Blessed Marie Louise Trichet. mywisdomtv on Aug. 1, 2012. Blessed Marie Louise Trichet, also known as Marie-Louise de Jésus (1684–1759), was a French Catholic figure who, with Saint Louis de Montfort…More
Blessed Marie Louise Trichet.
mywisdomtv on Aug. 1, 2012. Blessed Marie Louise Trichet, also known as Marie-Louise de Jésus (1684–1759), was a French Catholic figure who, with Saint Louis de Montfort, founded the Congregation of religious women called Daughters of Wisdom and since the age of seventeen devoted her life to caring for the poor and the sick. She is also referred to as the First Daughter of Wisdom. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II.
She was born in Poitiers, on the Clain River in west central France on May 7, 1684 and baptized at the church of St. Etienne.[1] Her father Julien was a court magistrate in Poitiers and her mother Françoise Lecocq was deeply religious, as was most of her family. She was the fourth child and third daughter, and had seven siblings.
The eldest, Jeanne, struck with paralysis at the age of thirteen, was cured three years later during a visit to Notre Dame des Ardilliers at Saumur. Her younger brother Alexis, born just one year earlier, was ordained a priest in 1710 and later died after volunteering to minister to plague stricken inmates in a prison camp. The youngest of her sisters later joined the Daughters of Wisdom.[1]
Marie Louise grew up in an atmosphere of religion and education, and when seven years old, was sent to the boarding school at Poitiers run by the Sisters of St. Jeanne de Lestonac to acquire the social qualifications suitable for the upper echelons of seventeenth-century France.[1]
The area of western France where she grew up had a strong Christian tradition. Poitiers is home to Baptistère Saint-Jean, reportedly the oldest extant Christian building in France. And the historic Battle of Tours was fought just 20 km north of Poitiers in the 8th century. Poitiers was also important in that in the 15th century the French royal parliament in exile moved from Paris to Poitiers. In the 16th century, Poitiers impressed visitors because of its relatively large size, royal courts, university, prolific printing shops, religious institutions, cathedral and numerous parishes.
Yet the apparent affluence of Poitiers in the 17th century, prior to the French Revolution, had a less than royal side. France was plagued by corruption, and rampant poverty. At Poitiers, beggars, cripples and drunks were forcibly sent to a stone building called the General Hospital. The hospital inmates were only offered a common room, one bed for two or three, black bread and a stew of unknown origin - and had to wear a rough gray uniform.
In 1701, Father Louis de Montfort arrived in Poitiers, having been ordained a priest in June 1700, young and highly idealistic priest. He had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Angels. Thus apart from offering mass and hearing confessions, Montfort used to spend much time with the poor of the Poitiers General Hospital, where he later became the chaplain.[2] He tried to introduce rules and rights for the inmates, but met strong resistance from the hospital authorities.
Meeting Louis de Montfort
At seventeen, she met for the first time Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort who had just been appointed chaplain of the hospital of Poitiers. Marie-Louise offered her services to the hospital, devoting most of her time to the poor and the sick. [3] When she was nineteen, Montfort asked her to come and live there. Given that there was no official position for a governor at the hospital, despite her family background and education, she volunteered to enter the hospital "as an inmate".
The parents of Marie Louis were not pleased with her decision to enter the hospital as an inmate and her mother reportedly told her: "You will become as mad as that priest".[3] On February 2, 1703, Marie Louis left her family, consecrated herself to God and received a religious habit from Montfort.
Frustrated with the local bishops, Montfort set off to make a pilgrimage to Rome, to ask Pope Clement XI, what he should do. The Pope recognised his real vocation and, telling him that there was plenty of scope for its exercise in France, sent him back with the title of Apostolic Missionary. Thus Montfort left Poitiers and for several years he travelled on foot, preaching missions from Brittany to Nantes. His reputation as a missioner grew, and he became known as "the good Father from Montfort".
Daughters of Wisdom
Bishop de Champflour of La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast just to the west of Poitiers had been impressed with Montfort for some time. Based on the bishop's invitation to Montfort, in 1715 Marie Louise and Catherine Brunet left Poitiers for La Rochelle to open a free religious school there.[4] In a short time, the free school, supported by the bishop and following the program and rules laid down by Montfort, had 400 students.
On August 22, 1715, Marie Louise and Catherine Brunet, along with Marie Valleau and Marie Régnier from La Rochelle received the approbation of Bishop de Champflour of La Rochelle to perform their religious profession under the direction of Montfort. At the ceremony Montfort told them: "Call yourselves the Daughters of Wisdom, for the teaching of children and the care of the poor."
Last years and death
When she was 66 years old, Marie Louise undertook a long journey on horseback to visit all her communities, talk with the Sisters and inspire them. She always told the Sisters: "Your real Superior is Mary; I am but her servant." That was her last trip, for upon returning to the Mother House at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre she never left again. An accidental fall caused her months of suffering, followed by a final illness from which she did not recover. On her deathbed she called a benefactor to beg that the poor of the parish be cared for, after her death.
Marie Louise Trichet died at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre in Vendée on April 28, 1759, the same day and location where Louis de Montfort had died 43 years earlier on April 28, 1716.
On her death, the congregation included 174 sisters distributed in 36 communities and the Mother House. After the persecutions during the French Revolution, the Daughters of Wisdom regrouped and grew again. They were awarded medals by the governments of France, Spain, Prussia, and Belgium for nursing the wounded or plague-stricken soldiers of those countries on many occasions.
Legacy and beatification
Saint Louis de Montfort and Marie-Louise de Jésus rest in adjacent tombs in the church of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre. The Daughters of Wisdom have since grown into a multi-national organization.
On May 16, 1993, Marie-Louise de Jésus (Trichet) was beatified by Pope John-Paul II. In the process of examining her life prior to beatification, one cardinal wrote of her:
"She offers an example of how to work for the development of the whole human person in a spirit of sacrifice, looking for no reward, ever open to read the signs of the times with a serene and humble spirit."
On September 19, 1996, Pope John-Paul II came to meditate and pray on the tombs of St. Louis de Montfort and Blessed Marie-Louise de Jésus in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Louise_Trichet
mywisdomtv on Aug. 1, 2012. Blessed Marie Louise Trichet, also known as Marie-Louise de Jésus (1684–1759), was a French Catholic figure who, with Saint Louis de Montfort, founded the Congregation of religious women called Daughters of Wisdom and since the age of seventeen devoted her life to caring for the poor and the sick. She is also referred to as the First Daughter of Wisdom. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II.
She was born in Poitiers, on the Clain River in west central France on May 7, 1684 and baptized at the church of St. Etienne.[1] Her father Julien was a court magistrate in Poitiers and her mother Françoise Lecocq was deeply religious, as was most of her family. She was the fourth child and third daughter, and had seven siblings.
The eldest, Jeanne, struck with paralysis at the age of thirteen, was cured three years later during a visit to Notre Dame des Ardilliers at Saumur. Her younger brother Alexis, born just one year earlier, was ordained a priest in 1710 and later died after volunteering to minister to plague stricken inmates in a prison camp. The youngest of her sisters later joined the Daughters of Wisdom.[1]
Marie Louise grew up in an atmosphere of religion and education, and when seven years old, was sent to the boarding school at Poitiers run by the Sisters of St. Jeanne de Lestonac to acquire the social qualifications suitable for the upper echelons of seventeenth-century France.[1]
The area of western France where she grew up had a strong Christian tradition. Poitiers is home to Baptistère Saint-Jean, reportedly the oldest extant Christian building in France. And the historic Battle of Tours was fought just 20 km north of Poitiers in the 8th century. Poitiers was also important in that in the 15th century the French royal parliament in exile moved from Paris to Poitiers. In the 16th century, Poitiers impressed visitors because of its relatively large size, royal courts, university, prolific printing shops, religious institutions, cathedral and numerous parishes.
Yet the apparent affluence of Poitiers in the 17th century, prior to the French Revolution, had a less than royal side. France was plagued by corruption, and rampant poverty. At Poitiers, beggars, cripples and drunks were forcibly sent to a stone building called the General Hospital. The hospital inmates were only offered a common room, one bed for two or three, black bread and a stew of unknown origin - and had to wear a rough gray uniform.
In 1701, Father Louis de Montfort arrived in Poitiers, having been ordained a priest in June 1700, young and highly idealistic priest. He had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Angels. Thus apart from offering mass and hearing confessions, Montfort used to spend much time with the poor of the Poitiers General Hospital, where he later became the chaplain.[2] He tried to introduce rules and rights for the inmates, but met strong resistance from the hospital authorities.
Meeting Louis de Montfort
At seventeen, she met for the first time Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort who had just been appointed chaplain of the hospital of Poitiers. Marie-Louise offered her services to the hospital, devoting most of her time to the poor and the sick. [3] When she was nineteen, Montfort asked her to come and live there. Given that there was no official position for a governor at the hospital, despite her family background and education, she volunteered to enter the hospital "as an inmate".
The parents of Marie Louis were not pleased with her decision to enter the hospital as an inmate and her mother reportedly told her: "You will become as mad as that priest".[3] On February 2, 1703, Marie Louis left her family, consecrated herself to God and received a religious habit from Montfort.
Frustrated with the local bishops, Montfort set off to make a pilgrimage to Rome, to ask Pope Clement XI, what he should do. The Pope recognised his real vocation and, telling him that there was plenty of scope for its exercise in France, sent him back with the title of Apostolic Missionary. Thus Montfort left Poitiers and for several years he travelled on foot, preaching missions from Brittany to Nantes. His reputation as a missioner grew, and he became known as "the good Father from Montfort".
Daughters of Wisdom
Bishop de Champflour of La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast just to the west of Poitiers had been impressed with Montfort for some time. Based on the bishop's invitation to Montfort, in 1715 Marie Louise and Catherine Brunet left Poitiers for La Rochelle to open a free religious school there.[4] In a short time, the free school, supported by the bishop and following the program and rules laid down by Montfort, had 400 students.
On August 22, 1715, Marie Louise and Catherine Brunet, along with Marie Valleau and Marie Régnier from La Rochelle received the approbation of Bishop de Champflour of La Rochelle to perform their religious profession under the direction of Montfort. At the ceremony Montfort told them: "Call yourselves the Daughters of Wisdom, for the teaching of children and the care of the poor."
Last years and death
When she was 66 years old, Marie Louise undertook a long journey on horseback to visit all her communities, talk with the Sisters and inspire them. She always told the Sisters: "Your real Superior is Mary; I am but her servant." That was her last trip, for upon returning to the Mother House at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre she never left again. An accidental fall caused her months of suffering, followed by a final illness from which she did not recover. On her deathbed she called a benefactor to beg that the poor of the parish be cared for, after her death.
Marie Louise Trichet died at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre in Vendée on April 28, 1759, the same day and location where Louis de Montfort had died 43 years earlier on April 28, 1716.
On her death, the congregation included 174 sisters distributed in 36 communities and the Mother House. After the persecutions during the French Revolution, the Daughters of Wisdom regrouped and grew again. They were awarded medals by the governments of France, Spain, Prussia, and Belgium for nursing the wounded or plague-stricken soldiers of those countries on many occasions.
Legacy and beatification
Saint Louis de Montfort and Marie-Louise de Jésus rest in adjacent tombs in the church of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre. The Daughters of Wisdom have since grown into a multi-national organization.
On May 16, 1993, Marie-Louise de Jésus (Trichet) was beatified by Pope John-Paul II. In the process of examining her life prior to beatification, one cardinal wrote of her:
"She offers an example of how to work for the development of the whole human person in a spirit of sacrifice, looking for no reward, ever open to read the signs of the times with a serene and humble spirit."
On September 19, 1996, Pope John-Paul II came to meditate and pray on the tombs of St. Louis de Montfort and Blessed Marie-Louise de Jésus in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Louise_Trichet
Blessed Marie Louise Trichet
First Daughter of Wisdom
Marie-Louise de Jésus
Marie-Louise of Jesus
Memorial
28 April
7 May on some calendars
Profile
The fourth of eight children born to Julien, a court magistrate, and Françoise Lecocq, a notably pious mother; one of Marie-Louise’s brothers became a priest, one of her sisters a nun; her eldest sister, Jeanne, was paralyzed at the age of 13, but …More
Blessed Marie Louise Trichet
First Daughter of Wisdom
Marie-Louise de Jésus
Marie-Louise of Jesus
Memorial
28 April
7 May on some calendars
Profile
The fourth of eight children born to Julien, a court magistrate, and Françoise Lecocq, a notably pious mother; one of Marie-Louise’s brothers became a priest, one of her sisters a nun; her eldest sister, Jeanne, was paralyzed at the age of 13, but was cured at 16 during a pilgrimage to Notre Dame des Ardilliers, Saumur, France. Educated from age seven by the Sisters of Sainte Jeanne de Lestonac. From the age of seventeen, Marie-Lousie devoted herself to the care of the poor and the sick, and when she worked at the poor house in Poitiers, France, a place known as a the General Hospital, she met and began to work with Saint Louis de Montfort. On 2 February 1703, at age 18, she dedicated herself to God and moved into the Hospital, officially as an impoverished inmate, but actually to help Father Louis administer the place. With him she co-founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom, was it’s first member, and served as its first leader.
De Montfort left to serve as a travelling missioner, and Sister Marie-Louise worked as nurse and administrator on her own for the next ten years. She expanded the mission of the Hospital to feed beggars and operate the Hospital of Niort in Deux-Sèvres, France. In 1715, she and Catherine Brunet left Poitiers for La Rochelle, France where they opened a free religious school; it soon had 400 students. Upon the death of Saint Louis de Montfort, Marie-Louise assumed full leadership of the Daughters of Wisdom. She returned to Poitiers in 1719, and established the mother-house of the Daughters in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, France in 1720; the house still stands, and is a museum of the Daughters. The Daughters lived and worked in abject poverty, but the Congregation continued to grow. From 1729 to 1759 thirty new houses of Daughters were founded, and they became known for teaching children, caring for the sick, and feeding the poor, all for free. Their houses became homes for orphans, the neglected elderly, and abandoned cripples.
At age 66, Mother Marie-Louise made a journey on horseback to all the Daughter communities to inspire the sisters. Returning home, she had an accidental fall that left in continuing pain, and broke her health. At her death, the Daughters had 174 sisters and 37 houses, and they have continued their good work in France, Spain, Prussia and Belgium for centuries.
Born
7 May 1684 on the Clain River in Poitiers, Vienne, France as Marie-Louise Trichet
Died
28 April 1759 in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, Vendée, France of natural causes
interred in the church at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre next to Saint Louis de Montfort
Venerated
10 July 1990 by Pope John Paul II (decree of heroic virtues)
Beatified
16 May 1993 by Pope John Paul II at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy
Readings
Your real Superior is Mary; I am but her servant. – Blessed Marie-Louise
Patronage
a href=”patrons-of-the-daughters-of-divine-wisdom”>Daughters of Divine Wisdom
First Daughter of Wisdom
Marie-Louise de Jésus
Marie-Louise of Jesus
Memorial
28 April
7 May on some calendars
Profile
The fourth of eight children born to Julien, a court magistrate, and Françoise Lecocq, a notably pious mother; one of Marie-Louise’s brothers became a priest, one of her sisters a nun; her eldest sister, Jeanne, was paralyzed at the age of 13, but was cured at 16 during a pilgrimage to Notre Dame des Ardilliers, Saumur, France. Educated from age seven by the Sisters of Sainte Jeanne de Lestonac. From the age of seventeen, Marie-Lousie devoted herself to the care of the poor and the sick, and when she worked at the poor house in Poitiers, France, a place known as a the General Hospital, she met and began to work with Saint Louis de Montfort. On 2 February 1703, at age 18, she dedicated herself to God and moved into the Hospital, officially as an impoverished inmate, but actually to help Father Louis administer the place. With him she co-founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom, was it’s first member, and served as its first leader.
De Montfort left to serve as a travelling missioner, and Sister Marie-Louise worked as nurse and administrator on her own for the next ten years. She expanded the mission of the Hospital to feed beggars and operate the Hospital of Niort in Deux-Sèvres, France. In 1715, she and Catherine Brunet left Poitiers for La Rochelle, France where they opened a free religious school; it soon had 400 students. Upon the death of Saint Louis de Montfort, Marie-Louise assumed full leadership of the Daughters of Wisdom. She returned to Poitiers in 1719, and established the mother-house of the Daughters in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, France in 1720; the house still stands, and is a museum of the Daughters. The Daughters lived and worked in abject poverty, but the Congregation continued to grow. From 1729 to 1759 thirty new houses of Daughters were founded, and they became known for teaching children, caring for the sick, and feeding the poor, all for free. Their houses became homes for orphans, the neglected elderly, and abandoned cripples.
At age 66, Mother Marie-Louise made a journey on horseback to all the Daughter communities to inspire the sisters. Returning home, she had an accidental fall that left in continuing pain, and broke her health. At her death, the Daughters had 174 sisters and 37 houses, and they have continued their good work in France, Spain, Prussia and Belgium for centuries.
Born
7 May 1684 on the Clain River in Poitiers, Vienne, France as Marie-Louise Trichet
Died
28 April 1759 in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, Vendée, France of natural causes
interred in the church at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre next to Saint Louis de Montfort
Venerated
10 July 1990 by Pope John Paul II (decree of heroic virtues)
Beatified
16 May 1993 by Pope John Paul II at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy
Readings
Your real Superior is Mary; I am but her servant. – Blessed Marie-Louise
Patronage
a href=”patrons-of-the-daughters-of-divine-wisdom”>Daughters of Divine Wisdom