SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC: BIOGRAPHY, VIRTUES, PHRASES - BIOGRAPHIES - 2025

Saint Louise de Marillac (1591-1660) was one of the founders of the Daughters of Charity, a congregation that has dedicated itself over the years to serving the poor and sick.

She became a religious at an advanced age, when she was already over 40 years old. Before she had been married and had a child. She was beatified on May 9, 1920 and her canonization occurred on March 11, 1934, by a decision of Pope Pius XI.

Source: stvincentimages.cdm, via Wikimedia Commons.

She is currently considered the patron of those who perform social assistance, an appointment made by Pope John XXIII in the 60s.

Biography

Louise de Marillac was born in France, on August 12, 1591. There is no information about her mother. Her father remarried when Luisa was just a three-year-old girl and went on to have three siblings. When her father died in 1604, her uncle Michel de Marillac was left as responsible for her care and education.

Studies

At a very young age he entered the royal convent of Poissy, located near Paris. There she lived as a nun together with her aunt. Later, her uncle Michel decided to take her out of Poissy to place her in a pension characterized by simplicity and poverty. Unlike Poissy, the knowledge he acquired in this place was more intended for housework than for the intellectual and religious part.

At just 15 years old, his religious vocation was clear. She asked her family to join the Order of the Capuchin Poor Clares, but was rejected for alleged health reasons. The refusal made Marillac question for many years about her true vocation.

Finally, thanks to the intervention of her relatives, Luisa de Marillac married Antonio Le Gras when she was 22 years old. She was known as Miss Le Gras, since only women who were part of the nobility could be classified as ladies.

The couple had a son whom they named Miguel Antonio Legras, who was born on October 18, 1613. The marriage did not last long as Luisa was widowed when she was only 34 years old. Her husband was characterized by his bad temper, especially during the last years of his life.

After the death of her husband, Marillac suffered from some financial problems and had to find less expensive places to live with her son. This is how she came to the vicinity of the Bons-Enfants school where she met Vicente de Paúl, with whom she worked for more than 30 years.

On March 25, 1633, he made his religious vows for the first time. He promised poverty, chastity, and obedience to God.

Influences

Before her husband died, Luisa Marillac found her spiritual guide in Saint Francis de Sales. Their encounters were occasional, but Marillac had a deep respect for the priest.

Francisco de Sales urged Marillac to follow his spiritual path at the hands of Pedro Camus. He exchanged numerous letters and notes with the Monsignor, whom he came to regard as a father.

Later, she was directed to Vicente de Paúl, who differed from his previous two councilors because he was of humble origin and previously a priest in the Clichy town. It was Vincent de Paul who brought Marillac closer to serving the poor.

De Paúl and Marillac formed the Daughters of Charity. Company that was officially born on November 29, 1633. Marillac was in charge of the formation of the women who came to be part of the company, being their guide both spiritually and practically. This was where he met Margarita Naseau.

Family

Some of Marillac's relatives held very important positions in the French government. Her uncle Michel, for example, held various public positions, including Minister of Justice and Superintendent of Finance. However, he had to leave Paris in 1630.

Meanwhile, Luis de Marillac, half-brother of his uncle Michel, was ordered to be executed by Louis XIII of France.

Despite these decisions, Luisa was never against the King's orders and always showed her public support for the Crown, as well as for the Prime Minister of the country.

His son married on January 18, 1650 and had a granddaughter named Luisa-Renée who was born in 1651.

Death

Saint Louise de Marillac died on March 15, 1660, after being unable to overcome a severe illness that afflicted her. Her remains currently rest in Paris and the house where she is buried was the place where the congregation of the Daughters of Charity was born.

In 1712, Marillac's body was exhumed. It did not show great signs of decomposition as expected after more than 50 years in the ground. Only some parts of her face, such as her eyes or her nose, showed some damage.

The place where the remains of Marillac are found is where the apparition of the Virgin of the Miraculous to Saint Catherine Labouré, a member of the Daughters of Charity, occurred in 1830.

Daughters of Charity

Vicente de Paúl and Luisa de Marillac were in charge of founding the Daughters of Charity. For some time it was said that only Saint Vincent was the architect of the congregation and Marillac was only recognized as the first superior. With the passage of time, the joint work between the two religious and the founding role of Saint Luisa was accepted.

The initial idea came from Vicente de Paúl, who brought together the first members of the Daughters of Charity and established the rules to follow.

The congregation was born some time after the Brotherhoods of Charity. The idea was different, the brotherhoods were made up of women of good economic standing and dealing with the poor was destined for their maids. Saint Vincent wanted to change this practice and look for a group of women who would voluntarily do this work.

Foundation

The congregation was born in 1633, in the home of Louise de Marillac, who was in charge of founding new houses of the congregation throughout France. The Daughters of Charity provided help to different disadvantaged communities: poor, sick, street children or the war wounded.

The formation of the sisters was always in charge of Saint Louise. Her main objective was to provide religious and intellectual knowledge to the sisters of the congregation, but she also worked to ensure that they were autonomous in order to guarantee the durability of the religious company.

One of the characteristics of the Daughters of Charity was that they moved throughout France to provide help in different communities and found new houses. Something unusual among women of the time who had decided to lead a consecrated life.

It had some obstacles, especially during the first years of its creation, since during the 1940s France experienced serious economic problems. The social service performed by the sisters was seen as a very hard and difficult task and many sisters even left the company.

Currently the congregation is made up of more than 30 thousand sisters and they have more than three thousand houses. They are known as Daughters of Charity, but also as Vincentian daughters.

Rules

Those who are part of the congregation of the Daughters of Charity must renew their religious vows every year. This repetition of her oath before God occurs every March 25, during the Feast of the Annunciation, the date on which Louise de Marillac and four Daughters of Charity made their religious vows for the first time.

The annual renewal began in 1648 and the idea, according to Marillac, was to have a free act based on love. Since 1801 it is essential to do so to continue being part of the congregation.

The initial norms that the Daughters of Charity had to comply with were established by Vincent de Paul, although he himself recognized that the sisters were governed more by custom than by rules. Marillac asked on several occasions that the regulations of the congregation be written so that the sisters could read it and have a clear mission.

Liturgical feast

The day of Santa Luisa was celebrated on March 15, the date that commemorates her death. In 2016, the decision was made that the celebration of the Saint would take place on May 9, the day on which she received the denomination of blessed.

At first the change of date was requested because the name day always coincided with the time of Lent.

The Superior General of the Daughters of Charity later explained that the request was made on December 14, 2015 and that on January 4, 2016 the date change was confirmed.

Virtues

Louise de Marillac stood out for innumerable reasons. Those who knew her showed her kind character, despite the problems she suffered throughout her life.

His religious vocation was always clear and was determined when helping the communities with the most needs. She was recognized for having a great discipline, a characteristic that allowed her to travel through France and part of Europe to expand the congregation of the Daughters of Charity and to carry God's message.

In his writings he always highlighted the need to live with humility, away from pride and with a clear charitable mission. Vicente de Paúl considered her an intelligent woman, although many times they could not coincide in their ideas due to the strong personalities of both.

Phrases

Saint Louise de Marillac left several phrases to remember and in them her pedagogical role and as in charge of compliance with the rules of the Daughters of Charity can be clearly observed.

- "We are called to honor the cross, understood in the sense of all kinds of sufferings."

- "For obedience to be as God asks of us, we must obey with great simplicity and humility."

- "Take good care of the poor, be well united among yourselves and pray insistently to the Blessed Virgin."

- «That my first thought, after the rest of the night, be for God».

- «Education must be virile and tender; human and supernatural. '

- "The love that we must have for God must be so pure that it does not pretend anything other than the glory of his Son."

References

1. de Paúl, V. (1960). Alma de Santa, Santa Luisa de Marillac.:.
2. Dirvin, J. (1981). Saint Louise de Marillac. Salamanca: Ceme.
3. Flinton, M., & Beneyto, A. (1974). Saint Louise de Marillac. Salamanca: Editorial Ceme-Santa Marta de Tormes.
4. Herranz, M. (1996). Saint Louise de Marillac. Madrid: La Milagrosa.
5. Lasanta, P. (2012). Sán Vicente de Paúl and Santa Luisa de Marillac. Logroño.: Horizon.