St. Louise de Marillac (1591-1660) was born in Meux, France. She lost both her parents by the time she was a child, and was guided by numerous confessors, or spiritual advisors, throughout her life. Louise wished to join religious life, but was discouraged by her confessor; instead, she married and had a son. Soon after, her husband became very ill, and eventually died. In 1625, St. Vincent DePaul became her confessor and she began to devote her life to his mission of serving the poor. As she came from a humble background herself, Louise was able to tend to the poor in a compassionate, understanding way. St. Vincent sent her on more missions, and four young women started to accompany her on the journeys. He decided to rent a training center for them to teach other women about serving the sick and poor. There was a massive response, and Louise and Vincent solidified a new religious order called the Daughters of Charity. Louise played a major role in helping their mission spread, sending members of the community to hospitals and orphanages throughout France. She did this all while being sick herself. Louise de Marillac died in 1660, and by this time there were over 40 houses for the Daughters of Charity. She is the patron saint of social workers, her feast day is March 15th.
Questions for Reflection:
- St. Louise de Marillac dedicated her life to serving others, even when she didn’t have much herself. What is one small way you can positively impact the lives of others?
- Reflect on the social justice causes you are passionate about or interested in. How can you volunteer to help make change in this field?
