Entrance into Life
June 6, 1931
Entrance into Professed Life
February 23, 1953
Entrance into Eternal Life
April 23, 2024
Sr. Marge Peron, RJM, offered this reflection on Sr. Jackie’s life at her funeral:
From an early age, Jackie liked to learn, read, write, and enjoy nature. It is not surprising then that a young Jackie decided she wanted to be a teacher. Nor is it surprising that these interests later found expression in studying the Scriptures, reading about the contemporary world and Church issues, journaling, drawing, and discovering icons.
In high school, Jackie decided that she wanted to become a nun. In 1950 she responded to that call, entering the RJM whom she had met at her parish grammar school. Three years later she made her first vows and began a 29-year ministry in education, specifically among high school girls. Jackie loved teaching and was both an excellent teacher and guide for the high school students she taught. She was so respected and loved that former students have kept in touch with her, visiting and spending time with her.
During these years in education, Jackie also had three opportunities to travel abroad, spending two years doing graduate studies in Belgium and living for two years in both Ireland and Italy.
After leaving education, Jackie initiated two ministries: one to Southeast Asians in Providence where she worked and advocated for them as they started new lives in the US; the other, an Evangelization Program for Senior Citizens at St. Timothy’s Parish in Warwick.
Over the course of 18 years, Jackie served as local superior of various communities in New England. After this service, Jackie was an active member of the communities in which she lived until she moved to Life Care Center in Attleboro, MA in 2019.
For Jackie, personal prayer which she saw as a special gift to her by God was central to her life. Again, that life-long interest in reading, journaling and other writings, study of Scripture, and drawing “…deepened the reality of the Eucharist, her lived friendship with the Trinity and an ever-increasing knowledge of God’s self-revelation in and through the Scriptures.” It was also through prayer that she came to see “…one of her deepest desires is to know God profoundly and to share this knowledge with others. “
I would like to conclude by calling your attention to the Rublev icon of the Holy Trinity displayed below. It graces the community room at St. Timothy’s in Warwick and was prominently displayed in Jackie’s room at Life Care Center of Attleboro. Jackie loved the icon and it held a special place in her heart and prayer. While the Icon contains many images of Scriptural significance, it is written with three central figures representing Father, Son, and Spirit seated at a circular table with an open space.
Now united with her loving God, may Jackie lay claim to that space, thereby entering into their communion of love. May she know fullness of joy and everlasting life! May it be so!
This acrostic poem about Sr. Jackie was written as a memorial by Therese Boulanger Shanahan (Villa Augustina class of 1965)
Jackie Jacques was there for us when we were figuring out our identities.
She had many other qualities and taking the first letters of her name, here are some:
J. Joking sense of humor
A. Actively involved in our lives as teen-agers—even into our 70’s
C. Caring and culturally astute
K. Kind: made herself available to talk one on one—she also could kick ass
I. Intellectually curious, well read, and able to impart this knowledge
E. Empathetic: encouraged us; for example, told me as a teen-ager to “treasure my Dad – he was a good man.”
Made a difference in our lives and we will always treasure her.
