Sister Alice Filiatrault

“You are my witnesses” Lk 24:48

April 2, 2010, Sister Alice Filiatrault
in religion, Sister M. Rose-Louisa
went home to God at the age of 95.
She had been professed for 72 years.

Born in St. Timothee-de-Beauharnois, Quebec,
She was the fifth of 11 children of
Timothee Filiatrault and Marie-Louise Machabee.

 Growing up in a close-knit family that prayed together and worked hard, enabled the seeds of a religious vocation and the gift of self-giving to take root within the heart of the young Alice.  After having attended school in her area, she became a boarder at the St. Timothy convent. Being successful in school and developing many skills on the farm, prepared her for entering the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary at the age of 21.

Sister M.-Rose-Louisa taught for 13 years, mainly in McKayville.  At the age of 36, a year after the death of her father, she accepted to go to Lesotho, Africa. From the beginning, she learned English as well as Sesotho, perfected her sewing and knitting skills in preparation for becoming the director of the industrial school in Peka.  For 23 years she devoted herself to the Basotho people (http://www.snjm.org/Lesotho/default.htm) as teacher, local superior, bursar, secretary, and was in charge of the dispensary.  She oversaw the opening of several houses, taught home-making skills, established libraries, a farm and gardens.

At the age of 60, having given so generously of herself, she returned to Quebec.  The Sisters at the Convent in Valleyfield greatly benefited from her presence.  She was a woman who was active, enjoyed a good laugh, was a nurse’s aide in the infirmary, oversaw the maintenance of the house and took her turn being receptionist.  With her health failing, she moved the Ste-Martine Residence where she lived for 11 years.  She had been in the infirmary at Maison Jesus-Marie for the past year.

Sister Alice heard the Lord calling her on Good Friday…"Today, you will be with me in Paradise!"