Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

Parish of Saint-Sauveur, Paris

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Saint Sauveur (Holy Savior), in Paris, was Louise’s parish church from 1604 to 1613 while she was living under the guidance of her uncle Michel de Marillac. (Source: In the Footsteps of Vincent De Paul: A Guide to Vincentian France, by John E. Rybolt, C.M.

“Suddenly, when she was about twelve years old, Louise had to leave [the royal convent of Poissy] that she loved.” (Source: A Woman Named Louise: 1591-1633 by Kieran Kneaves D.C.)

“[She was] sent to a modest pension (boarding house) that was run by a poor woman… Did the financial situation of her father cause this change? In 1602 Louise’s father was having problems with his wife who had squandered his possessions.” (Source: Élisabeth Charpy D.C. in an article on vincentians.com)

Louise’s father Louis de Marillac died on 25 July 1604. Afterwards her uncle, Michel de Marillac, became her guardian. Louise received some compensation from her father’s will.

“Now that her father had died, did her guardian refuse to pay the costs of maintaining her at the convent in Poissy? [Whatever the reason, after her father died, resources were limited.] The eighty-three écus (ancient French coin) that had to be paid every four months seemed to be more suited to the life in the modest boarding house. There Louise was initiated in the household chores that a mother normally teaches her daughter.” (Source: Élisabeth Charpy D.C. in an article on vincentians.com)

“It was here that Louise had her first experience of real poverty. The lifestyle of this boarding school was completely different from Poissy; here Louise received a practical education, learning cooking, housekeeping, sewing, essentially all the tasks that would be appropriate to her state in life. If was perhaps here that Louise began to know that she was not really a de Marillac by law, but only in name, for this education was preparing her for a far different future than the other girls who remained at Poissy. But this diversified education, in the Providence of God, would prepare Louise for her future as educator and foundress of the Daughters of Charity. But she did not know, nor did she understand all of this then.” (Source: A Woman Named Louise: 1591-1633 by Kieran Kneaves D.C.)

So, this experience complemented the classical, upper-class education that Louise had received at the convent of Poissy, preparing her well for her future service with the poor.

Location of Saint Sauveur parish in Paris

All Vincentian Places in this Series

Red = Vincent de Paul, Blue = Frederic Ozanam, Teal = Elizabeth Seton, Yellow = Louise de Marillac

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