This text is part of the special commemoration of Jeanne Mance
If, today, the Cité-des-Hospitalières no longer belongs to the Religious Hospitallers of Saint-Joseph, the wish of the latter, who still reside there, remains the same: that this heritage site retain its vocation of providing care for each other.
In the midst of a pandemic, while the authorities were looking for a place to house a hundred homeless people, the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, with other partners, decided to reoccupy the Le Royer pavilion in the former Hôtel-Dieu, which is one of the main buildings of the Cité-des-Hospitalières heritage complex.
“At the ministry, many believed that the sisters would resist this proposal, especially since the neighborhood had concerns,” says Danielle Fleury, deputy CEO of the Center hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) and administrator of the Museum of the Hospitallers. “However, quite the opposite happened. The sisters spontaneously accepted this project because it fitted in perfectly with their work. »
For Sister Nicole Gaudet, Superior General of the Religious Hospitallers of Saint-Joseph (RHSJ), this consent was quite natural. “The Hôtel-Dieu no longer belongs to us, but it has not yet entered people’s minds”, explains the nurse by training and the last nun to work for the Hôtel-Dieu. “We chose to remain in the premises as tenants, but we actually gave them away. We only expressed the wish that the Cité-des-Hospitalières project be open to the community to meet its needs. »
Provide care to another
The 34 nuns who reside there, explains the superior general, still occupy the Cité-des-Hospitalières, in one wing. The hospital, the monastery, the chapel, the museum now belong to the City.
“We sold to free ourselves from management. We have become a group of older people who are no longer in action, she says. Our house is an RPA [résidence pour aînées] managed by a specialized firm. Our mission, as a religious community, is henceforth to ensure a congregational life in contemplation and prayer. »
Sister Nicole Bussières, archivist of the Religieuses hospitalières de Saint-Joseph, explains that the same decisions were made for all branches of the community. “US operations are now closed. The three New Brunswick convents have become RPAs like ours. In Mexico, in Chiapas, we have a sister who works as a nurse and does pastoral work. In Peru, it is a daycare center for children from single-parent families. »
The two nuns explain that the congregation wished to remain on site as tenants with a view to transmitting its values in the search for the new vocation of the heritage complex, currently in a transitional phase.
Sister Nicole Gaudet illustrates her plan by showing her bedside reading, Lead with your soul, which argues that leadership is inseparable from spirituality. “Leading with your soul, what does that mean? Jeanne Mance did more than see to the health and well-being of the sick. She gave her money to save the colony, to collaborate with Maisonneuve. True leaders thrive in service to others. People have so many complexes about religion that they forget their soul. Women like Valérie Plante, like Sophie Brochu, like Geneviève Guilbault lead with their head and their heart, in short, with the totality of their person. This is the soul. »
For Danielle Fleury, Jeanne Mance and her heirs were able to assume a form of leadership that was not overwhelming, but knew how to generate support. “His real talent as a manager was mixed with an unmistakable charisma. »
Ongoing project
Sister Nicole Bussières says that in the complex negotiations for the transfer of the Cité-des-Hospitalières, the City immediately acceded to the wish of the nuns to remain on the site. “Sister Choquette, who was a real Montrealer, said: “Jeanne Mance had come for Montreal, and we returned the Cité-des-Hospitalières to Montreal. I can die in peace.” »
When we talk about the future of the Cité-des-Hospitalières, the two nuns cannot help but show a vague concern, which is quickly repressed. Since 2017, the City has not yet decided what it will do with this large complex, but the Superior General recalls the need to be creative, courageous and patient. “Don’t be mistaken either,” she agrees.
“What we want to do with the Cité-des-Hospitalières is still in development, but we want it to be a place of innovation, in the very spirit of the Hospitalières, says the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante. But I have to admit it’s still in the making. As it is a heritage building, we cannot do just anything and we must take into account the costs of renovation and upgrading, but I want the sisters to know that we are going to take care of it. We are very proud of it. »
According to Danielle Fleury, discussions are underway for the City to serve as a palliative care unit. ” It will be perfect. Another mission would be for it to be devoted to psychosocial health. That too would be ideal. »
At the mention of these two avenues, the faces of the two nuns light up. “We want the City to meet the needs of Montrealers in search of meaning, for people struggling to live, beyond religion. The Cité is a unique place of silence, peace and beauty, concludes Sister Nicole Gaudet. All of this should make sense today. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.