SAINT OF THE DAY -- Oct. 16 - St. Marguerite d’Youville
October 16
Saint Marguerite d'Youville
(1701 - 1771)
Patron Saint of Widows, Victims of Adultery, Difficult Marriages and In-Law Problems, Child Deaths and Loss of Parents
Mother
of Universal CharityMarguerite always fought for the rights of the poor and broke with the social
conventions of her day.
We learn compassion from allowing our lives to be influenced by
compassionate people, by seeing life from their perspective and
reconsidering our own values.Born in Varennes, Canada, Marie
Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais had to interrupt her schooling at the
age of 12 to help her widowed mother. Eight years later she married
Francois d'Youville; they had six children, four of whom died young.
Despite the fact that her husband gambled, sold liquor illegally to
Native Americans and treated her indifferently, she cared for him
compassionately in the two years before his death in 1730.
Even
though she was caring for two small children and running a store to
help pay off her husband's debts, Marguerite still helped the poor.
Once her children were grown, she and several companions rescued a
Quebec hospital which was in danger of failing. She called her
community the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal; the
people called them the "Grey Nuns" because of the color of their habit.
In time, a proverb arose among the poor people of Montreal, "Go to the
Grey Nuns; they never refuse to serve." In time, five other religious
communities traced their roots to the Grey Nuns.
The General
Hospital in Montreal became known as the Hotel Dieu (House of God) and
set a standard for medical care and Christian compassion. When the
hospital was destroyed by fire in 1766, she knelt in the ashes, led the
Te Deum (a hymn to God's providence in all circumstances) and
began the rebuilding process. She fought the attempts of government
officials to restrain her charity and established the first foundling
home in North America.
Pope John XXIII, who beatified her in 1959, called her the "Mother of Universal Charity." She was canonized in 1990.
Comment:
Saints
deal with plenty of discouragement, plenty of reasons to say, "Life
isn't fair" and wonder where God is in the rubble of their lives. We
honor saints like Marguerite because they show us that, with God's
grace and their cooperation, suffering can lead to compassion rather
than to bitterness.
Quote:"More
than once the work which Marguerite undertook was hindered by nature or
people. In order to work to bring that new world of justice and love
closer, she had to fight some hard and difficult battles" (John Paul
II, canonization homily).
Prayer:
St. Marguerite d'Youville
During your lifetime, you opened your heart and home to every type of human misery. Listen now to my prayer of petition
(state request)
I
count on you to plead with the God of love to grant the favor I seek
with confidence and trust. Gift us as you were gifted; With ever
deepening faith, with firm hope and trust. Let my life be for all a
service of love.
Mother of Universal Charity, your love for the poor made the impossible possible. Please make haste to help me.
Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
Many great miracles have been associated with
the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can
overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer!
Each lesson is only 10¢
God bless you!
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries
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?