Marie-Blanche BEAUCHEMIN
Death of Sister M. Antoine de Jesus (Blanche Beauchemin), Choir Master.

"December 16, Monday. - Death of Sister M. Antoine de Jesus (Blanche Beauchemin.)

An energetic soul gifted with varied talents in a frail body, - such was our dear Sister M. Antoine de Jesus whom death struck this morning, severing soul and body which had been associated on earth for seventy-six years four months four days."

"She lived in Boloeil and attended convent there, but the weak state of her health, threatening to wreck her future aspirations decided her to go to our distant convent in Key West, Florida, where her aunt, Sister M. Delphine, of happy memory, was serving as Superior. The hope that the semi-tropical climate would aid her was realized and in order to test her vocation for the religious life, she helped in the music department and in the summer of 1893, she returned North to enter the Novitiate in Hochelaga."

"During her probation, since the rules of that time so permitted, she took lessons on several musical instruments from a well-known professor of Montreal. Immediately after the Profession she returned to Key West to begin a career which neither the weakness of her constitution nor the passing of the years could halt and which may be measured by the length of her religious life, fifty-three years four months eleven days."

"Sister M. Antoine de Jesus remained South for thirteen years and established a reputation for amiability, competence, tenacity in the pursuit of good and in the best interests of the pupils. The list of local obediences preserved in the Mother House, tells us that she was organist, gave lessons on piano, violin, guitar, mandoline and banjo; taught singing to the pupils and directed the Sister' choir. She formed and orchestra of thirty-five to forty young instrumentalists. Other charges were assigned her - teaching religion to Cuban children on Sundays, and giving lessons in drawing and painting. This last-named talent, then dormant, was to be fully exploited later on in life."

"From 1906 to 1915, our dear Sister was a missionary in the Academy of the Holy Names in Albany. As a full-time music teacher, she shared in the flourishing days of our regretted Sister M. Alphonse Rodriguez. A severe surgical operation necessitated her return to Hochelaga and obliged her to suspend her work for some months. A year at the Procure, a year in Ontremont boarding school, and in 1917 she was named for Saint Mary's Academy, Windsor, where she spent twenty-five years in charge of the studio of painting and drawing."

"Echoes of those happy years tell us: Sister M. Antoine de Jesus was always careful to keep up with modern methods. Her exhibitions attracted attention and admiration for the perfection and the variety of articles exposed. She was highly esteemed by her pupils, Catholic and non-Catholic. The interest she displayed in their welfare and the salutary influence she had over them continued years after they left the Academy."

"Despite her physical sufferings which often could have justified her absence from chapel, she was assiduous in assisting at exercises in common, especially morning prayer. She often copied the spiritual bouquet of the mediation so as to recall it frequently during the day. Full of fun at recreation, she made herself young with the young and entertained and amused the Sisters with her droll or edifying anecdotes. If at times she wounded the sensibilities of a companion, she quickly found an occasion to repair the hurt."

"Extremely obliging, she gave the impression of receiving rather than of rendering a service. She had at heart anything that might advance the fine reputation of St. Mary's and rejoiced at the success of any of the Sisters as if it were her own. Her spirit of poverty was shown in the simplicity of her personal possessions and the care she exerted to see that nothing was lost or deteriorated."

"The Obediences of 1942 recalling her to the Mother House exacted the most costly sacrifice of her life. Sister left her heart in Windsor, that is to say her deepest affections, for her energy, her indefatigable love of work were all installed with her in a room in the infirmary of the third floor, where she continued her busy life. It was our turn to learn to know this very active religious, exact in her spiritual exercises, refined in manner and always smiling in good humor."

"Entering her room you found a septuagenarian not only existing but living. - at work, because she never lost a minute. - She disturbed herself to receive you and to render a service were it possible for her to do so. Her room which contained all the paraphenalia needed by an artist, never appeared overcrowded, - order and cleanliness shone therein. She did not rest at noon despite her weakness and advanced age, as she always had so much to do; so, after a brief repose of a few minutes, returned to her work. Her regularity in asking permissions required for the strict observance of poverty showed the following out of an ingrained habit. When she could not meet Sister Superior herself, she gave her infirmarian a list of the permissions she wished to obtain and asked her to have them ratified."

"For the past two years her sight was failing. The growth of cataracts on both eyes made her dread the day when she would be forced to lay aside her brush and pencil. What would she do with herself in the dreary days stretching ahead of her? She had one of the Sisters teach her card-weaving and in practising it made many beautiful belts. Last summer, at the age of seventy-six, she leanred to weave on a real loom. The Lord had said: 'In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread', and Sister submitted wholeheartedly to this divine pronouncement to the very end of her days."

"In the same room in which she mastered her sorrow on leaving Windsor, where she recovered from a fractured leg in the Fall of 1944, where she spent the last ounce of her strength, before the work-table and the brand-new loom already set up, upon which she had woven but two inches of a piece of linen, our dear Sister M. Antoine de Jesus received the Last Sacraments early yesterday morning. For some time past she had complained of severe headaches, and refused to quit her work as it helped her to forget her pain, nevertheless, two weeks ago she had to cease all activity, and to forego assisting at our two daily Masses, even to leave her bed in the morning to receive Holy Communion in the corridor. A cerebral hemorrhage yesterday morning brought her to the threshold of eternity."

"Knowing that the gates of the other world were ajar so near to them, our elder Sisters on the third floor spent the whole day in recollection and in prayer near the dear companion who was so soon to pass through. Edifying spectacle, act of precious fraternal sympathy! This morning when they arose at the sound of the bell, the gates had swung to and their dear Sister-friend had passed through to receive the recompense of a well-spent Life."

Source: Micheline Gadbois MacDonald

Original source: Central Archives - Sisters of the Holy name of Jesus and Mary, Longueuil, Quebec.



Learn more about the life of    Marie-Blanche BEAUCHEMIN.

Visit Beloeil, Québec, Canada (Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil)
Discover the people who lived there, the places they visited and the stories they shared.