On May 9 we celebrate the Feast of Louise de Marillac, a woman of deep faith, courageous love, and unwavering dedication to people living in poverty.

This prayer experience invites us to reflect on three graces that shaped Louise’s spiritual journey:

• the grace of light and peace in times of uncertainty,
• the grace of zeal for the mission of serving the poor, and
• the grace of openness to change and dialogue.

Through Scripture, reflection, and shared prayer, we are encouraged to recognize how God continues to guide us today — especially in moments of fear, transition, and service.

May the wisdom of St. Louise inspire us to live with compassion, humility, courage, and trust in God’s providence.

“Do the little you can very peacefully and calmly so as to allow room for the guidance of God in your lives.”

MAY 9, 2026 – FEAST OF ST. LOUISE DE MARILLAC

Offered by Sr. Regina Bechtle, SCNY

St. Louise welcomes us to this time of prayer and sharing: “Please greet all our sisters for me. I urge them to arise each morning with new courage to serve God and the poor well.”

Let us quiet ourselves with deep breaths, gentle music, a lighted candle…

The grace of light and peace – On Pentecost of 1623, after a difficult period of much worry about herself, her loved ones and her future, Louise received a powerful grace that she called her “Lumiere,” her light. She wrote it down and kept it her whole life.

Reflect on times in your life when you felt like Louise – worried, uncertain, fearful.

Call to mind the Spirit’s gifts that helped you to trust during those difficult times.

How might you call on those graces now?

Reflection and sharing

The grace of zeal for the mission – Louise was zealous to serve people who lived in poverty and to share God’s love with them. She formed simple women from the countryside into a dedicated company of women who devoted themselves to care for foundlings, the sick, galley slaves, children in need of schooling, and the elderly. Louise was also skilled in persuading people of wealth and influence to support the mission to the poor.

What stirs your zeal? What dampens it? When in your life have you felt most energized…most alive? How do you nourish and express your zeal at this time in your life?

Reflection and sharing

The grace of openness to change – As she formed the first Daughters of Charity into servants of the poor, Louise, a strong-willed woman, learned not only to speak her mind but also to encourage and value the wisdom of others. She wrote:

“I am never happier than when I am reasonably contradicted. God almost always gives me the grace to acknowledge and appreciate the opinions of others even when they are completely contrary to my own.” (SW, L. 118b)

How do Louise’s words strike you? Are you moved to ask for the same grace?

All: St. Louise, at this time in our history, help us to listen, be open to, and dialogue with those whose ideas are different from our own.

Reflection and sharing

Hear Louise speaking these words of wisdom to us:

Do not be upset if things are not as you would want them to be for a long time to come.

Do the little you can very peacefully and calmly so as to allow room for the guidance of God in your lives. Do not worry about the rest.

Closing Prayer (together):

Louise’s Spiritual Testament (1676)

“My dear Sisters, I continue to ask God for His blessings for you and pray that He will grant you the grace to persevere in your vocation in order to serve Him in the manner He asks of you. Take good care of the service of the poor.

Above all, live together in great union and cordiality, loving one another in imitation of the union and life of Our Lord. Pray earnestly to the Blessed Virgin, that she may be your only Mother.”

~ ~ ~

All references are from Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac: Correspondence and Thoughts, ed. & trans. by Louise Sullivan, DC, 1991

TO LEARN MORE: To mark the 400th anniversary of the Vincentian charism (2017), Sister Marie Poole, DC, a noted scholar of Vincent and Louise, presented a 4-video series, “Against All Odds: How Vincent and Louise Challenge Us Today,” for the Sisters of Charity – Halifax. Find the videos at https://schalifax.ca/against-all-odds-how-vincent-and-louise-challenge-us-today/