Born on July 19, 1916, in Rogersville (NB), Anne Marie Jeanne Chiasson begins attending school when she is five years old. In 1928, because of the Great Depression, she has to interrupt her grade school in order to help her mother at home. However she continues hoping to return to school and in 1935, together with her other six brothers and sisters in schooling age, she is able to join the convent-school in Dalhousie (NB) and graduates in 1936. She is 21 years old.
In 1938, she enters the noviciate of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, to answer God’s call and become a Fille de Jésus (Daughter of Jesus) in 1940. After undergoing professional training, she begins teaching the classes assigned to her. She gives a special attention to the poor and those most in need. She knows how to gain the trust of her young students and convey to them the joy of work well done.
Elected General Counsellor in 1964, Sister Anne-Marie leaves for France where she will live a new experience. Her simplicity allows her to be close to her sisters and at the same time to open up to understand the bigger reality of the Congregation. In 1970, she becomes the first Canadian to elected General Superior. She will serve as General Superior for ten years.
One of the first tasks of the General Council will be to have Rome approve the new Rule adopted by the Chapter and to bring forward the renewal prompted by Vatican II. Thanks to her openness of views, Anne-Marie will prove to be the right person to introduce a new style of government and a new way of being present and active in the parishes.
Once she finishes her second term, Anne-Marie returns to Canada and continues serving the Congregation in her new appointments. In 1993, she returns to the Provincial House in Moncton. She continues doing spiritual direction.
Anne-Marie dies on August 15, 2017. She left us to find again thee whom she loved and served at the best her whole life. She was 96 and had 72 years of religious life.
She is remembered as a very warm, welcoming, good and loving woman, totally donated to the Lord and to others.
