At the suggestion of Sister Madeleine Meunier, a group from Secours Catholique du Blosne, a neighbourhood in Rennes (Brittany), set out on June 25th, 2025, to discover the site of our Motherhouse, Kermaria.
A well-received proposal
Since 1970, 59 Daughters of Jesus have lived in Le Blosne, a neighborhood of Rennes, working there and engaging in various services. For the past eight years, I have been a member of the local ‘Secours Catholique‘ (a Catholic Relief Service and part of Caritas International). Every week, we enjoy a friendly get-together. Until COVID, we organised a trip away every year, but the pandemic broke the momentum. Everything was cancelled. This year, I dared to propose : “What if we went to visit Kermaria?” The proposal was enthusiastically accepted.
And so, on the morning of Wednesday, June 25, ten volunteers gathered in front of Saint Benoît Church. The weather forecast predicted scorching heat and violent storms across France. But we were confident. It takes more than that to discourage us.
Three cars picked up the travellers. We were on our way to Kermaria!
A film presentation of Kermaria
Upon our arrival, Sister Cécile le Roux, who had been notified of our visit, welcomed us. “Discovering Kermaria in such a short time… Kermaria is vast… Would you agree to watch a presentation film first?” We nodded in agreement and so found ourselves in the cool audiovisual room. We gradually discovered the Kermaria site, its beginnings, the successive constructions year after year, despite the glaring lack of money, the harsh life of the Sisters working in various fields, and the unexpected departures abroad. We were all amazed by the absolute trust in Saint Joseph and the audacity of our first Sisters. The film is captivating. Not a sound in the room. The interest is palpable. We can then continue our discovery. A big thank you to Cécile and it was already almost noon.
Meal and sharing
Corrine, the site ‘hostess’, had also greeted us when we arrived. She kindly offered us what is known as the ‘room with the chimney’ as a space in which to lunch. So here we were, settled in a beautiful, cool room. Christiane, our group’s usual caterer, had prepared an excellent picnic for everyone. It was a pleasant moment, and tongues loosened as trust was established.
– “ Impressive “, is the expression that comes up many times in this exchange.
– ” How beautiful it is, how clean and fresh it is in this beautiful house with its thick walls… What beautiful surroundings, magnificent flowers everywhere. “
– ” What maintenance! How many workers are there? “
We felt good. It was nice there. Were we going to pitch our tents there? No, we wanted to get to know Kermaria. We were going to brave the hot sun, so we headed for the care home, La Sainte Famille, which was bustling with activity in the early afternoon.
Visit to the Sainte Famille
A resident welcomes us at the entrance to the care home with the sound of a harmonica.
Patrick, the activity leader, checks a tricycle adapted to carry a resident sitting in his or her wheelchair.
A young employee explains that she first practises on an empty tricycle before installing two residents on it.
We went inside. A decorated bicycle caught our attention. All the decorations were related to cycling, and for a good reason: this year’s theme is the Tour de France. And it was coming to Brittany!
What a lively place this nursing home is: and this liveliness turns around current events !
Site visit and reunions
We continued our discoveries as we toured the gardens, the cemeteries, and the farm buildings. A visit to the chapel allowed us to rest for a while.
Let’s not forget that one of the objectives of our trip was to visit Sisters Annick Faou and Lisette Mazo, former residents of Le Blosne, who have been in Kermaria for several years. Annick, tired, welcomed us to her room, and was happy to recognise several of her visitors.
Lisette, more alert, joined us under an arbour in the inner courtyard. It was a happy moment for everyone, as we exchanged fond memories and shared a piece of cake and a glass of water. Bernadette, Lisette’s sister, also a Daughter of Jesus, joined us. ‘How good it is to live as brothers and sisters ..“
All good things, however, must come to an end, and it was soon time to leave Kermaria and head back to Le Blosne.
Feedback on our day
The next day happened to be the day of our weekly Secours Catholique meeting. The participants in the outing enthusiastically recounted the day’s events, expressing their joy and satisfaction. Many others regretted not having been able to join us.
– “We had an excellent day”.
– One lady came up to me three times to say, “Madeleine, thank you for this wonderful day. It has done me so much good… It was beautiful, calm, that must be paradise“.
– Another translated what she had remembered as: “So much kindness everywhere… and Kermaria is alive”.
The discovery of Kermaria, the Mother house of the Daughters of Jesus, by a group of lay people with the parish priest, the image of the Church, gave everyone an inside view of what religious life is all about.
And isn’t the smile on the blooming faces of the residents of Kermaria, happy to meet new people, a sign of mutual openness?
Sr Madeleine Meunier dj
Community rue de Tatras, Rennes, France
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