St. Louise de Marillac
Born: August 15, 1591
Died: March 15, 1660
Canonized: March 11, 1934, by Pope Pius XI
Feast Day: March 15
Patron Saint of: social workers, widows
Foundress of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, born at Paris, 12
August, 1591, daughter of Louis de Marillac, Lord of Ferrires, and Marguerite Le
Camus; died there, 15 March, 1660.
Her mother having died soon after the birth of Louise, the education of the
latter devolved upon her father, a man of blameless life. In her earlier years
she was confided to the care of her aunt, a religious at Poissy. Afterwards she
studied under a preceptress, devoting much time to the cultivation of the arts.
Her father's serious disposition was reflected in the daughter's taste for
philosophy and kindred subjects. When about sixteen years old, Louise developed
a strong desire to enter the Capuchinesses (Daughter of the Passion). Her
spiritual director dissuaded her, however, and her father having died, it became
necessary to decide her vocation.
Interpreting her director's advice, she accepted the hand of Antoine Le Gras, a
young secretary under Maria de' Medici. A son was born of this marriage on 13
October, 1613, and to his education Mlle Le Gras devoted herself during the
years of his childhood. Of works of charity she never wearied. In 1619 she
became acquainted with St. Francis de Sales, who was then in Paris, and Mgr. Le
Campus, Bishop of Belley, became her spiritual adviser. Troubled by the thought
that she had rejected a call to the religious state, she vowed in 1623 not
remarry should her husband die before her.
M. Le Gras died on 21 December, 1625, after a long illness. In the meantime his
wife had made the acquaintance of a priest known as M. Vincent (St. Vincent de
Paul), who had been appointed superior of the Visitation Monastery by St.
Francis de Sales. She placed herself under his direction, probably early in
1625. His influence led her to associate herself with his work among the poor of
Paris, and especially in the extension of the Confrérie de la Charité, an
association which he had founded for the relief of the sick poor. It was this
labor which decided her life's work, the founding of the Sisters of Charity.
The history of the evolution of this institute, which Mlle Le Gras plays so
prominent a part, has been given elsewhere; it suffices here to say that, with
formal ecclesiastical and state recognition, Mlle Le Gras' life-work received
its assurance of success. Her death occurred in 1660, a few month before the
death of St. Vincent, with whose labors she had been so closely united.
