Sister Marie Danielle Babou

Marie Danielle Babou was born in Sontay, North Vietnam on 18 February 1936. Along with her sister Monique she was a member of the first group of young Eurasian girls to arrive in France in 1947. They were entrusted to our communities in Lyon and Toulon. Her two other sisters, Simone and Suzanne, joined them two years later.

Sister Marie Danielle finished her secondary schooling at the Lycée Edgar Quinet in Lyon in 1954, studying mathematics. She then went on to the school of biochemistry at the Catholic Institute of Lyon and obtained her diploma which allowed her to work as a laboratory technician in Strasbourg. Having known the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions as a child in Vietnam, she met them again as an adult when her sister Simone entered the novitiate in Lyon. Her decision to consecrate her whole life to God in the religious life was a difficult choice for her. Encouraged by Sister Marguerite Marie, she entered as a postulant on 8 December 1957. At her holy habit ceremony she received the name of Sister Marie de Lourdes. She made her first profession in the Congregation on 2 July 1960 and pronounced her perpetual vows six years later on 2 July 1966.

Her mission was education of the young – first in Lyon at our little primary school at 14 Chemin de Montauban where, from 1962 – 1968 she was Prinicpal. Then she was named for Charenton to be in charge of our college in Rue de la Cerisaie. In 1972 she had the tough job of transferring this school to the site of the former Minor Seminary of Conflans, part of which had become available. While being in charge of the school and teaching, she pursued her studies and obtained her Bachelor degree and Masters in Sciences.

Some of the teachers at Charenton bore witness to her qualities as a listener, to her kindness and the warmth and simplicity of her welcome. They remember also her capacity for work, not only intellectual but also manual, not hesitating during the holidays to climb a ladder and energetically repaint the walls of a classroom, helped by Sister Marie Bernadette! From the beginning and throughout her 15 years in charge she demonstrated understanding and compassion for students who had problems at school or at home. Throughout her whole teaching career she remained very close to young people who spoke about their confidence in and affection for her.

In 1983 Sister Marie Danielle was named to go to Toulon as chaplain and teacher in the college. From 1992 to 1998, as Provincial Superior she lived in Lyon, in charge of the French communities and the missions in Senegal. In this role she showed great kindness and understanding of our elderly Sisters. She also studied for a degree in Theology which led her to the Holy Land where she stayed for one year. She became enthusiastic about the Hebrew language and on her return to Toulon, she organised Bible courses for the parish.

Sister Marie Danielle thrived in the South of France; she loved the spirit of joy and optimism there. She always retained an affection for the country of her childhood and that was translated into founding the ‘Association France-Vietnam’ to provide assistance for the schools of our Sisters in Vietnam. Right to the end of her life she gave her time to help Vietnamese children and seminarians to acquire a level of French which would allow them to pursue higher studies.

She also had a great love of nature. In both Charenton and Toulon she developed her own garden where she cultivated exotic plants that she brought back from her various trips to Vietnam and from the international meetings of the Congregation that she attended in India; Kenya, Thailand and Canada.

Sister Marie Danielle assumed important responsibilities in our French Province, as a member of the Provincial Council, and representative of the Tutelle for our schools in association with the Holy Cross Fathers. Her deep faith and devotion to the Virgin Mary helped her to carry these responsibilities well. She also had faith in her Sisters and in the men and women with whom she shared her responsibilities. She was also close to her sisters and nieces and nephews whose lives she followed affectionately.

Sister Marie Danielle did not enjoy robust health. From the beginning of her religious life the doctors kept an eye on her kidney problem. But she remained strong, and endured the pain without ever complaining. In 2015, dialysis was suggested, but she refused. In March 2016, the doctors told her she needed heart surgery; not without anxiety she agreed. After being delayed several times because of her kidney problems, the operation took place in Marseilles on Monday 4 April. We were very concerned about the gravity of this heart surgery, but we did not expect such an outcome. We were hopeful that her convalescence would help. But the Lord had other plans. On 30 April, when she was in the rest home near Toulon, she suddenly took a turn for the worse and was taken to the hospital in Toulon and then to intensive care in Marseilles. The Lord called her on Friday 6 May, about 6 30pm, when her family and the Sisters had just left her.

The funeral Mass took place in the church of the Immaculate Conception in Toulon, on Wednesday 11 May. A considerable crowd gathered – representatives of our RNDM communities in France, of our college in Toulon, of the Tutelle of our schools, of the Association France-Vietnam and of all the friends she had known during her 32 years in Toulon. Her death has left a great gap amongst us, but she will remain present through the presence of God. We will continue to live in communion with her and with all those who have gone before her, in particular her sister Marie Simone RNDM who died 5 years ago. RIP