On May third, 2015, two new Associates made their promisses and some thirty others renewed theirs. On that occasion, Huguette Rousseau, Associate, shared with us, her spiritual journey.

From my early years, I had the grace of being in the presence of God. During that period, for me, God was distant, inaccessible, but I knew He was good and that He could help me if I asked Him.

One day during a group sharing of the Gospel, I encountered Jesus-Christ, God incarnate. It is from that moment on, that my spiritual life changed. God ceased being inaccessible. I discovered that He is in us and among us, especially the littlest ones and the neediest ones.

It is the spirituality of the Daughters of Jesus that attracted me. After having done the exercises of Ignatius of Loyola and a preparation, I have become an Associate of the Daughters of Jesus in 1999. What a beautiful gift life gave me!

Since that day, I try to let God guide my life, which has much more meaning and I am in peace. I don’t want to pretend that I don’t live any difficult or painful moments, but I know there is someone to help me, and I have the tools necessary to live them: I remain responsible for my life and must do my part.

My commitment with the terminally ill (palliative care), makes me discover several figures of Christ: A Christ who suffers, who hopes, who forgives, who shares and welcomes.

When I am with sick people, I experience a special relationship, soul to soul, I am there totally attentive to each one , and they are there for me, with no expectations, just a presence. Sometimes there are confidences, or there is simply silence. What beautiful moments spent together! How many times was I witness to an authentic encounter of the sick with Christ.

It is by means of a rereading of my day that I become more conscious that God is alive and active in me and in others. I thank the Lord for calling me to be an Associate of the Daughters of Jesus and the grace to have answered by uniting with Jesus in His Humanity.

Huguette Rousseau, associate