Léona Maurel was born on the 2nd December, 1922 in La Salvetat-Peyralès. She came from a large family of 10 children, six girls and four boys. She became a postulante in August, 1939, in Saint-Servan, when war had just been declared. She spent her Novitiate in Saint-Servan before making final profession on the 17th February, 1942 in Picpus. After the probation, she was sent to La Verpillière, then Larajasse to look after children from 3-6 and from 5-8 years old. Her health obliged her to rest, so she took on the task of sewing, taking care of the infirmary, and putting her skills at the service of the sisters, initiating catechesis in the parish and being with the children either in the nursery or supervision.
In August 1975, she went to Laval before leaving for Boissy-Saint-Léger serving the ladies and children in the school. Then, following her first heart operation, she went to Vaumoise in April, 1982, she was sent as nurse to Saint-Servan to look after the elderly sisters. After a second heart operation, she came back to Boissy-Saint-Léger where she took charge of the sacristy in the parish, and the service of welcome both in the church and the presbytery.
Her health weakened, and she was welcomed in our house in Mende on the 6th November, 2006. She left us at the end of the year 2007. Her funeral, the 3rd January, celebrated in our Adoration chapel in Mende, was a lovely homage to her “calm” way of being and living our ss.cc. charism. One of the sisters in Boissy wanted to stress: “her fidelity to prayer, living out fully her vocation as adorer... Her union with the Lord was so deep that she witnessed daily this to those who met her. She was a person who listened: what physical suffering, what emotional pain was entrusted to her! What comfort she brought while she was in the church in Saint-Léger in particular!” It is perhaps the word of her doctor which captures best what our sister was: “she taught me a lesson in humility”.
12/31/2007