Louise de Marillac was born in the 16th century, yet her life has relevance for most of our daily preoccupations. In the midst of the vicissitudes of her life, she gradually opened her heart to the light of God.
“…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.”
(Mt 25:40)
“It is not enough to visit the poor and to provide for their needs; one’s heart must be totally purged of all self-interest… we must continually have before our eyes our model, the exemplary life of Jesus Christ. We are called to imitate this life, not only as Christians, but as persons chosen by God to serve Him in the person of His poor.”
St. Louise (L. 217)
| 1591, 12 August | Birth of Louise |
| 1604, 25 July | Death of her father |
| 1613, 5 February | Marriage to Antoine Legras |
| 1613, 18 October | Birth of Michel Legras |
| 1623, 4 June | “Lumière” in the Church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs in Paris. |
| 1625, 21 December | Death of her husband; first meetings with Vincent de Paul |
| 1629 | First visits to the Confraternities of Charity |
| 1630 | Arrival of Marguerite Naseau in Paris |
| First young woman working for the Confraternities of Charity | |
| 1633, February | Death of Marguerite Naseau |
| 1633, 29 November | Foundation of the Company of the Daughters of Charity |
| 1638 | Start of the work for the Foundlings |
| 1650, 18 January | Marriage of her son, Michel |
| 1651 | Birth of Louise-Renée, granddaughter of Louise de Marillac |
| 1652 | Foundation of the Daughters of Charity in Poland; resurgence of the Fronde uprising; in Paris, soup kitchens, reception of refugees |
| 1653-1658 | Sending of Daughters of Charity to battlefields |
| 1660, 15 March | Death of Louise de Marillac |
| 1920 | Beatification by Pope Benedict XV |
| 1934 | Canonization by Pope Pius XI |
| 1960 | Declared Patroness of all Christian social works |
| 9 May | Liturgical feast |
Louise de Marillac was born into a noble family on 12 August 1591. Several members of this family held important positions with King Louis XIII. Her uncle Michel rose to prominence, becoming Guardian of the Seals in 1626. He was behind the “Day of the Dupes” in November 1630, aimed at ousting Prime Minister Richelieu. The attempt failed, and Michel was arrested, ending his life imprisoned in the Château de Châteaudun. He died in 1632.
Louise was born of an unknown mother. Her father was a widower when she was born. He remarried when she was three years old. At an early age, she was entrusted to the Dominican nuns of the Royal Monastery of Poissy, where other children were also raised. The nuns provided her with a solid intellectual and religious education. When her father died, she was thirteen years old, and her uncle Michel became her guardian. He arranged for her to leave Poissy and join a boarding school for young girls. There, she learned a simple and poor way of life. For her, it was a place of training in domestic tasks.
At the age of fifteen, she dreamed of becoming a nun in an austere order, the Capuchins; the convent’s spiritual director refused her on the grounds that her health was too delicate. Louise was deeply disappointed but submitted to this decision. Later, she also obeyed her family, who introduced her to Antoine Le Gras, a simple squire, one of the secretaries to the Queen. The marriage took place in 1613 when she was twenty-two years old; she now bore the name Mademoiselle Le Gras, the title of Madame being reserved for the nobility. Within the year, she became the mother of little Michel. She was fulfilled in her marriage and lived happily. But in 1622, her husband fell gravely ill and became ill-tempered. Louise felt guilty: she had not kept her promise to God to become a religious, and now her husband Antoine was sick; was it her fault? She went through a period of depression. She was distressed and overwhelmed by doubts about her faith. She felt like leaving everything. On Pentecost 1623, God enlightened her, and her interior darkness disappeared. She understood that her place was with her husband, that God was present with her and her husband. She realized that one day she would be able to live in a community in the service of her neighbor, “coming and going,” an incomprehensible expression at a time when all nuns were cloistered.
Louise took great care of her husband until his death in December 1625. Widowed, she had limited financial means and had to move. Vincent de Paul lived near her new home. He became her spiritual director. The two were not very enthusiastic about meeting each other… their personalities were so far apart, at least on the surface! They got to know each other, and Vincent would help Louise realize her vocation. He proposed that she make visits to the “Confraternities of Charity” to encourage the Ladies in their service to persons who are sick or are hungry. Louise would come out of herself and become aware of the realities of those who are poor. She discovered how difficult it was for the Ladies to take care of the needy as they could not carry out the most arduous tasks on their own.
Around 1630, a simple peasant woman, Marguerite Naseau, offered her services to help the Ladies. Other peasant women followed. Vincent entrusted Louise with the practical and spiritual formation of these young women. Louise reflected and gradually realized that these girls could form a confraternity. Vincent did not understand Louise at first. After a long period of reflection and prayer, the Company of the Daughters of Charity was born on 29 November 1633.
| Several communities of the Daughters of Charity were founded around Paris and gradually developed further away from the capital… In 1638, some Sisters left for Richelieu in Touraine. This was followed by numerous establishments throughout France. The Sisters served persons who are sick at home or in hospitals, welcomed abandoned children, bringing them up and educating them in “small schools,” cared for those wounded in wars, tended to galley convicts… Louise was concerned with the human and spiritual formation of the Sisters. Each one learnt the best techniques of her time in the fields of health and education in order to share them with the most disadvantaged. Each Sister deepened her relationship with God, recognizing the face of Jesus Christ in poor persons whom they serve. The Sisters lived together in small communities; the aim was to form them to become self-sufficient and provide for their own needs. |
The serious uprising of the Fronde that broke out in France between 1648 and 1653 led to widespread poverty: famine, disease and violence. Louise and Vincent sent the Daughters of Charity to all fronts. The Sisters travelled from village to village to assist and encourage the inhabitants. This mobility was a great novelty at a time when consecrated women remained in their monasteries.
This fledgling community went through a crisis in the years 1644-1649. Some Sisters left the Company because the service of those who are poor was deemed too difficult, community life too demanding; some lost their taste for prayer, and some projects ended in failure. Moreover, Louise was also worried about her son who didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. Priesthood? Marriage? His future was unclear… Louise felt she has failed in his upbringing, and guilt tormented her again. With Monsieur Vincent’s help, she got through this crisis and found peace in 1650. Her son married the same year; Louise became a grandmother the following year.
Louise followed the path of the Christ whom she loved so much, the Lord of Charity, who became man to give His life to humankind. She was close to those who are the poorest and to her Sisters, relating to them with attention, gentleness, cordiality and compassion. She knew how to adapt to everyone to give them the strength to find their own path to Christ.
Louise and Vincent tirelessly alleviated misery, for the love of Jesus Christ. Louise collaborated closely with Vincent in order that the Company of the Daughters of Charity might remain a “coming and going” community, which permits the Sisters to go wherever those who are poorest are.
They had very different personalities. In the course of thirty-five years of working together, they learned to appreciate what set them apart and what brought them together, not without periods of tension. A deep friendship developed over time, in which each one respected the other’s unique character. They put all their effort into the work that united them: the service of Christ in those who are poor.
Louise died on 15 March 1660, a few months before Vincent, surrounded by her family and Sisters. Difficulties, doubts and anguish did not spare her. In her fragility, she welcomed the strength of the Spirit and followed the path of Christ who took flesh from our flesh and made Himself close to humankind. Following in His footsteps, she responded to the needs of persons who are disadvantaged so that each of them may reclaim human dignity and discover that she or he is a child of God.
Today, the Vincentian Family is inspired by the life of this woman who allowed herself to be filled by the light of her Lord.
To learn more:
Readings:
- Committed to a paradise for the poor, Benito Martinez
Internet links:
