You probably saw in the news that the oldest person person in the world recently passed away at the age of 118. She was a French nun, Sister Andre.
America Media had a nice article (the original source was OSV):
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2023/01/18/sister-andre-oldest-person-dies-244542
"Sister André, a Catholic convert raised in a Protestant family, was born Lucile Randon Feb. 11, 1904. It was 10 years before World War I, Theodore Roosevelt was president of the United States, New York opened its first subway line and U.S. Army engineers began work on the Panama Canal. She also lived through the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and through 10 pontificates."
"Sister André died Jan. 17 in her sleep at her nursing home in Toulon, on France’s Mediterranean coast, Tavella said. An avid listener of Vatican Radio, the French nun sent well wishes to the radio operation on the occasion of its 90th anniversary in 2021. Sister Andre, who was blind, was a “dedicated listener of the radio that offers her a window of the world” and supports her prayer life, Vatican News reported Feb. 11, 2021."
"People say that work kills. For me, work kept me alive,” she said. “I kept working until I was 108." She was known to enjoy a daily glass of wine and chocolate. Sister André used to say the biggest joy of her life was when two of her brothers returned home from World War I."
Sister Andre was a member of the Daughters of Charity. She spent her working life as a teacher and a nurse. She bore the trials of extreme old age with patience and grace. Though like all of us she surely had her times of discouragement. She said last year that sometimes it felt like God had forgotten her. I can't imagine living to 118 years, it makes me tired to think about it.
This Wikipedia article has a picture of her as a child, and one as a young woman, if you scroll down: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucile_Randon#Biography
It doesn't seem beyond the realm of possibility that her cause might be advanced for sainthood. She spent her life helping others. And with more people living to old age, perhaps she is a role model. Coincidentally the place where she spent her last years was the St. Catherine Laboure Home. St. Catherine was the saint of the miraculous medal which is so well known to Catholics everywhere; and who herself lived to old age, though not nearly as long as Sister Andre.
Hi Katherine, thank you for this. I had not heard of her before. She seems to have spent her entire life in service. Blindness would be hard to face, wouldn't it? Was Ann Olivier sight-impaired?
ReplyDeleteI believe that Anne O had severe hearing loss, not vision loss.
DeleteI don't think Sister Andre was blind for her whole life. She probably was blind from eye disorders related to aging. Would be pretty hard to be a nurse and not have eyesight.
DeleteBut yes, blindness at any age would be pretty hard to face. However my son has a friend who has been blind from birth. This friend said he doesn't even know what it would be like to see, so he doesn't miss it. He has developed his other senses to compensate. My son said he has an inner directional sense better than mapquest. Personally I would be in a very bad way; I can get lost in a large room without windows, my directional sense is from landmarks and objects.
DeleteKatherine, the father of the girlfriend of one of my sons was also blind from birth. He was a lawyer - graduated from Harvard law school. I don’t think I would have had that much determination.
DeleteI’ve lived in our house for 50 years. I hope to keep my sight.But I can easily find my way around in the dark as long as nobody moves anything!
I can only find direction by using the sun on the east coast. In California it’s easy because of the ever present mountains. Ocean is west, mountains are east.,
Thanks for reminding us of Anne Olivier. In the last email I got from her, we were talking about whether she could grow a few rows of corn along her driveway and keep the raccoons out of it, how we both hated "A Confederacy if Dunces," and how handsome Jude Law was when he was in New Orleans making "All the King's Men." I really miss her.
DeleteI remember her as a stabilizing intelligent presence in the old forum. I miss her, too.
DeleteFor me she was the embodiment of "accompaniment" that seems to be the hot new Francis concept. She was interested in people, quick to see the best but not easily fooled, always able to make a disagreement over some point seem like an interesting exploration than a big argument, and never had an "agenda." I was much better at being a Catholic when I knew her.
Delete"I’ve lived in our house for 50 years. I hope to keep my sight.But I can easily find my way around in the dark as long as nobody moves anything!"
DeleteWhen I have to get out of bed and move around at night, I will inevitably trip over something or bang my shin against something if there is not at least a little light. I don't think I'd do well in the permanent night of blindness.
Also, my sense of direction has deteriorated. Some of it may be aging. Some of it may be that I've become accustomed to Google Maps ("in a quarter mile, turn left from the 2nd from the left-hand lane.")
One for you, Jean - and all. Her experience engaging with Ann O sounds at least a little bit like yours
Deletehttps://bltnotjustasandwich.com/2014/10/16/may-the-angels-lead-her-into-paradise-remembering-ann-o/
Thanks, Anne, I enjoyed that.
DeleteIt seems she didn't convert, and become a religious sister, until she was in her 40s - relatively late in life.
ReplyDeleteYes, she was a late vocation. Which is a bit remarkable, because at the time she joined her order, most religious sisters would have joined right out of high school (or whatever is the French equivalent).
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