SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 15 - Saint Louise de Marillac
March 15
St. Louise de Marillac
Patron Saint of Disappointed Children, Orphans, Sick, Widows, Loss of Parents
She is one of the Saints who has an incorrupt body, which is a body which does not decompose.Louise, born near Meux, France, lost her mother when she was still a
child, her beloved father when she was but 15. Her desire to become a
nun was discouraged by her confessor, and a marriage was arranged. One
son was born of this union. But she soon found herself nursing her
beloved husband through a long illness that finally led to his death.
Louise
was fortunate to have a wise and sympathetic counselor, St. Francis de
Sales, and then his friend, the Bishop of Belley, France. Both of these
men were available to her only periodically. But from an interior
illumination she understood that she was to undertake a great work
under the guidance of another person she had not yet met. This was the
holy priest M. Vincent, later to be known as St. Vincent de Paul.
At
first he was reluctant to be her confessor, busy as he was with his
"Confraternities of Charity." Members were aristocratic ladies of
charity who were helping him nurse the poor and look after neglected
children, a real need of the day. But the ladies were busy with many of
their own concerns and duties. His work needed many more helpers,
especially ones who were peasants themselves and therefore close to the
poor and could win their hearts. He also needed someone who could teach
them and organize them.
Only over a long period of time, as
Vincent de Paul became more acquainted with Louise, did he come to
realize that she was the answer to his prayers. She was intelligent,
self-effacing and had physical strength and endurance that belied her
continuing feeble health. The missions he sent her on eventually led to
four simple young women joining her. Her rented home in Paris became
the training center for those accepted for the service of the sick and
poor. Growth was rapid and soon there was need of a so-called rule of
life, which Louise herself, under the guidance of Vincent, drew up for
the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (though he preferred
"Daughters" of Charity).
He had always been slow and prudent in
his dealings with Louise and the new group. He said that he had never
had any idea of starting a new community, that it was God who did
everything. "Your convent," he said, "will be the house of the sick;
your cell, a hired room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister,
the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital." Their dress was
to be that of the peasant women. It was not until years later that
Vincent de Paul would finally permit four of the women to take annual
vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. It was still more years before
the company would be formally approved by Rome and placed under the
direction of Vincent's own congregation of priests.
Many of the
young women were illiterate and it was with reluctance that the new
community undertook the care of neglected children. Louise was busy
helping wherever needed despite her poor health. She traveled
throughout France, establishing her community members in hospitals,
orphanages and other institutions. At her death on March 15, 1660, the
congregation had more than 40 houses in France. Six months later St.
Vincent de Paul followed her in death.
Louise de Marillac was canonized in 1934 and declared patroness of social workers in 1960.
Comment:
In
Louise’s day, serving the needs of the poor was usually a luxury only
fine ladies could afford. Her mentor, St. Vincent de Paul, wisely
realized that women of peasant stock could reach poor people more
effectively, and the Sisters of Charity were born under her leadership.
Today that Order continues to nurse the sick and aging and provide
refuge for orphans. Many of its members are social workers toiling
under Louise’s patronage. The rest of us must share her concern for the
disadvantaged.
Prayer:
O Gracious God, Saint Louise devoted her life to
helping Saint Vincent de Paul serve the needs of the poor. She often taught:
"Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, as you would
honor Christ Himself." I lift up to You the programs in my church and
community that help the needy, and the people who do the work. Multiply the
donations. Teach me how to think generously. Give me a heart that desires to
care for the poor as if I were serving Jesus directly, and help me to see
Jesus in each person that begs on the street corner or church door. Saint
Louise, pray for us. Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
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If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?