Bl. Marguerite Rutan: Luminous Witness of Christ’s Love for the Poor

by | Apr 8, 2016 | Formation

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Tomorrow, April 9, is the anniversary of the death of Blessed Sr. Marguerite Rutan, D.C., a martyr of the French Revolution. Read a brief bio, see what people have said about her, and watch a YouTube on her life and legacy:

Timeline of her life

Highlights of Marguerite Rutan’s life

  • Born on 23 April 1736 in Metz in Lorraine, France
  • 8th of 15 children
  • Helped with her family until she was 21
  • At age 21 entered the Company of the Daughters of Charity to serve those who were suffering, marginalized or excluded
  • At age 43 she was sent to direct the Hospital at Dax
  • At age 53, in 1789, the French Revolution began
  • Martyred on April 9, 1794 (age 58)
  • Her liturgical commemoration coincides with the Daughters of Charity, Martyrs of Arras, on June 26.

I am happy to recall that today in Dax, France, Sister Marguerite Rutan, Daughter of Charity, has been proclaimed blessed. In the second half of the 18th century she worked with great commitment in the hospital in Dax, but in the tragic persecution following the Revolution, she was sentenced to death for her Catholic faith and fidelity to the Church. I participate spiritually in the joy of the Daughters of Charity and of all the faithful who, in Dax, are taking part in the beatification of Sister Marguerite Rutan, luminous witness of the love of Christ for the poor.”
– Address of Pope Benedict XVI delivered in Italian and French at Serravalle, San Marino, June 19, 2011

denise-larock-circle-maskI would like to think that I could make a heroic choice like that. […] Maybe a ‘big’ thing won’t be asked of me, but there are small things each day that challenge me to respond in faith and love.”
– Sr. Denise LaRock, D.C., Spirit of the Daughters of Charity blog

meg-kymes-circle-maskToday, I see Blessed Marguerite as an example for us, in a day when many Christians are persecuted because of their faith. I see her as an example for all people who are striving to care for those who are living in poverty in the face of persecution. When Christians in the Middle East, Nigeria, and so many other areas of the world are being murdered, Blessed Marguerite can be an example of courage and strength for these people.”
-Sr. Meg Kymes, D.C., Future of Charity blog

Video about Bl. Marguerite Rutan

From the Daughters of Charity International Website:

Following Christ, servant of her brothers and sisters, kneeling to wash their feet, Sr. Marguerite gave her life to serve the poor and the sick, and to build brotherhood with all.
Following Christ, servant of the suffering, despised, persecuted, Sr. Marguerite abandoned herself totally to God. During the revolutionary turmoil, she showed the extremity of her love. [In spite of all the persecution going on around her, and many people dying at the guillotine, she remained steadfast and continued caring for the sick.]
Following Christ, servant of the will of the Father, Sr. Marguerite based her life on the Gospel, desiring only one thing: to do the will of God.

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