What do you do with the many works of a Sister who is an artist when she leaves her studio? How can we continue to value her artistic career and highlight her work now that she has left to live at the Mother House? We keep you posted on the constant and dedicated efforts of the ‘Friends of Lise Mazo’ to achieve these two objectives.
A rich artistic career
After studying at the “Beaux-Arts”, the art school in Rennes, Lise Mazo, Daughter of Jesus, artist, painter, and sculptor, taught at the Beaux-Arts and produced many diverse works. Today, with a group of friends, the association “The Friends of Lise Mazo” is trying to imagine a future for all this wealth.


As part of the “Journées du Patrimoine” (Heritage Days) on the the16th and 17th of September 2023, the public was invited to visit the Provincial house of the Daughters of Jesus, boulevard Magenta, in Rennes, along with an exhibition of works by Lise Mazo. The two days were a great success.
A new stage in her life
Unfortunately, a few days earlier, a bad fall down a flight of stairs in our house in the rue des Tatras had deeply disturbed Lisette. Although she was able to visit the exhibition on the first day, she was unable to do so the following day.
After that, her health gradually deteriorated. On the 20th of September, she had to leave the community, in principle for a while… but it had to be recognised that she no longer belonged in a house with lots of stairs. After a spell on the 3rd floor of the Holy Family at Kermaria, the Mother House, to assess her state of health, Lisette transferred to the Pierre Noury community, where she is now enjoying a happy retirement.

Imagining a future for her works of art

So, what will become of her works of art? Since January 2023, a Lise Mazo committee, now known as the association “The Friends of Lise Mazo“, has been looking after them. The association has been registered, and recognised by the Prefecture, its articles of association have been approved and an account opened. A new presentation website is under development, and a membership form has been drawn up. The members meet roughly once a month to discuss the development of the project.
New members have gradually joined, and the existing team is very active. Some of the members have drawn up an inventory of her works, gathered in a file, with different categories and themes. This tool will provide a visual overview of all the works and enable them to be sorted. Around 200 works have already been listed and photographed in high definition.
At a meeting attended by new members, we needed to make the objectives of the association clear to everyone: the association’s concern is undoubtedly to highlight Lise Mazo’s work as an artist, but also to honour the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus and the Church as a whole.



A great intuition …. a heavy investment … However, the prospect of a Lise Mazo museum was becoming increasingly remote. So, after careful consideration, the association obtained permission from the Sisters of the Provincial House to store all the works and materials for the time being in Lise’s former studio. Meetings are held there every month.
The option for temporary exhibitions
After much prevarication, the decision was made to opt at this stage for temporary exhibitions.
The first will take place in the chapel of Our Lady of Pity in Guidel, Morbihan, Brittany. This chapel is dear to the Daughters of Jesus because it was here that Mother Marie de Saint Charles, our third Superior General, prayed for and obtained the miraculous cure of a very sick Sister in 1850. On her departure for Guidel, the Superior said to the sick Sister: “Trust me, my daughter, I will pray for you to Our Lady of Pity. She will cure you.” Two days later, just as they were expecting her to die, the patient got up and was cured.

An invitation


The exhibition will take place from the 14th of July to the 15th of August,
Wednesday to Sunday from 15h to 18h30.
If you are interested, take the time to tour Guidel where the Sisters still have a community.
They will be happy to welcome you.
Sr Madeleine Menier dj
Community des Tatras, Rennes
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