Sister Linette Doucette

“Live with the life of Jesus, love with his heart, think with his mind, act with his strength.”

-Françoise Blin de Bourdon (Spiritual Advice # 2)

Born in Waterville, Maine, Linette enjoyed a happy childhood as one of seven children, “Thanks to hard working parents and an outdoor environment that gave the children many opportunities for play.” She and her brother Joe were particularly close and in the spring they enjoyed heading to the woods to look for snakes under rocks!

In 1946, Linette entered the Ursuline Order. As soon as she put on the veil, she was asked to go to France with a companion and make her novitiate training there. As she quips, ‘’Who would say no to that!?’’ She and her companion Sister Jacklyn spent over two years there.

Upon her return from France, Linette went to New Rochelle, New York to begin work on her first degree. After four years of study Linette returned to Maine to begin her ministry of teaching. After several years of teaching in Maine, Linette was asked to go to New York to work at our Lady of Mercy School in the Bronx. After ten years in the Bronx she concluded her time in New York and returned to Maine.

While in Maine, Linette worked at Saint Ignatius High School and then was sent to Springfield, Massachusetts. There she taught for ten years and with God’s help transferred to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1980. This was a life changing decision and as Linette describes it, “It was one of the best decisions I’ve made!”

When Linette Became an SNDdeN she taught at St Justin’s in Hartford as well as St. Thomas Aquinas in New Britain, Conn. Of all her ministries, Sister most loved teaching 8th grade at St. Justine School in Hartford, Conn. At the time the white neighborhood had changed to predominately black as families from Jamaica moved in. “These were the children I taught. They were all so receptive. I loved English class the most. I thought I had it made. Loved all the kids so much.”

One of her most memorable missions was as a pastoral care provider. In later years she taught English to refugees in the Diocese of Hartford.

Now living at Julie House in Windsor, Conn., Linette feels she is in a perfect place for her Spiritual Development and enjoys the community life. Though in retirement, she continues.to find many ways to serve. One memorable experience was her volunteering to help prepare for and welcome Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from around the world to an orientation workshop at the United Nations in New York City. Traveling by subway, walking from place to place and providing meals and supplies proved to be a strenuous undertaking, and yet Linette took on these challenges with her usual positive energy and good spirits.


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