Sister Emmanuelle: life, works, prayers

"Looking at others, listening to them, smiling at them, being interested in them, in my opinion that's the beginning of being human."
Sister Emmanuelle became a very popular woman after her retirement, thanks to her commitment to the poor and homeless of Cairo, Egypt. Consecrating herself to God at the age of 23, she made her life a social work through her militant and active zeal for the underprivileged.

Sister Emmanuelle has not yet been declared a saint or blessed, but she leaves us an example of luminous spirituality through her work and prayers.

Sister Emmanuelle's biography

Madeleine Cinquin was born into a wealthy family in Brussels on November 16, 1908 . At the age of six, her father drowned before her very eyes. It was this event that drew her closer to God, much to her mother's dismay. It was then that she decided to work for the excluded and the disadvantaged, especially children.

After studying philosophy and theology, she took her vows in 1931 as a member of the Notre-Dame de Sion congregation.

She taught literature for several years at a French high school in Istanbul, before being sent to Tunis and then Cairo. However, she realized that teaching literature or philosophy to girls from good families was not for her.

When she retired in 1971, she chose to settle in a Cairo shantytown, where she became involved with the underprivileged. There, she established a community that launched numerous health, education and social welfare projects.

In 1976, she met Sister Sarah, from a Coptic-Orthodox congregation, who moved in with her. In 1978, they both left for the United States to raise funds. On their return, they were able to set up the Asmae Association and a center in Cairo which was inaugurated by the wife of President Sadat. It included a dispensary, a school, a kindergarten, a training center and a social club. Two years later, she delegated the management of the center to young nuns, and took charge of the ragpickers in another Cairo slum . She developed a type of shelter for families that would be reproduced on a large scale to accommodate as many people as possible. Using her charisma, she continued to raise funds and mobilize public authorities. As a result, water and electricity were installed in several shantytowns. After settling in a third slum in Cairo, she left for Khartoum in Sudan to carry out the same actions.

In 1991, in recognition of her work, President Mubarak offered her Egyptian nationality. Reclaimed by her congregation in France, she left Africa for good in 1993. Sister Sarah would continue her work. After her departure, a high school, a hospital and technical schools were built. Sister Emmanuelle's 22 years in the field helped to reduce crime and violence, get 85% of children into school and bring about a certain liberation of women.

Back in France, she worked with the homeless in Fréjus, gave lectures and met young people in high schools. She tirelessly continued to raise public and political awareness of the importance of solidarity.

After being promoted by Jacques Chirac to the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honor, she was awarded the rank of Grand Officer by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.

Since her return to France, she had been living in the nursing home of the sisters of her congregation in Callian, Var. She died on October 20, 2008 at the age of 99, and was buried in the strictest privacy. However, a requiem mass was celebrated at Notre Dame de Paris, and the following day at Brussels Cathedral.

Sister Emmanuelle's works

Sister Emmanuelle was a spirited woman with a strong personality who never let herself be impressed. She also enjoyed great popularity for her outspokenness and commitment to the poor. She was the driving force behind a number of humanitarian projects and books. 

• The Asmae Association, which today operates in six countries (including France) in cooperation with local populations, in the fields of health and child protection. It aims to educate and empower children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or suffering from disabilities. Nearly 32,000 people, mainly children, currently benefit from Asmae's actions.

• Numerous works:
  1. Chiffonnière avec les chiffonniers, 1989 and 2007
  2. Une vie avec les pauvres, 1991
  3. Yalla, en avant les jeunes, 1999
  4. Les Mots du Rosaire, 2001
  5. Un pauvre a crié, le Seigneur l'écoute, 2005
  6. Vivre, quoi ça sert? 2005
  7. Une anneé avec Soeur Emmanuelle, 2008
  8. 365 Méditations de Soeur Emmanuelle, 2008
  9. Je Te Salue Marie, 2008
  10. Les Confessions d'une religieuse, 2008

Some beautiful quotations from Sister Emmanuelle

• "Everywhere and always, seek without tiring the remedy that relieves, sow hope: It invigorates and your love can work miracles."
• "You must never stop in life. You have to keep running, keep striving. And you always, always win."
• "Life is a risk. If you haven't risked, you haven't lived. That's what gives ... a taste of champagne."
• "Happiness is not possessed as a definitive acquisition. It's about creating a spark of joy at every moment. Let's not forget: 'Smile at the world and the world will smile at you.'"
• "True, solid, lasting love is that which seeks the happiness of others at the same time as its own happiness."
• "Here's the first fruit of my experience: whatever the continent, a poor person's most compelling desire, his essential need, is to be respected. Here we touch on the sine qua non of all humanitarian action: to show every human being equal respect."
• "Mystery of the human heart: the most fulfilled always asks for more, our financiers lose sleep; the most destitute accommodates itself to its lodging, our savers and our ragpickers sing."
• "Pride is the search for personal dignity. It is not a defect." 

Beatification of Sister Emmanuelle

Her beatification could be considered, but to date, no trial for this cause has begun.

Pray on Hozana with Sister Emmanuelle

Continue Sister Emmanuelle's work by praying for the world.