1925: The Eventful Transfer of Mother Marie-Rose Durocher’s Remains
On October 31, 1925, the remains of Mother Marie-Rose Durocher, Foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), were moved from the Hochelaga Convent in Montreal to the new Motherhouse in Outremont. This final stage was meant to complete a transfer that had begun a few days earlier in Longueuil, but heavy rainfall had disrupted the original plans.
The Chronicles preserved in the SNJM archives recount the unexpected circumstances surrounding the transfer, which caused considerable concern among members of the General Council.
Excerpt from the Chronicles – October 28, 1925
A Transfer Disrupted by Heavy Rainfall
Originally, the Foundress’s remains were to be transported directly from Longueuil, home of the first Motherhouse, to Outremont.
However, Mother Marie-Rose’s tomb was located about 30 feet from Saint-Antoine Creek, which was known to overflow in the spring. An exhumation had already been necessary in 1917, following an incident that damaged her coffin.
On October 28, 1925, heavy rainfall once again disrupted the preparations. During the exhumation, those in charge discovered that the coffin was filled with water.
The situation required additional precautions and compliance with various ecclesiastical and civil procedures. As the hour grew late, the General Council decided to transport the remains to the Hochelaga Convent, the Congregation’s second Motherhouse.
An Unexpected Stop Filled with Emotion
This change of route gave the Sisters and students at Hochelaga an unexpected opportunity to pay tribute to their Foundress.
According to the Chronicles, they came to express “their filial devotion,” either “by asking her for favours or by touching numerous objects to her remains…”
These words, reflecting the devotional practices of the time, illustrate the special place Mother Marie-Rose already held in the Congregation’s collective memory, long before her beatification.
The Final Journey to Outremont
Tomb of Mother Marie-Rose in Outremont – 1990
On October 31, 1925, at 2 p.m., the Superior General, accompanied by four other people, left Hochelaga with the Foundress’s remains for Outremont.
At the new Motherhouse, a ceremony presided over by Bishop A.-V.-J. Piette, which included the recitation of the Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, gave the Sisters and others present an opportunity to pay their respects.
However, the oratory intended to house the scagliola tomb—a decorative material that imitates marble—was not yet completed.
The casket containing the remains was therefore temporarily placed in the unused vault of the General Bursar’s Office. It remained there until December 8, 1925, when the burial took place.
Thus ended an eventful transfer marked by unexpected challenges, whose story and expressions of devotion to the SNJM Foundress have been preserved in the Congregation’s archives.