Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne

Biography

Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, also known as The Lady of Mercy and the Woman Who Prays Always, was born on 29 August 1769 in Grenoble, France. She came from a privileged background, with her father, Pierre Francois Duchesne, being a prominent lawyer, businessman, and civic leader in Grenoble, and her mother, Rose Perier, belonging to a leading family from the Dauphine region of France. From a young age, Rose had a strong desire to evangelize in the Americas. This desire was sparked when she heard a Jesuit missionary speak about his missionary work there. At the age of eight, she began expressing her longing to her family. Rose received a basic education at home from private tutors, and her mother provided her with religious education. At the age of 12, Rose entered the convent of the Visitation nuns in Grenoble, where she continued her education. However, at the age of 19, without the knowledge or permission of her family, who strongly opposed her choice, Rose decided to join the Visitation nuns as a member. Despite her family's opposition, Rose remained committed to her vocation. However, during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, religious communities were outlawed, and Rose's convent was closed in 1792. For the next ten years, she lived as a laywoman but continued to act as a faithful member of her Order. She established a school for underprivileged children, provided care for the sick, and even hid priests from the Revolutionaries. After the end of the Terror, Rose reclaimed her convent and attempted to reestablish it with the remaining sisters from Grenoble. However, the majority of the sisters had already dispersed, and in 1804, the remaining few were incorporated into the Society of the Sacred Heart under the leadership of Saint Madeline Sophie Barat. The sisters then reopened the convent of Sainte-Marie-d'en-Haut as the second house of the Sacred Heart nuns. Rose Duschene became a postulant in December 1804 and made her final vows in 1805. In 1815, Mother Duchesne was assigned the task of establishing a Sacred Heart convent in Paris, France. However, her missionary spirit was not yet fulfilled. On 14 March 1818, at the age of 49, she and four sisters were sent as missionaries to the Louisiana Territory to establish the Society's presence in America. The journey was arduous, and Mother Duchesne fell gravely ill with diseases contracted during the trip. Yet, after recovering in New Orleans, she continued her missionary work and traveled up the Mississippi River, eventually establishing her first mission at Saint Charles, Missouri. The log cabin she established in Saint Charles became the first free school west of the Mississippi River. Mother Duchesne's devotion to education and care extended beyond Saint Charles, where she founded six additional houses that included schools and orphanages. While she faced some opposition due to her French teaching methods and poor grasp of the English language, her students received a quality education, and her intentions were clearly directed towards their well-being. Beyond her passion for education, Mother Duchesne showed great concern for the Native American communities she encountered. She dedicated much of her work to educating and caring for the Native Americans, as well as working against alcohol abuse among them. In her later years, Mother Duchesne was able to retire from administrative duties at the age of 71. However, she continued to evangelize, particularly among the Pottawatomie tribe, where she taught young girls and cared for the sick. The tribe bestowed upon her the name "Woman-Who-Prays-Always." Mother Duchesne spent her last ten years in retirement, residing in a small, austere shack at the convent in Saint Charles. She lived a simple life dedicated to constant prayer. On 18 November 1852, at the age of 83, she passed away peacefully in Saint Charles, Missouri, from natural causes. Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne's virtues were recognized by Pope Pius XI, who declared her venerable on 17 March 1935. She was beatified by Pope Pius XII on 12 May 1940 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on 3 July 1988. Throughout her life, Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne demonstrated immense faith, perseverance, and commitment to education, evangelization, and compassionate service to others. She is venerated as a patron of those who face opposition from Church authorities and is also honored in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri.