July 3
Sr. Joseph Agnés Ricaume was born in France in 1872. She was a well-educated person but not very gifted practically. However, during her novitiate it became clear that she was attracted to nursing, therefore, after her Profession she was trained as a nurse at the Levallois hospital which was being administered by our Dominican Sisters. Sr. Joseph Agnés did well and worked at this hospital as a nurse for 13 years. Then she expressed her desire to be sent to the leprosarium of Chacachacare where she could nurse lepers. This was granted to her. The sisters who lived with her at Chacachacare testified to her admirable charity, her profound humility and of her fervour at prayer. She died at Chacachacare after a short illness on July 3, 1928. She was 56 years old and had been professed for 24 years. She spent 10 years in Trinidad. Sr. Joseph Agnés was buried in the Sisters cemetery at Marine Bay, Chacachacare.
July 12
Sr. Marie Bienvenue Bellanger was born in France on September 6, 1889. She made Profession in our Congregation on April 12, 1913 and then offered herself to be sent to Trinidad. It was in 1918 that she and Sr. Marie Clémentine embarked for the long voyage to Trinidad, never to see their homeland again.
For 54 years, Sr. Marie Bienvenue, who spoke mostly the language of the heart, lovingly cared for the children of the St. Dominic’s orphanage. She had the misfortune of a bad fall shortly after her arrival which caused bone fractures in a leg and obliged her to walk with a cane for the rest of her life. She accepted this trial with great courage and fortitude, always grateful to the Sisters who cared for her. She was a soul of prayer so she was ready when the Lord came for her on July 14, 1972. Sr. Marie Bienvenue was 83 years old and had been professed for 59 years.
July 17
Sr. Marie Sadoc Nelson was born in France in 1886. After making her Profession she offered herself to be sent to Trinidad. Her assignation was for the convent of Cocorite. Sr. Marie Sadoc’s drawback was her lack of aptitude for speaking the English language. As a result, she was very reserved. She was eventually transferred to the St. Dominic’s Convent in Belmont and there her heart went out to the children of the orphanage. They loved her and appreciated her great kindness towards them. Then, Sister was assigned to the Holy Name Convent where she was put in charge of the Sisters at the infirmary. She did her best with poor health herself. She died in the convent on July 17, 1936 after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. She was 50 years old, had been professed for 24 years; 21 years spent in Trinidad.
July 22
Sr. Marie Hyacinthe Andalcio was born in Matelot, Trinidad in 1876. She was the last of the Sisters of the diocesan Dominican Congregation called “The Little Sisters of Charity of Shine” which was founded by Fr. Hilaire Arnaud O.P. in 1885. When the Congregation was dissolved, Sr. Marie Hyacinthe was accepted in our Congregation. She lived a simple, prayerful and devoted life. Before her death she said to the nursing sister: “We must be generous in making little acts of fidelity for Jesus. They please Him very much and that will count much at the end of our life.”
Sr. Marie Hyacinthe died at the Holy Name Convent on July 22, 1947. She was 71 years old and had been professed for 48 years.