A Glimpse Into The Life Of Our Blessed Marie Louise
Vatican
This article is an excerpt from the official Vatican ceremonial booklet distributed among the thousands of Pilgrims to St. Peter’s that day (May 16, 1993) thirty years ago, for her Beatification.
A Glimpse
M arie-Louise Trichet (in religion Marie-Louise de Jesus) whom the Church today declares “Blessed” was co-foundress, with St. Louis Marie de Montfort, of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom.
She was born in Poitiers, France, on the 7th of May 1684, and was baptized the same day. Marie-Louise was the fourth eldest in a family of eight children. She received a solid Christian education both from her own family and in the school run by the Daughters of Our Lady of Jeanne de Lestonnac.
When she was 17, she met a young Breton priest who had just been named chaplain at the work-house in Poitiers; Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. The chaplain was only 28 years old but his renown as a preacher and confessor had already made its mark on the elite of the youth in the city. He calmly said to this young girl who went to him for the first time; It is Our Lady who has sent you to me. From that moment this priest in whom dwelt to a rare degree the passionate love of Christ Wisdom, of Our Lady, of the Cross and of souls to be evangelized, would guide Marie-Louise on the path of the highest perfection and lead her to create a great work which was already taking shape in the soul of this apostle.
In the year which followed her first meeting with Montfort, Marie-Louise asked to be admitted to the workhouse “as one of the poor”. There she found a little community composed of sick people who used to meet in a room called Wisdom, which was dominated by a huge symbolic cross. On this cross, this ardent lover of Christ has summarized in meaningful words his burning love of Crucified Wisdom.
Marie-Louise Consecrates Her Life to Jesus Through Mary
On the 2nd February 1703, Marie-Louise Trichet received the thick grey woolen habit, the dress of the poor, to which were added two important items: the crucifix on the breast and the large beaded rosary hanging at her side. Jesus and Mary: two essential points not to be let out of sight, And Montfort said to his disciple, with charming simplicity: My name is Louis Marie, yours is Marie Louise; let us add Jesus whom you take for your sole portion!
This was the beginning of an adventure which is the very history of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom. In 1714: the first companion, Catherine Brunet or Sister of the Conception. Furthermore, in 1715: the first community of La Rochelle with two new recruits, Marie Regnier or Sister of the Cross, Marie Valleau or Sister of the Incarnation.
The Church, and in particular all those who claim affiliation with Montfortian spirituality, will find in this newly proclaimed “Blessed,” a burning message for our times; total promotion of the human person and service of the poor for love of Jesus, Christ Wisdom.
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In 1716, worn out before his time, Father de Montfort died at St. Laurent sur Sevre where he was preaching a mission. He was 43 years old. The young Congregation, having hardly taken its first steps, was shattered by this sad and unexpected news. It was a moment for faith and courage. Marie-Louise and her companions were not found wanting. Father de Montfort had once written to them; I know you will have difficulties to overcome, but an undertaking so glorious for God and beneficial for our neighbor has to be studded with thorns and the cross. For if we don’t risk anything for God, we shall never do anything great for Him.
I Must Love God Hidden in My Neighbor!
For 43 years, Marie-Louise alone guided and developed the foundations which mushroomed; charity schools, small communities for the education of children, visiting and caring for the sick, “soup kitchens” for the beggars. On the Island of Oléron the Sisters were nursing sick soldiers and sailors. Strong in this new experience, the Daughters of Wisdom would later take over the direction of the big maritime hospitals in France; Brest, Cherbourg, Toulon, where they did enormous good for many years. And always with the same spirit: I must love God hidden in my neighbor!
When Marie-Louise left for “the Father’s house,” the 28th of April, 1759, she had made 35 foundations; the Congregation numbered 122 religious and 38 had already gone to their heavenly reward. At Marie-Louise’s death, many people came to St. Laurent to attend her funeral, so great was the reputation for holiness of the Servant of God. Since that time, Louis Marie Grignion and Marie-Louise of Jesus rest in what was then the chapel of Our Lady, in the parish church of St. Laurent.
Beatification was made possible by two decrees. The first decree was the 10th of July 1990, on the heroism of the virtues of Marie-Louise de Jesus. The second was that of the 7th of March, 1992; the authenticity of the miracle obtained through the intercession of the Servant of God. The Church, and in particular all those who claim affiliation with Montfortian spirituality, will find in this newly proclaimed “Blessed,” a burning message for our times; total promotion of the human person and service of the poor for love of Jesus, Christ Wisdom.
