Nun bids farwell to Iraq

By Robert Ewan

After 38 years service in Iraq Sister Martine of the little sisters of Jesus decided to return to France

The Iraqi Catholic Patriarch celebrated a farewell mass to Sister Martin of the little sisters of Jesus on Sunday May 18, 2014 at the Mar Elea church in Baghdad. Many parishioners and nuns from all over Iraq attended the mass. In his homily, Patriarch Sako thanked Sister Martin for all her contribution to the Iraqi church, he praised her spirit of generosity and her devoted ascetic life. He added: “She has a permanent smile that never departs her face.”

 In her farewell speech, Sister Martin said: “I thought very hard and prayed and after some deliberation with my fellow sisters I decided to leave Iraq and return to my country France. I love Iraq, I love its people and its church and I thank the Lord for sending me here. I thank everyone who helped me to discover the quality of culture and hospitality that exists in this country. My mission in the church has not finished and I want you to know that you have a sister that prays for you in France.”

Sister Afnan Yassou, head of the little sister of Jesus in Iraq, thanked Sister Martin and said: for us Sister Martin was always present but in silence, she was a listening ear. She added: “Sister Martine was our inspiration and support, to us her friendship was like a compass that led us to the true path.”

Sister Martin of the Little Sisters of Jesus came from France to Iraq in 1976 where she faced two trials. The first is the challenge of the loss of identity at the expense of the discovery of the new values of the country she came to serve. The second is to be shut out to one’s traditions and customs in fear of the loss of identity without learning something new. She said that she was usually asked: “Why have you stayed in Iraq?” She often said nothing but to live in love and solidarity with the Iraqi people for whom she gave a large part of her life.

Madeleine Hutin, taking the name Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus, founded the Little Sisters of Jesus on September 8, 1939, in Touggourt, Algeria, following the path marked out by Charles de Foucauld (also known as Father de Foucauld or Brother Charles of Jesus).

She was warmly welcomed in Iraq and was encouraged to set up her mission by Patriarch Paulus II Sheikho.The first mission was set up within his diocese of Aqra, northern Iraq, in 1954 and later on in Baghdad.