Beginning of our Foundation, by Sister Maillet

As she was getting old, Sister Maillet (born Alphonsine Ranger) wrote her memories starting with her arrival in Saint-Basile, Madawaska, New Brunswick. She gave the title  Commencement de notre fondation: Notes depuis 1873 jusqu’en 1914 (Beginning of our Foundation: Notes since 1873 to 1914)  to the  small notebook she began writing by hand in 1922. Sister Maillet was then 76 years old. Among other things she tells the story of the sisters’ trip from Montreal to Saint-Basile at the beginning of October 1873. 

Convinced of the importance of transmitting the history of her convent, Sister Maillet wrote the following inscription on the cover of her notebook: Ce cahier est à conserver pour les Srs (soeurs) qui viendront après nous. (This notebook must be kept for the Sisters who will come after us.) A digital copy of the original in French is reproduced below.  The Archives of the Religious Hospitallers of Saint-Basile, N.-B., are the owners of the copyrights.  

Commencement de notre fondation partie 1

Commencement de notre fondation partie 2