Sister Jackie and her congregation rejoice: Mother Élisabeth Turgeon, pioneer of education in Canada, is beatified
A special day has been added to Canada’s history, bringing with it the most beautiful memories and the most precious moments. On 26 April 2015, this great date witnessed a heavenly wedding in Canada: the bride of heaven, known as the pioneer of education in Canada, was declared Blessed. Mother Élisabeth Turgeon is a rose that has gone to finish growing beside her brothers and sisters the saints in the Lord’s garden.
Élisabeth Turgeon was born in Beaumont, Canada, in 1840, into a humble family of nine children. She was raised in the faith and in Christian values. She grew up in love, and prayer was one of her priorities. Élisabeth always went to the church in Beaumont, where she spent most of her time praying and contemplating the Blessed Sacrament.
She began her teaching career in Saint-Romuald, Saint-Roch and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Through the young women who joined her community, she brought schooling to the regions of Rimouski and the Gaspé, which earned her the title of pioneer of education in Quebec.
This great mother faced hunger, poverty and bitter cold to carry on her mission, because educating young people was essential to building a bright future; and of course, prayer and Christian teaching remain the first and final goal in raising generations of faithful Christians.
In 1875 Élisabeth came to Rimouski, at the request of the first bishop of Rimouski, Bishop Jean Langevin, to found the community that would become the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. Despite illness and failing health, she persevered to the end: prayer never left her lips, and her calm smile was always on her face. But the illness overcame her in 1881, and she fell asleep in peace to meet her heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, her mother Mary and all the saints in heaven.
Michel Bouchy had a serious illness with no hope of recovery, but through Mother Élisabeth’s intercession he was healed. This miracle allowed the Vatican to study Mother Élisabeth’s cause, after more than 27 years of tireless effort and dedication by Sister Rita Bérubé. The register of the mother house, where the Blessed’s tomb is located, is full of graces obtained through the intercession of Mother Élisabeth Turgeon, numbering in the hundreds. 26 April 2015 was set as the day of Mother Élisabeth Turgeon’s beatification, at the Church of Saint Robert Bellarmine in Rimouski, Canada.
About 3,000 people took part in this great event, presided over by Cardinal Angelo Amato, Pope Francis’s envoy, together with many bishops and priests. A group of about 120 young people and families from Montreal also took part, on a trip organized by Sawt El Rab radio and its director, Sister Jackie, a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. Everyone was joyful and moved, in an atmosphere where tears of joy mingled with pounding hearts. A wonderful, indescribable atmosphere filled every corner: the gates of heaven were open in celebration of this heavenly wedding.
The special gift of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, following the example of Mother Élisabeth Turgeon, is Christian education given with care and tenderness, especially to young people and children. Through your intercession, Élisabeth Turgeon, we pray for young people all over the world. You were always their tender mother, ever watchful over their well-being and guiding them on the path of light, the way of the Lord Jesus. Always be their guardian angel, so that they do not stumble in the valley of darkness. Amen.
