August 16, 2026, is a big day for our Sr. Huberte Léger (Riverview, Canada), who is seeing the culmination of a long-term project: the launching of her book, “A Bit of History of the People of Barachois.”

For Sr. Huberte, several factors helped make the ceremony even more special:

–    The launch took place as part of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the founding of her hometown, St. Henri de Barachois, in its former church, which has been converted into the Acadian Historical Museum;

–    The presence of family members, current and former parishioners, friends, people who have helped and supported her, as well as her Sisters Daughters of Jesus, and especially our Regional Superior, Sr. Micheline Cormier.

Let’s hear from some of the contributors

 “What a magnificent intellectual treasure for your community, and what valuable contributions to the Acadian collective memory.”

“Producing a work like this requires a colossal amount of work: hours of research, great rigor, exemplary patience, and, above all, a passion for history and for the people who shape it.” (F. SONIER, Director General, Éditions de la Francophonie)

And now it’s Sister Huberte’s turn

“The village of Barachois has seen many writings about the Historic Church of Barachois and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires School founded by Father Edgar LeBlanc, but almost nothing about the ancestors who came to settle here in the late 1700s. This was the question that had been on my mind since my teenage years, and one that *The Book* allowed me to answer. Where did our ancestors come from, how did they get here, and why did they choose to settle in St. Henri de Barachois? My research began very modestly, but given my interest and the encouragement of people more knowledgeable than I am, I am happy today to present the results to you.

I always felt that Providence was with me, guiding me in this endeavor: at just the right moment, my search would bear fruit, the right person would appear, encouragement would come when doubts arose, and so on. And today, I want to express my deep gratitude to God and to all those I loved to call my “archangels.”

A Word from Sr. Micheline

In turn, Sr. Micheline Cormier, Regional Superior of Canada, on her own behalf and on behalf of all the Daughters of Jesus in the Canada Region, extends her congratulations and admiration to Sr. Huberte for the courageous work she has accomplished. She hopes that we will always remain proud of our Acadian roots and continue to make them known and loved.

This was followed by a book signing and sale, as well as a wine and cheese reception to mark the occasion. All of this helped make this afternoon a memorable event for the archives of the beautiful village of St. Henri de Barachois and for genealogical research in Acadia in general. Thank you and congratulations, Huberte!

Gloria Boudreau fj

Riverview, Canada