After 11 years of searching and painstaking efforts, our house in Rimouski, Canada, has been sold: the Altéra Group became its owner on October 1, 2026, allowing the Daughters of Jesus to continue living there.

The Altéra Group

It began as a local family-run group that took in vulnerable individuals with mental health issues who could no longer be accommodated in hospitals. Today, two third-generation cousins, joined by a young woman from outside the family, have formed the “Altéra Group” (alter, otherness, reaching out, caring…)They are continuing the work their grandparents began to address a need in the community—a need that has become increasingly pressing and involves a range of challenges. They currently house 170 people in four residences in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, all referred by “Ressources intermédiaires (RI), Santé Québec,” who are dealing with physical challenges and cognitive decline. Starting in January, twenty people—also referred by Santé Québec—will come to live with us.

A Happy Ending

The efforts previously undertaken among congregations and with various partners were fraught with obstacles and setbacks. Two years ago, discovering and getting to know the Altéra Group rekindled our hope that our community could continue its positive mission in Rimouski and the surrounding area, always in tune with the human realities of the community and faithful to our charism.

Through the negotiation process, we found a buyer who respects our identity and opens up a future that extends beyond ourselves.

How do the sisters at the house feel about this change in ownership? What insights are they gaining?

Here is what emerged from the interviews conducted with each of the sisters:

Feelings

In these first few weeks of transition, we are experiencing a range of powerful emotions: we are impressed, happy, at peace, feel privileged, and safe; serenity, joy, and the grace of the present moment fill our hearts. We thank God, as well as our leaders, who sought out buyers who will carry on our mission.

It is a gift from the Lord—a great gift, a grace that will ensure the continuation of our charism and our mission. I feel good about this; “it’s all good” (a local expression).

We are always surprised and grateful for the trust the sisters place in us, the Animation Team: a trusting surrender to the presence of the Lord, who continues to walk with us.

A Shared Family Spirit

The members of the Altéra Group are down-to-earth, open-hearted, and close to us; they are like brothers and sisters. They want the people who will come to live in our home in January to be happy and to feel the peace of our home.

It’s a three-generation family joining the family of the Daughters of Jesus. We already feel like one family, and those who are coming will form a “blended family” with us! We’ll be a very special, unique community, with vulnerable men and women joining us!

Commonality Between Values, Charism, and Mission

The Altéra Group shares values that resonate with us: a humanizing presence toward the most vulnerable, caring, openness, simplicity, and a sense of closeness that energizes.

The person is at the heart of the project. It also means humanizing others and allowing ourselves to be humanized in the manner of Jesus. As in our original constitutions, our house will be a “house of charity” and a place of welcome for vulnerable people. Among the developers who presented their proposals, the project from the smallest developer caught the attention of the leaders.

We were wondering how our presence in the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie regions would end, and what kind of “stripping away” awaited us. Yet here it is: a “stripping away” that brings life—a rebirth. Something new that responds to the needs of our time, even though we are elderly.

Trust

The sisters in Rimouski are embracing this new chapter with complete trust and gratitude. The unity and sharing within the new community we are forming will be a driving force for the mission that continues.

Jeannine D’Amours, dj

Rimouski, Canada