Interview with Sister Murielle Lévesque

Transcription:

My name is Murielle Lévesque, native of Chicoutimi. I was born on June 17, 1931. I joined the religious community on March 4, 1948.

I lived on the farm from 1978 to 1988. I was the housekeeper, cook, tended the garden with my Sisters, and oversaw the comings and goings on the farm.

When I went to the farm, it was an act of obedience, of submission to God and my superiors.

Why did we live on the farm [during the 1980s]? Because we were a community group, to always have someone at the house, for safety and security.

When we were postulants and novices, we took part in the potato harvest. We also had a great raspberry field to tend. It was always festive when we did the chores. We did not go out otherwise.

In the kitchen, the postulants and novices were there to help: peeling broad-beans, shucking corn, preparing beans for preserves in large jars.

The harvests were stored in cellars. And later we had cold rooms underneath the henhouse.

Mr. Simard had three sons. Another of the workers was Mr. Comeau, who lived on the upper floor of the Sisters’ house with his family. They had two elder daughters, one son, and a little five-year-old girl. Mr. Comeau was in charge of the henhouse.

During the labour strike, entrance to the farm was blocked off, so it was a little lonely. At the time, we still had raw milk that was delivered to the kitchen in canisters [from the convent]. We also had the Teacher-training School and Family Institute at the time, a lot of people [to feed]. And eggs too. Luckily it did not last too long, nothing was lost.

… What great times, we were young!