Celebrating the Final Commitment of Nine Young Sisters at La Tour Saint Joseph, Mother House of the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Nine young Little Sisters of the Poor with radiant faith made their final commitment on July 20th, 2025, giving their lives to Christ at the service of the elderly poor. They are from France, India, Nigeria and Kenya. The Eucharist was celebrated by Rev. Jean Bondu, Auxiliary Bishop of Rennes, France. May the Lord fill them with abundance of graces and sustain them till the end of their lives.

Perpetual profession of 9 Little Sisters of the Poor

Sunday, July 20, 2025, Chapelle de la Tour, St Pern

Nine Little Sisters who made their final commitment on 20th July 2025

(Here is a translation of Bishop Bondu’s homily :)

"You called me, Lord, here I am!3 The liturgy of your solemn profession, dear sisters, thus begins with the Lord's call and your renewed availability to Him. On this day, I invite you to give thanks for having heard this call.

In this world where Christians have never been so numerous (2.2 billion baptized), in our countries where Christ's disciples can be suspected, mocked, kidnapped (we pray for 3 Nigerian seminarians kidnapped 10 days ago), hunted down and persecuted, your willingness to make a perpetual consecration is a true daring, a prophecy, a sign from God, and in this jubilee year of the Incarnation of the Lord, your perpetual consecration is a beautiful and humble hope for all the poorest, the least, for those you serve. Yes, on this day, we rejoice, we exult in joy, we praise the Lord with all our being, for your personal gift in this religious family, gift to the Lord, gift to your brothers and sisters the poor. Thank you, dear sisters, for your “yes”. You've been renewing it every morning for a long time now. Now, it is anchored in you by this consecration and the solemn blessing of the Lord.

How is this possible? You will recognize in this question the very astonishment of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth. How can I give birth to the Son of God when I know no man? Our Lady accompanies you this morning, with her beloved spouse Joseph. Their faith encourages you, their abandonment into the hands of the Lord invites us to be like them. St Joseph, witness to God's providence, doesn't say a word in the Gospel, not a single word, but for every aspect of his life, of their lives, to Mary and to him, to Jesus, he entrusts himself to God who loves and protects, who uplifts and calls, who gives strength and peace. Our Lady and St. Joseph will be there, every day, to accompany and guide you, because they have had a vivid experience of the God of Israel, faithful to his promises, working his wonders through the little ones.

How is this possible? You are well aware of your frailties, your small numbers, your poverty, your sins. How could God need you? How could God call useless, limited and tempted servants? This spiritual battle is that of all disciples of the Lord Jesus. You know what it's like: it won't let you go, as Jacob in his face-to-face encounter with God. Remember that the Lord clings to you, so that from your wounds will spring your perseverance and victory, through his grace and faithfulness. Your strength is in God more than in yourself.

We've heard it said:  “My unfaithful bride, I will seduce her, I will lead her into the wilderness, I will speak to her heart to heart, I will espouse you, my bride, in justice and righteousness, faithfulness and tenderness.” You are, dear sisters, members of the Church, this bride of Christ. You are like her, in the gift of yourselves and the sanctifying grace that the Lord obtains for you. Your gift is possible, your commitment is sure, because it originates in that of your Beloved Lord.

So we must contemplate him to resemble him in the gift of ourselves. The evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience direct our gaze more towards Him than towards ourselves. Jesus is the Chaste One par excellence, creating freedom for self-giving, saving all possibilities for the coming of the Kingdom. Jesus is the Poor One par excellence, detached from this world, free from this ephemeral world to direct our gaze towards the infinite richness of the divine world buried within each of us, connecting humanity to itself and to its Creator and Savior. Jesus is the obedient one, completely turned towards his Father, fulfilling his will, sure that his fulfillment is realized through this guided and sustained yes. To these three evangelical counsels, your institute adds a 4th, that of hospitality. How could we fail to recognize Jesus, the welcoming host! The Gospel points us to his contemporaries, where he listens attentively, acts as a servant, and responds to their needs. The hospitality of Jesus leads to self-effacement in order to lead to God alone, the source of life and love.

You have the grace, dear sisters, to benefit from the entire spiritual heritage of your religious family, from the living examples of the sisters around you, with whom you work. You have the grace, dear sisters, to be the beneficiaries of the witness of your brothers and sisters, the poor. In your mission, in your obedience, be attentive to what God reveals to you through them, for them.

As a branch grafted onto the vine, the sap flowing through you is the very life of God. The divine breath animates you, and with the luminous Word, you will bear fruit. But you've heard him. It's not enough to become useful, successful and recognized as such. Fruit is not just the well-being of the residents or the sisters with whom you share community life. The fruits are formed by the hospitality of God in you and of you in God, by the revelation of the hospitality of God in your neighbors and of them in Him. You'll reap the rewards when a brother or sister serves you, and becomes your master in pointing to God, leading to God and living in God.

The Kingdom of God is already here, and you are its humble and hidden workers, its witnesses, the happy beggars of God's generosity, the happy beggars of human faith. Every day of your lives, seek to contemplate God's work. He works on hearts, he liberates and uplifts, he sows joy in the midst of trials and pain, he is present at your service.

Dear Sisters, the word for today is “abide”, and I conclude with it.

With your yes, you allow the Lord to come and dwell in your heart again and again, so that in his image, his love transfigures you.

By saying yes, you set yourself the goal of listening to his Word and putting it into practice at every moment. In this way, you will abide in Him like St John leaning over the heart of Jesus, contemplating and gathering the words of revelation, the words of life, the words of apostolic sending, St John receiving the Word to bring it to the world.

The verb “to abide” is not static, inviting us to stand still. It speaks to us of Trinitarian life, made up of gifts and communion. To build the Kingdom inaugurated by the Lord Jesus, the table is open, as in Rublev's icon. We are all invited to take part in the banquet, the sacrifice, the wedding feast, the Covenant where God unites with his Bride.

Dear sisters, may your love for one another, your love for our poor brothers and sisters, be a revelation of divine love: God at the heart of your life, God at the heart of your fraternity, God annihilating evil and death.

Your offering resembles Christ's: may He lead you together to His holiness! Amen.

Following the profession ceremony, attended by Bishop Jean Bondu, the priests, the Little Sisters, and guests, Mother General announced the location where each Little Sister would serve the elderly. This announcement was met with great rejoicing and applause. Each Little Sister accepted her assignment with enthusiasm and joy.