Sister Lucienne Savoie
Sister Lucienne Savoie, left, chats with Neighborhood Initiatives coordinator Cheryl Lyn Higgins during the November 2011 Assembly at the Motherhouse.
BORN: Dryburg, Mich.
RECEIVED: Aug. 15, 1937
CURRENT HOME: Nazareth Motherhouse, Concordia
EDUCATION: Diploma for Registered Nurse, St. John’s Hospital, Salina; bachelor’s degree from Marymount College; master’s degree in maternal and child nursing from Boston College and University, Boston.
MINISTRIES:
1945-59: Obstetrical instructor and supervisor at St. John’s Hospital, Salina.
1961-72: Professor of obstetrics at Marymount College and supervisor of clinical practice of nursing students at St. John’s Hospital, Salina.
1973-75: Geriatric, medical and surgical supervisor at St. Joseph’s Hospital, El Paso, Texas.
1975-86: Parish pastoral minister in Las Cruces and Silver City, N.M.
1986-90: Associate chaplain at County Memorial Hospital, Las Cruces.
1990-2002: Home pastoral visitor in Las Cruces.
2003-present: Personal prayer ministry at the Motherhouse
The focus of my service, ministry, and mission living at the Motherhouse is “An attitude of gratitude.”
Every morning on awakening, I pray, “Thank you Lord for another day of blessings.” When a person asks me, ”How are you today?” my response is, “I am blessed. Thank you.” I am always aware of looking at and smiling to everyone I meet any time. I consciously and sincerely show gratitude for any little favor.
I can assist any of the sisters in need here at the Motherhouse and at Mount Joseph Senior Village. I bring Holy Eucharist to our bedridden sisters and pray with them, and assist elderly sisters by reading to them and writing their letters.
My big ministry is through correspondence and phone. I remember to send cards to family and friends for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Easter, and in times of sickness or death. I find that my gift of deep enduring friendship resulting from my 30 years of ministry in New Mexico continues to be nurtured. I can still communicate hope, encouragement, support in their trials and spiritual guidance through phone or writing in answer to their needs, thus assisting them in the name of Jesus to maintain hope in their struggles, and to daily pray for them, and I am blessed in return. This is all a part of “serving God in the dear neighbor.”
My prayer life consists of communal prayer, which is daily Eucharist and praying the Rosary and Litanies, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Friday morning, prayer for Peace and special prayers such as vigils when a sister has died. I am committed to giving a conscious private couple of half hours of contemplative prayer in the chapel daily. Praying for special intentions being requested, being a prayerful presence by consciously assisting with, listening and praying with anyone, anytime, especially Sisters who are sick, having surgery or having special needs.
Even today, when I find myself physically limited, I do all I do in the presence of God — but it’s not doing as much as being. Our doing can bring success, but our being brings fruit. I hope I am remembered for who I was, not what I did.
