Postage Stamp on St. Jeanne Jugan Released
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(October 31, 2009) Karnataka state governor, H.R. Bhardwaj, released a postage stamp in honour of Catholic saint Jeanne Jugan, the founderess of the Little Sisters of the Poor congregation, on October 29. Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore, chief postmaster general of Karnataka Circle, M.P. Rajan, state legislators, N.A. Harris and B. Chidananda, were present at the stamp release function held at an Old Age Home run by the nuns at Richmond Town, Bangalore. The stamp, marking the canonisation and the 130th death anniversary of St. Jeanne Jugan, has the facade of the old age home in the background, besides a portrait of the saint. Speaking at the function, Bhardwaj said the Little Sisters of the Poor came to India in Kolkata where their first home for the aged was opened 127 years ago. In 1900, the Little Sisters came to Bangalore. Recalling the life and service of Jugan, the governor said she was a “saint of hope for the aged poor”. “One hundred and seventy years after taking care of a poor, abandoned elderly woman, the congregation founded by St. Jugan now has 2,700 sisters caring for more than 13,000 needy elders in 202 family-like homes in 32 countries,” he said. He said the stamp was a way of honouring Jugan for her sacrifice and her legacy of service to the elderly poor. Mother Marie of the Cross, as Jugan was known, was beatified in 1982 and canonised in October 2009