She was born before the French State seized all Church property in 1905!
From Aleteia
By Cerith Gardiner
Discover a little more about the incredible centenarian.
Following the death of 119-year-old Kane Tanaka, a French nun who is 118 has become the world’s oldest living person, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
While we’ve previously reported on the inspirational religious woman, here are a few facts we know about the centenarian:
1SHE KNEW THE WORLD BEFORE THE WORLD WARS
Named Lucile Randon at birth, Sister Andre was born in the south of France a decade before the start of WWI on February 11, 1904.
2SHE’S AN EARLY RISER
After years spent in prayer, Sr. Andre does not laze around in bed. She wakes up nice and early and has breakfast at 7 a.m. She then goes to Mass every morning, but is no longer able to see.
3SHE HAS AN AMBITION
Sr. Andre has set herself the challenge to beat the record of Jeanne Calment, France’s oldest ever living person who died at the age of 122, the communications director David Tavella of her retirement home in Toulon shared with France 24.
4BUT … SHE’S RATHER TIRED
“I’m thinking of getting out of this business but they won’t let me,” she shared in an AFP interview for her 118th birthday.
5SHE HAS A FEW STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
In the same report she also shared a little about her characteristics and how she is perceived: “I was always admired for my wisdom and intelligence, but now people could care less because I’m stubborn.” However, she is also known for her wit, sharing that she “hopes God won’t be too slow,” in welcoming her home, according to Catholic Leader.
6HOW SHE FINDS HAPPINESS
Before joining the Daughters of Charity, Sr. Andre worked as a governess in Paris, which she deemed as being some of the happiest times in her life. She also spent a lot of years caring for orphans and the elderly before becoming Sr. Andre in 1944 — “Andre” being the name of her late brother. However, she has stated that, for her, “daily happiness is being able to go and pray.”
7SHE RECEIVED A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT AT 115
Residing in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region, she was was made an honorary citizen of the city Toulon in 2019. However, she also received a letter and a blessed rosary from Pope Francis on her 115th birthday.
8SHE BEAT COVID-19
Among the impressive statistics associated to the nun, she also became the world’s oldest living survivor of COVID-19 after she beat the disease a few weeks before turning 117. She thankfully had no symptoms, just some tiredness. However, she also shared how she felt about the virus: “No, I wasn’t scared because I wasn’t scared to die.”
9SHE HAS A GUILTY PLEASURE
According to members of her retirement home, she does like to indulge in a few candies and chocolate, and also has a daily glass of wine. Her birthday is usually celebrated with a Port and chocolate combo. Although her secret to her long life is to “pray and drink a cup of chocolate every day.”
10SHE IS ONE OF MANY CENTENARIANS IN HER NATIVE FRANCE
Sr. Andre lives in a country that claims over 21,000 centenarians according to INSEE — not bad for a country with just over 67 million inhabitants.
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