Memorial (1969 Calendar): January 12
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St. Marguerite Bourgeoys was born on April 17, 1620, and she was the sixth of twelve children. Her devout mother died when St. Marguerite Bourgeoys was 17, and her father died when she was only 27. At this time, the governor of Montreal, Canada was in France seeking for teachers for the New World. St. Marguerite Bourgeoys said "yes" to his invitation and spent the rest of her life in North America.
St. Marguerite gave away all of her parents' inheritance to other members of the family. In 1653, she sailed to Canada. Upon arriving, she initiated the construction of a chapel to honor Our Lady of Good Help. St. Marguerite opened her first school in 1658, and in 1659 she returned to France to recruit more teachers. She returned with four; in 1670, she went to France again and brought back six more. These courageous women became the first sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame.
What I find most amazing about St. Marguerite was her death. She was the founder of the Chapel of Notre Dame and spread the Gospel. But, it was her death that served Christ more than anything. It was her death that fulfilled Our Lord's Commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself".
On the last day of 1699, St. Marguerite Bourgeoys saw one of the sisters of her religious order dying. She begged the Lord for the sister to be well and for her to take on the illness. It was the next morning (Jan 1, 1700) that the sister became miraculously well, and St. Marguerite Bourgeois was very ill. Twelve days later, St. Marguerite died.
She was canonized on October 31, 1982, by Pope John Paul ll. She is the first canonized female saint from Canada. Her body is housed in Notre-Dame-de-Bon Secours in Montreal, Canada.
Marguerite Bourgeoys, ora pro nobis!
Prayer:
Blessed Marguerite Bourgeoys, you survived attacks of all kinds on your faith and service. Help me keep my vocation strong despite the threats of the world and my own doubts. Amen