Sisters of Saint Joseph of Annecy

Sister Marie Antide was born in Sciez, Haute Savoie, on 9 January 1920. She was baptised on 14 January, immersed in the life of Jesus, perfect image of the Father. A boy was born one year later. Her father, who had fought in the first World War, died in 1921. He was 30 years old and left his young wife with two children, aged one and a half and six months. Her mother entrusted Marie to her grandparents. It was a very difficult start for the family and especially for Marie. However, our faith assures us that we are the fruit of God's love, of the love of a Father who follows us step by step. It is not surprising that the call to religious life resounded very early in the heart of the little girl. She loved to attend Mass. What joy she felt the day she received a missal translated into French! A beautiful gift!

On the 19 September 1936, aged sixteen and a half, Marie entered the novitiate. Her religious life began with solemn "yes" pronounced in the Church, the Body of Christ. She renewed her Vows from 1938 to 1941 and made Final Profession on 7 September 1942. She renewed her "yes" each time she was sent to a new community for a different apostolate: Cluses; Sevrier; Bonne sur Menoge; Le Cheylard; Bellevaux; Bonne; Cluses; and Samoëns. In 1950, she opened the housekeeping school in Sevrier. She was also a founding member of the Bellevaux housekeeping school which she had to close 8 years later.

In these different workplaces, she was in turn a home nurse, a catechist, and a cook. She visited the elderly and the sick and brought them communion. Her bicycle was a precious and useful tool.

She was welcomed to the Grand Chêne community, Vieugy, in February 2010. She was 90 years old when she arrived and she celebrated her 100th birthday there before joining the One she loved, a year and a half later, after a long illness lived with courage.

Here is what she wrote on 17 March 2006: "Having completed my earthly journey, I wish to say: 'Farewell, goodbye in God to all those I have known and loved: my sisters, my family, my friends, my enemies; I invite them to pray for me, each one according to their faith.” We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us too with Jesus and will place us with you beside Him.

Elsewhere, she wrote: "I ask forgiveness of those I may have offended. For my part, I forgive those who have hurt me, and finally, a heartfelt thank you to those who have helped me physically and morally to live and die. Thank you and thank you to God.”

Goodbye, dear Sister, we too ask you to forgive us for the lack of love, which is inevitable in our lives in constant progress towards absolute Love, God the Trinity.