Born: 17  December, 1932

 

 First Profession: 15 August, 1953

 

 Death: 3 July, 2024

 

 

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”  Proverbs 31:26.  These words from Proverbs suit Jeannette well, for she was a kind and gentle person loved by all. 

 

Jeannette Marie Bernier was born in Brunswick, Maine.  Her father was Calixte Bernier and her mother, Celenda Michaud. She often spoke of her father as being a jack of all trades and how she learned so many practical ways of fixing things in her household duties. She had six siblings; all are deceased except Sr. Rolande, a Holy Family sister.  Many of us knew her brother Roland, a Marist SM brother and we are thankful for all he did to help us both outside our convent and inside, like his father, he was a very practical man. 

 

Sr. Jeannette entered the Marist Missionary sisters at the age of 18, right after high school on Sept 12, 1950.  She was professed on August 15, 1953 and took the name of Peter Chanel.  Her first Mission assignment was to Hawaii, St Stephen’s seminary in kitchen duties, this is where her expertise flourished and her training at Fanny Farmer’s School, made her an excellent cook.  She delighted in pleasing people and did this often through her cooking; she could make leftovers taste like a meal for a king.   Jeannette used these cooking skills throughout her life, becoming better and better at it.

 

In 1973 Jeannette was asked to go for spiritual renewal in Switzerland. She found this to be the highlight of her life and it was a preparation for her new mission in Senegal, West Africa.  Here, she served in a small bush station of Fandène.   She was loved by all the people and could not do enough for them.  I remember one day she was asked to bake an apple pie for a doctor who was a friend of ours.  Well, the French apple pie is one layer of apples. When she asked for four apples for the pie, the sisters were beside themselves. When they saw the pie, she remained in amazement at their first sight of an American apple pie. 

 

After serving the people at Fandène, Africa, Jeannette returned to the United States and did community service in Belmont, the Annex and Framingham. If anything stopped working in the house facilities you knew who to go to, Jeannette was always available and hospitable.  Sister took classes in reflexology and put this art to use with many of our sisters.   In 1987, Jeannette asked for compassionate leave to stay with her aging mother, she stayed with her mother until she died in 1991.  

 

Jeannette was a very sensitive person and suffered both physically and emotionally, this is what made her so dear to people, she understood their sufferings and she offered her sufferings for the mission.  She performed many services for the region and prepared a layperson to take over her job of head cook.  She did this in the Spirit of Mary’s “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.”

 

These words are from Sr. Magarete Woeste who lived many years with sister at 62 Newton Street community.  “Jeannette in her uncomplicated, kind, gifted and hospitable way touched all of us.   Her generous service knew no limits – she was always there.  Her sense of humour caused us many times to break out in hearty laughter.  Jeannette did well with routine, and was practical, efficient, and thorough, but found the Unexpected hard to take.  She appreciated beauty and could easily enter into an imaginary world.  She enjoyed having a good time and at the same time was a prayerful woman.  What stands out to me about Jeannette is her goodness and her faithfulness, her availability, her responsibility, her hospitality and participation – she was a good companion on the journey.” 

 

Yes, many of us SMSM can say the same; Jeannette was a good companion on the journey.  One of Jeannette’s favorite bible quotes was Matthew 25:23 – “Well done good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your master.” Yes Jeannette; you now enjoy the joys of your master. 

 

We thank the personnel at St. Patrick’s Manor for the loving care given to Jeannette during her stay.  Let me close with No. 10 of our Constitutions: “Aware of our own poverty, we continually look to Mary for inspiration, help and renewed strength in all circumstances and at every stage of life.  With Her we move forward in faith, welcoming the unexpected, certain of God’s guidance.  In fidelity to the Spirit, we shall discover Mary’s way of loving and serving, to be a little of her presence in the world.” 

 

 

Gratefully in Mary,

 

Sr. Helen Muller, smsm                                                   Sr. Claire Rheaume, smsm

Regional Leader