Saint Marguerite Bourgeous

Biography

Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, also known as Margaret Bourgeoys or Marguerite Bourgeoys, was born on 17 April 1620 in Troyes, Aube, France. She was the sixth of twelve children born to devout parents. Tragically, Marguerite's mother passed away when she was 19 years old, leaving her responsible for caring for her younger siblings. Her father also passed away when she was 27, further cementing her role as the caretaker of her family. Marguerite devotedly raised her siblings, but she also felt a strong call to know what to do with her life. It was during this searching period that she caught the attention of the governor of Montreal, Canada, who was in France looking for educators for the New World. He invited Marguerite to come to Montreal to teach school and religion classes, and she agreed to this noble task, ultimately spending the rest of her life in North America. Marguerite's dedication to her faith manifested in her decision to give away her share of her parents' inheritance to other members of her family. In 1653, she sailed for Canada, where she embarked on various endeavors to serve the community. One of her notable achievements was the construction of a chapel to honor Our Lady of Good Help. In 1658, she opened her first school and began her journey as an educator. Realizing the importance of training more teachers, Marguerite returned to France in 1659 to recruit more individuals passionate about education. She succeeded in bringing back four teachers, and in 1670, she ventured to France once again, this time returning with six more teachers. These courageous women forged the path as the first sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. Marguerite and her sisters played a crucial role in the survival of the colony during times of scarce food. They opened a vocational school and taught young people essential skills for managing a home and farm. Marguerite's congregation steadily grew, with a total of 18 sisters, seven of whom were Canadian. They embarked on missions and even had two sisters dedicated to teaching at the Native American mission. Notably, Marguerite welcomed the first two Native American women into the congregation. In 1693, Mother Marguerite, as she was affectionately called, passed on the responsibility of her congregation to her successor, Marie Barbier, who became the first Canadian to join the order. The Church approved Marguerite's religious rule in 1698. In her later years, she spent her time in prayer and wrote an autobiography. On the last day of 1699, a young sister was gravely ill, prompting Mother Marguerite to pray for her own life in exchange. Miraculously, by the morning of 1 January 1700, the sister had recovered completely, but Mother Marguerite fell prey to a raging fever. She endured intense suffering for 12 days and eventually passed away on 12 January 1700. Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys was venerated by Pope Saint Pius X on 19 June 1910. She was later beatified by Pope Pius XII on 12 November 1950 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on 31 October 1982. She is celebrated as a patron saint against the death of parents, impoverishment, poverty, for people rejected by religious orders, and for the poor. Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys's life is a testament to her unwavering dedication to education and service to others. Upon hearing the call to venture to the New World, she fearlessly left her home to bring education and spiritual guidance to the people of Montreal, Canada. Her legacy lives on through the Congregation of Notre Dame and the countless lives she impacted during her time on earth.