Saint Louise

St. Louise de Marillac

Hi my name is Louise de Marillac. I was born on August 12 in Le Meux, Oise, France in the year 1591. I never knew my real mother, I only knew my father’s second wife.  When I was at a very young age, I had the desire of being a nun but when my uncle arranged me to marry a man by the name of Antoine Le Gras, I knew my wish wouldn’t come true.  Antoine and  I  only have one child . We named  our son Michel. Some years passed by when Antoine and Michel died.  I’m still in deep misery for I loved both of them dearly but now I have learnt how to cope. Ever since my husband and son’s death I wore widow’s clothing which were the colour black.

Around the time of my husband’s death, I met a man named Vincent de Paul. We became good friends and started an order named the Daughters of Charity. In our order we nursed the poor and helped the neglected children. Later on, I set up my own training centre in which I was the directress. The training centre is for candidates that have newly come into the order. I also wrote some vows for our order. I have traveled around  France, placing my sisters in different hospitals, orphanages and other places to help people in need of special care.

I can’t believe the amount of women that wanted to be in my order. Even though I was the one that started the order with Vincent, I learnt many things that I never knew about.

Now here in heaven, I watch my order do what Vincent and I had started and I also watch people celebrate the day of my death which is on March 15.