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This week’s mission hero is a Belgian Sister who served in China at the end of the nineteenth century. Her name was Pauline Jeuris.
Pauline was born on December 28, 1872 in Herk-la-Ville, Belgium into a simple family that had one boy and six girls. Four of the children chose to serve the Lord in church ministries.
When she was just 7-years old, Pauline and her siblings lost their parents. A neighbor woman took the two youngest girls into her home, Pauline being one. When she was 15-years old, Pauline became a member of the Secular Order of St. Francis of Assisi. Her sister Rosalie entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) in Antwerp and received the name of Marie Honorine. Only after Sr. Marie Honorine left to serve as a missionary in Sri Lanka did Pauline decide to become a Franciscan Missionary of Mary. (Her sister Mathilde followed suit).
In religious life, Pauline became known as Sr. Marie Amandine. Before being sent to serve in China, Sr. Marie Amandine was sent to Marseilles, France to study nursing. From there, she left for China. Fortunately for her, the ship she was on passed through Sri Lanka where she was able to greet her sister Marie Honorine. When finished visiting, they said, “Good-bye till heaven.”
In the mission of Taiyuan-Fu, China, Sr. Marie Amandine threw herself into her work. In one report to the superior general, Sr. Amandine wrote, “There are two hundred orphans, among whom are many sick ones whom we care for as best we can. The sick from outside also come to be cared for. If you saw these patients, you would be horrified. You can’t imagine their wounds, aggravated by a lack of hygiene. How fortunate I am to have learned a little of everything in Marseille. I do all I can to relieve them.”
Sr. M. Amandine, in addition to being known for her excellent work ethic, was also known for her cheerful disposition. One of the reports from Sr. M. Hermine said of Sr. Amandine, in part, “Sister Amandine is, by age and by nature, the youngest among us. She sings and laughs all day. That is not bad; on the contrary. The cross of a missionary must be borne joyfully.” The Chinese called her, “The European sister who is always singing.”
When one of the other Sisters became sick, Sr. Amandine cared for her night and day in addition to carrying out her regular nursing duties. Because of the extra work, she became very ill but recovered.
In one of the last letters she wrote to Sr. Hermine, Sr. Amandine said that she was praying to God not to preserve the martyrs but to strengthen them.
Seven of the Sisters, including Sr. Amandine, were imprisoned for their Faith, and on July 9, 1900, all 7 of them were martyred in Taiyuan-Fu, China.
Sr. Amandine, and the 6 other martyrs, were canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on October 1, 2000.
Saint Marie Amandine’s feast day is July 9.
