CHAPTER WRAP-UP ›Person of Faith Louise de Marillac (1591–1660)

The images sometimes presented of saints who h owever. Despite her own frail health, she undertook serve in various charitable ministries among the lived many centuries ago can make them seem a number of missions that Vincent assigned her, poor and the sick in nearly 100 countries around quaint and out of touch with modern-day realities. and without exception proved her resiliency and the globe. Louise de Marillac died on March 15, Often times the stories that are passed down about competency. Seeing her considerable talents, her 1660, just a few months before Vincent de Paul. the holiness of a saint portray an image of piety spiritual maturity, and her leadership abilities, She was canonized in 1934. that we find difficult to relate to. In reality, many Vincent chose Louise to train and organize women saints were strong individuals who lived in a very of lower economic status who would work among real world that demanded much more than soft the poor. Beginning in 1633 with four country girls piety. We live today in an age when many question in a home that she rented in Paris, she trained the role of women in the Church. The example of a groups of women to care for the sick. Eventually the saint such as Louise de Marillac can help us to partnership resulted in the opening of an orphanage appreciate the gritty determination and powerful where the sisters taught the children. Louise estab- leadership qualities that distinguished this woman lished other orphanages and hospitals, nursed who was so completely dedicated to serving the plague victims herself in Paris, reformed a neglected poor, the sick, and any of Christ’s sisters and hospital in Angers, and worked with galley slaves b rothers in need. and prisoners. She traveled extensively throughout Louise was born on August 12, 1591, the child France and established more than 40 daughter of an unmarried mother she never knew. Her his death, Louise devoted herself to the education houses and charities. father—a widower at the time, and a member of the of their son, who eventually married in 1650 and Louise had from the earliest days wanted to form French aristocracy—acknowledged his paternity and had a daughter the following year. a religious order, but Vincent initially resisted. accepted Louise into his household. However, when During the years of her marriage, Louise’s hus- Instead of another religious congregation living a he remarried in 1595, Louise’s stepmother never band had supported her in her leadership role in cloistered life, he wanted Louise and her followers accepted her husband’s daughter as a full member the Ladies of Charity, an organization of rich women to be devoted to the poor. He wrote, “Your convent of the family. The young girl was sent to live in a dedicated to caring for the poor. He defended her will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired boarding house where she learned many domestic against the criticisms of those in aristocratic circles room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, skills that were later to serve her well in her various who found her involvements inappropriate, and the streets of the city or the wards of the hospi- REFLECT ministries to the sick and suffering. encouraged her deepening interest in developing tal . . .” Finally, in 1634, he permitted her to draft a 1. How does the life and ministry of Louise de In 1613, at the age of 22, she married Antoine her own spiritual life. In 1619 she met Saint Francis rule of life for the growing number of women who Marillac relate to the Sacrament of Anointing? Le Gras, who was a secretary to the French queen, De Sales, and around 1623 Saint Vincent de Paul were attracted to her company. Unlike other reli- Marie de Medici, and nine months later gave birth became her spiritual director. gious women of the day, the Daughters of Charity 2. Name some people who care for the sick. Are any to a son, Michel Antoine Le Gras. Louise knew from Saint Vincent had been organizing devout, were non-cloistered so they could move more freely of these people sick or afflicted themselves? Do you personal experience about the suffering that comes wealthy women to help him care for the poor and among the poor of the city. They took simple vows, think it is easier to be compassionate to people with whom you can identify? from illness. She herself struggled with poor health the sick, but it soon became clear to him that those renewable each year, rather than solemn, perpetual from childhood and with depression as an adult, of aristocratic background were often ill-equipped vows. In 1655 the Company of the Daughters of 3. What does the life of Louise de Marillac encourage and her husband also fell ill in 1622, dying three for the rough conditions they encountered among Charity was formally approved and established by us to do? years later after only 12 years of marriage. Following the poor. Such was not the case with Louise, the Archbishop of Paris. Today, the Daughters of Charity number more than 20,000 members who

184 Chapter 6 Anointing of the Sick 185

08RMHS004_CU0998_C6.indd 184 Digital Proof K1Creative CU0998 2/21/12 2:56 PM CHAPTER WRAP-UP ›Person of Faith Louise de Marillac (1591–1660)

The images sometimes presented of saints who h owever. Despite her own frail health, she undertook serve in various charitable ministries among the lived many centuries ago can make them seem a number of missions that Vincent assigned her, poor and the sick in nearly 100 countries around quaint and out of touch with modern-day realities. and without exception proved her resiliency and the globe. Louise de Marillac died on March 15, Often times the stories that are passed down about competency. Seeing her considerable talents, her 1660, just a few months before Vincent de Paul. the holiness of a saint portray an image of piety spiritual maturity, and her leadership abilities, She was canonized in 1934. that we find difficult to relate to. In reality, many Vincent chose Louise to train and organize women saints were strong individuals who lived in a very of lower economic status who would work among real world that demanded much more than soft the poor. Beginning in 1633 with four country girls piety. We live today in an age when many question in a home that she rented in Paris, she trained the role of women in the Church. The example of a groups of women to care for the sick. Eventually the saint such as Louise de Marillac can help us to partnership resulted in the opening of an orphanage appreciate the gritty determination and powerful where the sisters taught the children. Louise estab- leadership qualities that distinguished this woman lished other orphanages and hospitals, nursed who was so completely dedicated to serving the plague victims herself in Paris, reformed a neglected poor, the sick, and any of Christ’s sisters and hospital in Angers, and worked with galley slaves b rothers in need. and prisoners. She traveled extensively throughout Louise was born on August 12, 1591, the child France and established more than 40 daughter of an unmarried mother she never knew. Her his death, Louise devoted herself to the education houses and charities. father—a widower at the time, and a member of the of their son, who eventually married in 1650 and Louise had from the earliest days wanted to form French aristocracy—acknowledged his paternity and had a daughter the following year. a religious order, but Vincent initially resisted. accepted Louise into his household. However, when During the years of her marriage, Louise’s hus- Instead of another religious congregation living a he remarried in 1595, Louise’s stepmother never band had supported her in her leadership role in cloistered life, he wanted Louise and her followers accepted her husband’s daughter as a full member the Ladies of Charity, an organization of rich women to be devoted to the poor. He wrote, “Your convent of the family. The young girl was sent to live in a dedicated to caring for the poor. He defended her will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired boarding house where she learned many domestic against the criticisms of those in aristocratic circles room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, skills that were later to serve her well in her various who found her involvements inappropriate, and the streets of the city or the wards of the hospi- REFLECT ministries to the sick and suffering. encouraged her deepening interest in developing tal . . .” Finally, in 1634, he permitted her to draft a 1. How does the life and ministry of Louise de In 1613, at the age of 22, she married Antoine her own spiritual life. In 1619 she met Saint Francis rule of life for the growing number of women who Marillac relate to the Sacrament of Anointing? Le Gras, who was a secretary to the French queen, De Sales, and around 1623 Saint Vincent de Paul were attracted to her company. Unlike other reli- Marie de Medici, and nine months later gave birth became her spiritual director. gious women of the day, the Daughters of Charity 2. Name some people who care for the sick. Are any to a son, Michel Antoine Le Gras. Louise knew from Saint Vincent had been organizing devout, were non-cloistered so they could move more freely of these people sick or afflicted themselves? Do you personal experience about the suffering that comes wealthy women to help him care for the poor and among the poor of the city. They took simple vows, think it is easier to be compassionate to people with whom you can identify? from illness. She herself struggled with poor health the sick, but it soon became clear to him that those renewable each year, rather than solemn, perpetual from childhood and with depression as an adult, of aristocratic background were often ill-equipped vows. In 1655 the Company of the Daughters of 3. What does the life of Louise de Marillac encourage and her husband also fell ill in 1622, dying three for the rough conditions they encountered among Charity was formally approved and established by us to do? years later after only 12 years of marriage. Following the poor. Such was not the case with Louise, the Archbishop of Paris. Today, the Daughters of Charity number more than 20,000 members who

184 Chapter 6 Anointing of the Sick 185

08RMHS004_CU0998_C6.indd 185 Digital Proof K1Creative CU0998 2/21/12 2:56 PM