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Saint John Paul II
During the beatification ceremony of Sister Eugénie in Rome on 20 November 1994:
“Sister Eugénie Joubert, a nun of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of the Sacred Heart, is offered to us as a living example of God’s action in a human heart. For her too, Christian education was decisive for all her future actions. Two years before her death, at the end of a short life devoted in particular to the catechesis of the very young, she let out this cry from her heart: “I want to be like a very small child, carried in his mother’s arms”.
The Reign of Christ can begin in the heart of a child. Sister Eugénie understood this, and that’s why she took such care to prepare the youngest children for their first confession and first holy communion. From an early age, everyone is called to bear witness to the truth. The Church will always echo the Lord’s words: “Let the little children come to me” (Mt 19:14). She will always do so, because she knows that no son of man, however poor or humble, is indifferent to God. Everyone is called to enter the Kingdom, and Blessed Eugénie, who go before us, show us the way”.
Monsignor Albert Houssiau, Bishop of Liège from 1986 to 2001.
He declared the request for beatification at the Beatification ceremony of Sister Eugénie Joubert on 20 November 1994.
Monsignor Henri Brincard, Bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay from 1988 to 2014
Extracts from the preface to the book ‘Eugénie Joubert, 28 ans de sourire’.
“(…) Throughout her life, Eugénie had a childlike trust in the Virgin Mary, her mother in the faith. (…) Sister Eugénie had an apostolate as a catechist. She knew how to calm children, even the most turbulent ones, and she taught them to know and love God.
She was entrusted with the most difficult children: the retarded, the infirm, foreigners, travelling showmen… She welcomed them all, taught them and made them pray.
In her community, Sister Eugénie shone with her simple charity. (…)
(…) Some of her words could have been spoken by the Carmelite nun of Lisieux. For example, Sister Eugénie wrote (when she was ill): “I do nothing, but it is simpler. All I do is Gods will, it’ all the best. I will be the little host that lets itself be immolated without saying a word and the Blessed Virgin will be the priest who offers it in good pleasure to Our Lord”. Sister Eugénie embraced more and more the path of spiritual childhood as described by Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus. She conformed herself to Christ and united her sufferings to His” (…).
Sister Eugénie Joubert is a model of union with God in the little things. She teaches us to live holiness in our daily lives, reminding us that this is our vocation. Let us entrust to her in particular the catechists and those whose health is failing. May she help our Christian communities be fervent and full of hope!
Other source: preface to “Eugénie Joubert, une force d’âme, d’après les actes authentiques du procès de béatification”, published by Saint-Paul.
“Blessed Eugénie Joubert, catechist and “God’s smile” for children”.
In 2016, the international pilgrimage of catechists to Rome was placed under the patronage of Blessed Eugénie Joubert. She was cited as an example of the “Holy Evangelisers” at the 3rd Congress of Catechesis held in Rome in September 2022.
To consult the article devoted to Blessed Eugénie Joubert on this site, follow this link:
« Bienheureuse Eugénie Joubert, catéchiste et « sourire de Dieu » auprès des enfants. »
Blessed Eugénie Joubert, catéchist and “God’s smile” for children (in french)
Programme complet de la célébration
du 30ème anniversaire de la béatification de Soeur Eugénie Joubert
du 15 au 24 novembre 2024 à Yssingeaux
Article paru dans le magazine l’épervier de novembre 2023
