Lucia & Lucienne taken in front of their home in Port Daniel
Quebec - 1926
The first group from the family who left Port-Daniel to join Dad in Alberta was: Eugenie, Aurore, Florence, Patricia and Lucienne. Mom always regretted dividing the twins. She often told me that I was lonely for Lucienne. At every meal I would keep a part of my meal for Lucienne. In my small mind I thought she would be returning.
I remember a bit of our voyage on the train. Adrien would be with us sometimes or we would go through our luggage. There was a gramophone that he would play quite loudly. If I remember right, it was winter. It was Albert Bruneau who transported us from Falher to my Uncle Aristide. We were in a caboose pulled by two horses. I remember very well. As soon as we arrived at the house, Aurore sat me on the table. Later we moved in our own house not very far from my uncle. Our house was built by Dad and my brother Adrien.
And life goes on..... We are at Lac Magloire. 1930. We had no school. Mom was able to pension Maria at Mrs. Nadeau. She had one daughter, Merilda, who was close to Maria's age. The teacher at the time was Mrs. Lauze. So from Patricia to Jana we stayed home. We helped Mom with dishes and making beds. We also helped in the garden. In the summer when Mom incubated the chicken eggs we enjoyed going with her. She would take the hen off her nest and would bathe the eggs that were ready to hatch. The eggs would moved lots in the water so Mom knew that many chicks would hatch.
Ronald, Lucia, Alice, Wenceslas, Lucienne, Patricia & Jana Poirier - 1939
Take a look at Jana's leg. Trying to do as Ronald does.
In 1938-1939 we went to the "Porter" school. We went for one year, Maria and Jana included. Jana was 6 years old. It would be her first year of class.
During our holidays that same year we moved to Falher. We lived at Mr. Levesque, a mile from town. I think it was for a year or two. I am not sure. That was a long time ago. We didn't have our nice wood to play anymore but we made friends. We would go to school in Falher with the Sisters.
Soeur Lucia Poirier
At one time we were pensioners at the Sister of Holy Cross convent in Falher. Florence was our second mother at the convent. There were: Florence, Patricia, Lucia, Lucienne. The three youngest ones were preparing for their lst communion. The morning of the 1st communion, we were all in a long line. The girls on one side and the boys on the other. All in our best attire. I was coupled with a little boy who smelled onions. We left the convent all the way to the church in silence. Sr. Clothilda (Sr of Holy Cross). One of the girls from Mr & Mrs Lauzon was accompanying us. She said to us: If Jesus comes to get you tonight, you would go directly to heaven because you have accepted Jesus in your heart. These words always stayed engraved in my heart.
When Lucienne and I were in grade one it was Sr. Wilfrida (Sr of Holy Cross) who was teaching us. Before entering class we would line up in the long corridor. Two by two. Lucia et Lucienns. Behind us was Cecile L’Heureux, our good friend. She was from town. One afternoon, before entering class, while still in line, Cecile was teasing the Sister. She had on a beautiful red dress with short sleeves. She also had a little jacket over her dress. She took off one side of her jacket and showed the sister that her sleeves were short while saying to the Sister: "Look, Look Sister." Cecile knew that the Sisters did not like short sleeves at the school.
I remember when we lived a mile from town.... It was Jana's birthday. Mom had asked us to invite Jana's little friends for her birthday. It was a Saturday and many of her friends came. We passed a very nice afternoon. Mom had prepared a lunch for everyone.
For Lucienne and I our friends were: the oldest at Albinati, Germaine Lemire. She was in our class. Also Irene, her sister. A bit older than us were Rolande and Berthe Brodeur who joined Sr. of Holy Cross. At Lac Magloire it happened a few times that we played with Helene Plante and her younger brother. She would be at Mrs. St. Jean who lived close to us. Mrs. St. Jean was grandmother to Helene. She was a very gentle girl.
Around the age of 15 or 16, I started thinking of my religious calling. I went often to see a Sister at the convent. She had a certain connection with me. She was the daughter of Mr. Dusseault, and I believe lived south of Falher. When we lived at Lac Magloire, her father came each winter for firewood and he would stay at our house. He would leave Monday morning for the bush with Dad and Adrien. Before leaving for the bush he always had a small bag of chocolate which he gave Jana.
Around the years 1941 and 1942, I was working at Mr. Jillon in Tangent. Father Parent knew I was thinking of a spiritual profession. He had talked to me about 3 girls who were to arrive in Tangent and I would no doubt like their way of life. They arrived August 14, 1943. At this time I was working at Mr. Isidor Langlois who owned a small store and the Post Office. That is how I got to meet the three girls. They were: Sr. Rita Renaud, Sr. Jeannette Roy and Sr. Jeannette Beaupre. I had to occasion to talk to the one in charge, Sr. Rita Reneaud. Without telling me anything definite about what they were planning to do with their lives, I was totally content.
"Shack" of logs
1944
I made a short retreat in their new "Shack" of logs. They had organised a chapel though it was very small in this shack. I then made the choice to leave my family January 09, 1944 to join theirs. I was 19 years old and very happy.
I lived in my own shack with another girl from Donnelly, while the other three sister had their own shack. I lived there for five months. My roommate decided to leave after three months. I was in total awe. As postulant, Mother Rita taught me to recite certain prayers. I was not allowed to pray the same prayers as the Recluses. I was intrigued. My roommate and I would recite our prayer at church at certain hours. At 11:00 I would walk over to the Recluses to recite the rosary and I would recite a second rosary in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary and every night between the hour of midnight and one, I would light a candle and I felt revitalised.
We would pray during the Holy Days. Nine Psalms and nine lessons divided in three evenings. We didn't have triangular chandeliers so we had placed 15 candles in a triangular form. After each psalm I would blow one candle out. I did not fully understand what we were doing because everything was so new to me. I did not have the words to express my joy and contentment. I felt at ease and at home in this new life. We lived in total poverty and sometimes pushed to the extreme and in rigorous silence but I was the happiest in the world and their were no clouds in the horizon. My meals consisted of potatoes and a white sauce everyday. I never had meat that winter. I slept on a bench with a blanket to cover the bench and one blanket to cover me and no pillows. It was a very cold winter.
Falher, June 1944
On June 07, 1944 we moved to Falher. We were now seven. Mother Rita-Marie, Mother Jeanne Le Ber, Sr. Marie-Madeleine, myself, Sr. Adele Parizeau, Sr. Alberta Jones and Sr. Marie-Martha Beaupre. As for me, it made no difference if we moved or not. On one side, I loved Tangent. The poverty and simplicity of the people. From the other side, moving to Falher was returning to my parish. When we arrived we spent a couple of months at Mr. Donat Forgues' residence. It was at this time July 16, 1944 that I took the habit and lived a day in heaven. A few months later I got sick.
That fall we moved to the upstairs of the rectory where we lived all winter of 1944 to 1945. In spring we moved again to the basement of the church. For beds we moved benches side by side on which we put our blankets.
1945
For me, I was always sick but even if I was incapable of following all the time, I did not want to leave this community. I loved this way of life. On March 19, 1945, after an intense novena of prayer to St. Joseph for healing, God gave me the health to keep on. After this, Joseph was always for me a guide, a father, a spiritual guide and counselor for my spiritual life.
In July 16, 1945 we moved again in our new monastery situated a bit out of town. Here is the history of this building.
In the town of Falher there was a building called the Immigration house. It was a nice two story building. Measuring 34.5 feet by 75 feet. It had water heating and had rooms on both side of the hallway. On the first floor was a unique room finished in beautiful pine. This would be our monastery but it would have to be moved. This move would work with a system of pulleys and cables and a "cabestan" operated by four men.
Under the house were 3 X 10 boards that had been nailed and more boards were laid all along these board on the ground. The house was rolled on rollers 8 inches X 40 inches long that my Father and Adrien had made. It took a period of over one month to move this building. This house passed 2 feet from Mr. Gagnon's barn and 2 inches from the roof of my brother Adrien's house. To place it at the site we had to pivot the house half-turn and then positioned it on a foundation of beams. What was remarkable about this move was not one window cracked.
We had nothing in this house except the walls and the basement was wood. It must have taken a lot of courage from Sr. Rita and Sr. Jeanne LeBer. We were now 10. We slept here and there on tables and benches. What poverty! God only knows how much we worked to make this monastery habitable. Looking back these 60 years, it was extraordinary, I find, that all this work was done in complete silence, but our hearts filled with joy. We were faithful to our hours of prayer, day and night and to our studies. We had a time of recreation Sunday evening but only after a period of studies during the day. I went every morning to the office of Sister Rita to learn the Catholic Doctrine and the song. There were lectures at every meal. I was so happy in all of this which made up the regime for my everyday life.
We had big gardens, milking cows, chickens, chicks, and a big field of potatoes. We also had many acres of land in order to feed the animals during winter. This meant that during the summer we had hay to make. I was always happy in my vocation no matter what work they would ask me to do.
1953
In January of 1953 I left for Montreal. God was waiting for me. I would say that during 10 years it felt like I was living in an obscure tunnel, without any light. No, I was not in a depression. Far from that. It was during this period of time that I prayed the passage in Ecclesiastic, Chapter 2. which Sister Rita made us learn by heart
"My son, if you want to serve me, prepare yourself for difficulties.... because they are refined by the fire.... Put your confidence in God and he will come to your aide."
During this dark time I never stopped praying. It was my only comfort if really that was really one. At the end of these ten years everything brighten a little at a time and I found again the joy of life. This time in my life made me understand two things that I will never forget:
- God will never abandon the one who puts his confidence in him in prayer.
- We have to wait on God.
July 1996
On July 1996 I celebrated 50 years in my Religious profession. It was a magnificent day in all points of view.
June 2007
In June 2007 I had the chance to visit many members of the Poirier family during a trip to Falher. I passed two beautiful and magnificent weeks with Lucienne, Patsy, Jana, Adrien and numerous nieces and nephews. I ate, laughed, played cards, and talked endless hours with my loved ones. What a wonderful time I had.
Lucienne & Lucia- June 2007
Lucienne, Jana, Lucia, Adrien, Patsy - June 2007
Lucia & nephew Henri Forcier.
I wonder what they are laughing about. June 2007
Tom Weber & Lucia. Lucia must be saying:
"How you have grown Tom." June 2007
Eddy, Patsy, Jana, Lucienne, Lucia, Cecile and Adrien.
Sitting together at the head table - June 2007
3 sets of twins!!! Lucia & Lucienne (1924),
Hayli & Chantal Stevens (1995) and
Elizabeth & Emma Isert (2002) - June 2007
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I would like to close with this. Even if I lived my first years of my religious life with enthusiasm and joy, I also had many times where I lost faith. During all these years there were also days that were dark and monotonous. I experienced the grace and fidelity of God so in my turn I will remain loyal to Him and His calling. Also I also experienced joyful and intense happiness during my hours of prayer during the night or reciting the rosary and even during recitals. I am happy with what life has offered me.
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145
I compare my community with a small grain of mustard which was seeded in 1943 and became a beautiful tree which I am happy to live under its shade.
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Written by: Lucia
Translated by: Louise Garand
More stories and photos of Sister Lucia Poirier can be seen at the The Recluse Sisters Website
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