherwise:

– I am a child of God.

– Education is a right, a privilege and a sacred obligation. Partake generously.

– Other people matter. Always. Even when they’re trying to get in your way.

The theorem,

– Lazy is not an option. It’s disrespectful to The Divine.

and its corollary

-Fights are for the lazy – it’s much more challenging to learn how to talk about something.

– It’s true that I have never been sorry you made me write so much, so often.

– The use of poor grammar for dramatic effect is still questionable.

-Calligraphy is a form of prayer.

-Do Not Hide Yourself. Keep working on the parts you don’t like, but keep in mind you never know when someone else might benefit from what you have to share.

– Host gatherings, often, and invite plenty of people who are convinced they don’t agree with you. They might be surprised.

– When you get stuck, pray to the Holy Mother. She is always with you.

-Being convinced you can’t do something is not a good enough excuse. (See also: ‘lazy’).

-One day I was very glad that I had memorized all of the prayers in The Rosary.

– Look around you and see who isn’t being noticed. Ask yourself, “Why not?”

– God gave you a voice. Use yours for those who aren’t being heard.

– Laughter grows exponentially in community.

And, finally,

– The real measure of a person is how many people they love through action and presence.

Congratulations, Sister. Dominus tecum on the next phase of your life. You leave an impressive wake.

Amen. Alleleuia.