Anne de Sousberghe

BIOGRAPHY

Anne de Sousberghe was born in Brussels, Belgium, on 7 November 1904. She was the daughter of Viscount Adrien de Sousberghe (1873–1945) and Madeleine de Villers de Waroux d’Awans de Bouilhet et de Bovenistier (1881–1969). Her brother was the Jesuit, anthropologist, and ethnologist Léon de Clerque Wissocq de Sousberghe.

In 1929, she became a nun with the Soeurs Auxiliatrices des Âmes du Purgatoire, a congregation dedicated to serving the poor and marginalized. She took her first vows in 1932 and made her perpetual vows on 19 January 1938. Within her religious community, she was known as “Sister Anne” or “Sister Marie de Saint-Romain.”

She initially served in France and Belgium before moving permanently to the United Kingdom in 1958. There, she joined the Society of the Helpers of the Holy Souls and spent decades working as a caregiver among impoverished communities.

Following the Second Vatican Council, she gained wider recognition for the innovative training she provided to catechists, which she outlined in her bestselling book Tell My People. In 1966, she co-founded the National Centre for Catechesis in London, known as Corpus Christi College. At this center, the traditional, imposed catechism model was replaced by a more dialogical approach that emphasized listening to both children and their parents.

Anne de Sousberghe passed away in London on 12 February 2016, at the age of 111 years, 97 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* Marie de Sousberghe – Wikipedia

* “Sr Anne de Clerque-Wissocq de Sousberghe” – Find A Grave

* “Britain’s oldest nun dies aged 111” – The Tablet, 12 February 2016

* “Sister Romain, Anne de Clerque Wissoc de Sousbergh RIP” – Independent Catholic News, 2 March 2016

GALLERY

[crp limit=’4′ ]