Last year I stumbled upon a different volume in this series, 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati by Père Charles Desjobert, OP, and really enjoyed it. I did some research on the series and this was the eighth volume I decided to work through. In my research to date there have been at least 40 volumes in this series. Many written in French and then translated, including this volume, this book was first published in French in 2003, the English edition appeared 2009. It was part of the rebranded editions, there does not appear to have even been an eBook edition of this volume.
I believe as of the writing of this review there have been 40 volumes in the series; the earliest I found was from 1999 through to a volume which was published in 2025. The earlier editions were published by Liguori, but they have moved to New City Press now, part of Focolare Media. Only about a dozen seem to be in print currently and of those only a handful appears to have eBooks. With my dual form of dyslexia this is disappointing. I greatly prefer eBooks so I can change the font, and the colour of font and page to make reading easier. I have added all the eBook editions I could find to my wish list. About the Series we are informed:
“15 Days of Prayer Series
On a journey, it’s good to have a guide. Even great saints took spiritual directors or confessors with them on their itineraries toward sanctity. Now you can be guided by the most influential spiritual figures of all time. The 15 Days of Prayer series introduces their deepest and most personal thoughts.
This popular series is perfect if you are looking for a gift, or if you want to be introduced to a particular guide and his or her spirituality. Each volume contains:
• A brief biography of the saint or spiritual leader
• A guide to creating a format for prayer or retreat
• Fifteen meditation sessions with reflection guides”
The description of this specific volume states:
“Through a series of imaginary conversations, Rev. Michel Lafon introduces us to the life and spirituality of St. Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. As one who gave herself entirely to God and the aged poor, Jeanne Jugan is a friend and patron of the elderly but she is more than that. In our materialistic culture she calls us to live the Beatitudes, trusting that God will provide. She challenges young people to refuse God nothing in following his call. No matter what our age or vocation, she invites us to do everything through love.
After founding the Little Sisters of the Poor by welcoming the needy elderly into her home and caring for them with extraordinary love and dignity, Jeanne Jugan disappeared into the shadows. She spent her last years in forced retirement among the novices and young Sisters at the communitys motherhouse, quietly instilling generations of her daughters with her spirit of humility and charity. At the time of her death there were already 2,400 Little Sisters serving the elderly in nine countries. Today over 2,700 Little Sisters continue the charism and work of St. Jeanne Jugan in thirty-two countries around the world.”
There is no ‘about the author’ section in the book but on the back cover we are informed that:
“Michel Lafon is a diocesan priest and the spiritual son and successor to one of the first disciples of Charles de Foucauld, Albert Peyriguere. He is also the author of 15 Days of Prayer with Charles de Foucauld.”
The chapters in this volume are:
How to Use This Book
A Brief Chronology of Jeanne Jugan’s Life
Introduction
1. God Wants Me for
2. The Poor Are Our Lord
3. You Must Always Be Cheerful
4. Poverty Is My Treasure
5. To Depend on God for Everything
6. Only the Little Are Pleasing to God
7. Ring in God’s Name and God Will Bless Us
8. Jesus Is Waiting for You in the Chapel
9. We Must Always Say: Blessed be God
10. Do Everything through Love
11. It Was God Who Did Everything
12. We Were Grafted into the Cross
13.1 Will Tell You Three Thoughts
14. See How Jesus, Mary and Joseph Loved One Another
15. The Hail Mary Will Take Us to Heaven
Bibliography
I highlighted a number of passages while reading this volume some of them are:
“The 15 days of prayer proposed in this book make reference to events in the life of Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. The following dates give an overview of her life.”
“Siant Jeanne Jugan left us neither letters nor writings, not a single line apart from her signature at the end of an official document. This clearly poses a serious problem for those wishing to explore and meditate on her spirituality.”
“Nevertheless, earlier witnesses had left us with their memories of her actions and gestures, among them the “Holy Man of Tours” Mr. Leo Dupont, authors Louis Veuillot and Charles Dickens, as well as several women religious and members of the laity. These testimonies, along with rare archival material, have enabled us to reconstitute the story of the beginnings of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor and Jeanne Jugan’s role in its founding.”
“Although imagined, these dialogues are not implausible. They came to me through the personality and work of Jeanne Jugan. Included among the words I have given her are her own words, as told by her contemporaries for the purpose of her beatification: differences in the typeface make this distinction clear.”
“Poverty is the thread tying together her whole existence, and it is this that Cardinal Garrone developed in his book Poor in Spirit. Closely linked to poverty was her striving for littleness, a virtue to which Jesus invites us, which is portrayed in Jeanne’s life and which makes her a kindred spirit to St. Therese of Lisieux.”
“I hope with all my heart that I have brought St. Jeanne Jugan to life in these pages as she speaks to us through her humble life and words.”
“The Lord had a mission for you. Does he not have one for each and every one of us? At each turning point in our lives, should we not ask ourselves what the Lord expects from us?”
“Am I a good listener? Do I take time out to listen to the voice of God speaking to my heart? Am I afraid of silence? Of prayer? Am I familiar with God’s word and his ways, as Mary was? Do I take advantage of opportunities for growing in my relationship with God, for growing in faith?”
“Am I open to his plans for me, even when they differ from my own?”
“The cross is the sign of this love selflessly given, divested of all thirst for power, in total destitution . . . The passion of our Lord unfolds over time, but the resurrection is constantly superimposed. In the Eucharist, we worship his body given up for us, and at the same time the glorious body of the Risen One, total love and the triumph of life over death . . .”
“Lord Jesus, help us see beyond appearances! Let us see with faith, and give us an indefatigably good heart!”
“Humility makes us accept our troubles joyfully because the love of our brothers is stronger than that which frustrates us. Since love is at its origin, one must not confuse humor with any old joke or witticism, even less with irony, which is so often hurtful.”
“Bringing joy to the poor: we can extend this to everyone the Lord places on our path in life. Making the other happy — is this not a definition of love in the life of a couple or a family? And then we can extend this to all to whom we are close. Making the other happy, at all costs, even if this means sacrificing our time, money, or love.”
“Lord, teach us to smile with love. It will take time to learn, but this will be good for everyone! And please, give us a sense of humor — this would be a welcome surprise for everyone around us, and I believe this would also please the angels!”
“This is how everything began. At Saint-Servan, I was in the habit of visiting the poor and doing what I could for them. I found it normal to love the poor since I loved the dear Lord.”
“Indeed, my Sister. When we consider that what we possess does not belong to us, and that, before God, we are just there to manage these things and to use them for the good of others, we become the poor that the Lord blessed: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3).”
“We understand that men and women through the centuries have voluntarily lived in poverty in imitation of Jesus Christ — St. Francis of Assisi and Charles de Foucauld.”
“Today’s reflection brings us full circle on poverty — it is beautiful to be poor when we await all from God with complete confidence that he will provide for our needs. Those who truly believe take nothing for granted, but they know with an inner certitude that Providence will provide, because God will never abandon the poor.”
“How difficult it is to become humble! I think our training in this respect never ends. Our spiritual leaders, neighbors, and life’s events act as intermediaries in this process, but it is God who takes care of our training.”
“Where do I p lace more energy — into building myself up in the eyes of others, or into growing closer to God, as his beloved child?”
“What is more important — that I be recognized, or that God be glorified?”
“To embrace poverty out of love for the one who made himself poor for our sake ... to share our lives with the poor ... to count on God to pro¬ vide all that is lacking. This is what Jeanne Jugan challenges us to through the example of her life.”
“So, what you are saying is that not only must we refuse to speak ill of anyone but we must also refrain from encouraging idle gossip in others, by offering them nothing bad to say about each other. The latter is certainly harder to achieve since conversations often lead beyond where we intended them to go. A heart full of goodness, however, will not allow itself to be taken by sur¬ prise.”
“Jeanne Jugan was aware of the living presence of Christ within her, in the tabernacle and in the poor. Her confidence in Providence extended to her spiritual life, for when she spoke to Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament, she spoke to him as a friend. She knew that he would really hear her and that he would take care of everything, “for he has a good memory.” Lord, help us to remember that you are waiting for us in the tabernacle, in the poor and in our own souls.”
“Saint Irenaeus wrote the famous words, “The glory of God is man fully alive,” which I interpret as meaning that it is man who accomplishes what God sets out for him to do. In approximately 200 AD, Saint Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God. If the revelation of God in creation gives life to every creature on earth, how much more does the Word of the Father give life to those who see God!” Is”
“Similar sentiments were expressed by St. Therese of Lisieux, to whose “little way” Jeanne Jugan’s spirituality is often compared: “Holiness is not found in a particular practice but consists of a disposition of the heart which makes us humble and small in the arms of God, conscious of our weakness, and boldly confident in his goodness as our Father.””
“Out of spiritual realism, admitting we are sinners, or, as you said, considering oneself to be “the last of the Little Sisters” does not depend on the quantity or enormity of our sins, but on the fact that we are fundamentally incapable of saving ourselves; alone we are incapable of becoming the Saints that God hopes us to become.”
“This applies all the more so in secular life. God speaks to us through events and people, with or without authority. If through these meditations I can discern what God expects of me, then I obey joyfully and thus make this act of obedience an act of worship and love, thereby making myself part of Jesus’ family: “For who¬ ever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50).”
“Jeanne Jugan’s advice to the novices was quite practical: to live by faith and to practice charity. In order to do both, faith must be more to us than a set of rules to be observed. Faith is a living relationship with Jesus Christ, the One who gave his life for us and who continues to give himself to us in the Eucharist.”
“To seek Christ in all things — to find him in prayer and to serve him in the person of the poor — this is the recipe for a fruitful life. Lord, teach us to love others as you love them; in this way the world will recognize us as your disciples.”
““Pm going to tell you three thoughts; if you make them part of your life, you will become a great Saint: the just man lives by faith; charity covers a multitude of sins, and she who keeps guard over her tongue keeps guard over her soul.””
“Father de Foucauld wrote in his diary, “If I were asked why I am gentle and good, I would say it is because I am the servant of a higher cause. If only you knew how good my Master Jesus is!” Our behavior may provoke questions in those around us, even though they may not express them verbally. Your three thoughts, dear Sister, have trained us to speak once again of charity. You felt very strongly about this.”
“Do I live my Christian faith in such a way that my behavior provokes questions in others, or even opens their minds and hearts to God?”
“Yet the Gospel tells us almost nothing about the life of the Holy Family since it was very much an ordinary life, and Jesus wanted so much to be an ordinary man! Imagine how many other families God could have chosen; we should admire the fact that he chose the one from Nazareth. We cannot meditate enough on the mystery of the Incarnation, not only on the prodigious event itself, but also on how it occurred:”
“Returning to life in Nazareth, Father de Foucauld thought that Christians “should try to resemble Our Lord Jesus more and more, taking as model his life in Nazareth, which provides us with innumerable examples.” Whether in his garden shed in Nazareth or with his Saharan brotherhood, Father de Foucauld led a family life with Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”
“This unfailing devotion to St. Joseph is characteristic of the Little Sisters’ spirituality. And they certainly keep him busy with a great deal of work!”
“Do I value simple work? What about silence? Do I know how to sacrifice my own interests or goals in order to live in charity and unity with my family, roommates or religious community?”
“Mary was a soul of prayer in the heart of the young church. By following Mary’s example we too hope to arrive one day in Heaven, where we will join in our Mother’s eternal Magnificat, her song of praise for the mercies of God. Mary, you know that we love you and long to see you; intercede for us with your Son now and at the hour of our death.”
“Besides, dear Sister, in the Ave Maria, it is not to the Blessed Virgin that we pray — we ask her to pray for us, poor sinners. The same can be said for the ejaculation in honor of the Immaculate Conception: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.””
“Mary, although discreet in the Gospel, is always united with her son, and in her right place, she pleads and intercedes on behalf of us. Many titles have been given to her, such as Mother and Model of the Church, Cause of Our Joy, Comforter of the Afflicted, Queen of Peace, etc.”
I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. A lot of the quotes come from the introduction to a day or the reflection questions at the end of that chapter. It is interesting while reading this The Merry Beggars Podcast, from Relevant Radio, for the weeks was on Saint Jeanne Jugan, her life story told over 5 days. It was great to be listening to a dramatization of her life while in the middle of reading this book. I picked this volume just by chance; I picked a said I hardly knew after doing a couple I have a deep devotion to. It was a fascinating read.
This is a great volume in an excellent series. Spending these 15 days with Saint Jeanne Jugan, was like discovering a new friend in heaven. The written reflections and the discussion questions were engaging. I just really wish all of the 40 volumes were available as eBooks, I would work through them all if so. If you read all 40 volumes back to back without tasking a day for the introduction, and biography between it is 600 days of praying. If you do take extra days for those sections, or end up missing a day here or there, or choose to reread a day from time to time It would take close to 2 years to work through the collection. They are excellent books. As mentioned I just wish they were all in print and available digitally!
An excellent read in a great series!
