Chambéry Novices Make Pilgrimage in Le Puy

Three novices and their directress along with two first profession Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry (France) came to Le Puy for a five-day pilgrimage this month. 

Sr. Annie, novice directress from India, accompanied the group in a new novitiate program that exposes the sisters to France and French culture for their canonical year. Previously, the novices met in India. 

In addition to the study, prayer, and solitude of the novitiate, the novices are learning the French language--and doing pretty well at it. They also all speak English along with their regional native language. The novices are Savita, Sapna, and Nirmal.

Anna is from Vietnam. For the past nine years she has been living in Norway. She is currently studying social work and has made first vows.

Jayarani is an elementary teacher from India. She is getting ready for final vows.

The sisters walked all over the city visiting sites that are special to the Sisters of St. Joseph. They climbed all three mounts--St. Michel, Notre Dame, and St. Joseph--and never tired. They also had an opportunity to celebrate July 14, the national holiday of France, that was complete with fireworks, music, and the nightly spectacle of the luminaries. Here are some photos of their activities.

Visiting the Kitchen was a special treat. To feel a more intense connection to the founding sisters, the sisters were intent on touching the various artifacts, sitting in chairs the early sisters would have sat on, and walking on the same floor that they did.  

The sisters also visited Martine's lace shop--and learned a bit about lacemaking: first by watching and then by doing.

Throughout their pilgrimage, the sisters were intent on helping Centre staff in every way possible. As do all our guests, they washed dishes, cleared the tables, and swept the dining room floor. However, on one day they treated all of us to a special Indian-Vietnamese meal of chicken, green beans, a tomato dish, and rice.  (Sorry, no photos available. The food was so good, the photographer was too distracted to do her job.) Then, on their last day at the Centre they made chapati, which went nicely with leftovers from our caterer, Cuisine Central.  










Chapati is an unleavened flatbread from northern India (as well as Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, East Africa and the Caribbean). They are made of whole wheat flour and mixed into a dough with water and salt. Finally, they are rolled out into squares and folded so that when they are cooked in a skillet, they puff up.