Sr. St. Denis Hermance Loubert

Waterville Sr. St. Denis, csj, nee Hermance Loubert, 95, died Wed., Sept. 10, 2008 at Mount St. Joseph in Waterville. She was born Dec. 19, 1912 in Waterville the daughter of Ernest and Maybelle Jacques Loubert. She received her elementary education under the Ursuline Nuns, at St. Francis de Sales in Waterville then she continued her studies with the Sisters of Saint Joseph at the Academy of St. Joseph in So. Berwick. She furthered her education through correspondence courses. Sister St. Denis entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon in 1928 in So. Berwick with a strong desire to become a missionary in India. She made her final profession in 1935 and started her teaching career in Jackman where she taught until 1938, the year that her wish to go to India was granted. She lived her dream until 1977 when she returned to the U.S. While in India, Sister St. Denis served in several ministries. She taught English, home science, religion to high school girls in East Madurai. She did social work in the slums on weekends; helped the poor to buy plots of land with money that she received from charitable organizations and benefactors. She visited the homeless, leprosy patients who were living in a cemetery, the only place they were allowed to congregate. She gave them pills, vitamins that she received from humanitarian agencies. When a Rehabilitation house was built for them seven miles from Madurai, she continued to visit them twice a week. In 1972 because of some health problems, Sister changed ministry and worked for aged sick women. In 1977 she returned to the U.S. and joined Maria Community in Waterville. there she served the elderly sick at Mount St. Joseph and volunteered at Hospitality House in Hinckley. In 1988 she moved to Oakland to live with her sisters Ann-Xavier and Marie Daniel. While in Oakland, she visited the sick and served as Eucharistic Minister. She also visited the Elderly at Snow Pond Residential Center in Sidney. In 2006 she was transferred to Fontbonne Community at Mount St. Joseph where she continued her ''prayer' ministry. Sister was predeceased by three sisters, Sr. Marie-Ernest, csj, Sr. Ann of Jesus, csj, and Sr. Marie Daniel, csj; two brothers, Daniel and Ronald. She is survived by a sister, Sr. Ann-Xavier, csj, many nephews, nieces and friends. Friends may call from 3 to 6 p.m. Fri., Sept. 12 at Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm St., Waterville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Sat., Sept. 13 at St. John the Baptist Church, 26 Monument St., Winslow. Committal prayers and burial will follow in St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, Grove St., Waterville. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to the Ministry Fund of the Sisters of St. Joseph, 93 Halifax St., Winslow, ME 04901.