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Wednesday, July 19, 2017

St. Philippine Duchesne




Sister Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ has just published a short and very readable biography of Mother Duchesne: Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne: A Heart on Fire Across Frontiers. I bought a copy and have lent it out here, but hope to send it to my sister. I think it was only five dollars for RSCJ and certainly worth reading.

Here is a quote from a letter of St. Philippine to St. Madeleine Sophie Barat from Sugar Creek, July 21, 1841:
"At last we have reached the land of our desires...there are no difficulties here except when people worry too much about tomorrow."

This was written while the community was living in a very small, one room cabin without any privacy or conveniences. They had to cook outside; one corner was designated as the community dining room, another as their dormitory, another as parlor, and the last as pantry and kitchen - no water, of course, but Philippine was so happy to have at last reached her dear Indians. She could not learn their language, but she was known as "the woman who prays always" and they still keep her memory alive. We had some Indians at the Spirituality Forum and hearing them play their "tom-toms" was a gift.

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