It is hard to believe that it was more than fifty years ago when we were first introduced to you. In the mid 1970s during one Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s in Cranston, we learned that you held an all-night vigil there, praying for the success of your building campaign. Father invited you to Mass to share your mission and to ask parishioners for support.
Humble and unassuming, softly walking through the aisles of church, Sister Frances came to our pew – Could we help her and the mission begun long ago by Jeanne Jugan? Could we help the elderly poor in Jesus’ name? Right there, no question, without hesitation, I filled out the pledge card. How could I say no? My wife looked at the card and gasped at the amount, incredulously. You see, we were a young family, a growing family, and in essence, the pledge was beyond our means.
Later in 1982, when Jeanne Jugan was beatified, I knew we made the right choice in answering Sr. Frances’ request. And, although Sr. Frances is no longer with us, our commitment is ongoing. One might say the Little Sisters have become our own personal mission.
As time passed, we learned more and more about your mission, your selfless work, your care of the least capable in our community. It has been our privilege to help you. A newsletter here, a raffle ticket there, we were always happy to answer your appeals and send our support. And of course, we enjoyed attending your annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinners and PawSox outings!
In Luke’s Gospel we read: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
For us, the measure has been the blessing of our children and our family. Indeed, God has blessed us immensely. Please continue to count on us, dear Little Sisters of the Poor, and may God continue to bless you.
– Tom and Fran