Soeur Yvette Loiseau, MSC

Yvette Loiseau was born in Montflours, Department of Mayenne, France, on September 13, 1937.  Her mother died when Yvette was four years old and her father placed her in the orphanage of the Marianites of Holy Cross in Andouillé.  Not much later, her father went home to God in his turn.  Yvette went to primary school in the village, a school also directed by the Marianites.

At the age of 18, Yvette entered the postulate of the Marianites at the Solitude in Le Mans.  She received the habit on June 4, 1956, and was given the name Sr. Marie Dolores.  Following the novitiate, she made temporary profession on September 8, 1957 and pronounced perpetual vows on August 8, 1961 at the Solitude.

When the school year began in 1957, Sister was at the boarding school of St. John in Chateau-du-Loir.  There she continued her own studies while at the same time monitoring the boarders.  In 1959, she was teaching in Le Mans at St. Martha School.  This marked the beginning of a long career with the little ones in kindergarten (écolematernelle).

In August 1968, Sister was sent to the community of Beaumont-sur-Sarthe as a teacher of the little ones in pre-school at St. Therese School.  For five years she shared the life of the boarders and supervised their activities.  She also participated in the parish choir and in liturgical celebrations.

Returning to Chateau-du-Loir in November of 1973, Sister rendered service at St. Joseph School in Aubigné-Racan for several months.

In September 1974 she took up again her role as teacher in the maternal class of St. John School in Chateau.  This was the post she occupied from then until the end of June in 1997. 

Sister spent the greatest part of her professional life with the little ones whom she loved very specially.  A soul of peace, sweetness,  and calm, Yvette watched over the children all day long at school, making sure that they were comfortable, at ease among themselves, and receptive to the message of peace Sister conveyed by her sweetness, patience, and joy. 

She played and sang with the children and knew how to interest them in their childlike activities, something they remember to this day.  In 1989, Yvette was put in charge of the local Marianite community of Chateau-du-Loir.

Having officially retired in 1997, she remained in contact with the youngest children, teaching them catechism, both in the parish and in St. John School.  With the parish team, she had the joy of accompanying adults to Baptism and of participating in prayer-groups organized by the parish priest.

In 2005, Sister came to the community of Parce-sur-Sarthe where she once again found an apostolate that suited her perfectly.  She not only taught catechism to the little ones, but she also participated in staffing the parish office, arranging the sacristy for liturgical celebrations, taking exquisite care of the altar linens, and often animating the Sunday Masses.  Yvette took root in Parcé and became a very active member of this wonderful and warm parish family. 

It was there that the Lord surprised her with the illness which obliged her to stop everything in November of 2013.  At that point, Sister returned to the Solitude in Le Mans and for five months, she followed regular treatments and punctions while using the necessary oxygen almost continuously.

After receiving the Sacrament of the Sick, Yvette accepted serenely and with much patience her road of suffering, always gentle and smiling with the personnel and the sisters who accompanied and cared for her.

After only three days at Pole Santé Sud Hospital (two of them in a coma), Yvette went home to her Lord very quietly and peacefully on April 22, 2014.  For several days, friends came to visit and to pray near her body.  Her Marianite sisters shared an hour of prayer and witnessed what they knew of her community life and her attachment to the Congregation.  The celebration of her funeral on April 25 brought together a large crowd of friends, parents, students and old acquaintances from the parishes where she had served so discreetly and generously.  Her funeral Mass was concelebrated by ten priests in the chapel of the Solitude.

The homily of the celebrant who had accompanied Yvette in her illness since her return to the Solitude was developed around her attitude regarding the welcome of children and the acceptance of suffering.  It was a time of profound prayer together before carrying her body to Holy Cross Cemetery where many of the participants in the Mass also wanted to accompany Yvette to her final resting place. 

Thank you, Sister Yvette, for the gift of your life to the Congregation, to the church and to the world.

May the Lord welcome you in his love and keep you ever in His peace and his joy.