Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

Rue des Fossés‐Saint‐Victor, Paris

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Louise as a Widow with a young son – Paris, Left Bank, Parish of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet

“Upon his death in 1625, Antoine had left his widow and young son with very limited financial resources, and so with her funds insufficient to support the way of life to which she had become accustomed in the fashionable Marais district, Louise was obliged to move to a smaller apartment, away from the life and the social circle of which she had been a part.” (Source: A Woman Named Louise: 1591-1633 by Kieran Kneaves D.C.

So Louise left her home in the Marais district to live on the Left Bank, in the parish of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, near the Collège des Bons-Enfants.

“The first Confraternity of Charity (today, the Ladies of Charity) in Paris was in the parish of Saint-Sauveur in 1629. The following year Louise organized one in her new parish of Saint Nicholas-du-Chardonnet and was chosen to lead it. Four more parishes followed in 1631; soon after, almost every parish in Paris and the suburbs had its own Confraternity of Charity. The ladies in some of these parishes were not accustomed to cooking and doing their own work; but still Vincent insisted on personal service to the poor…. It was to help in the parish Confraternities that the first Daughters of Charity were formed, doing the harder work to which the ladies of Paris were not accustomed or suited.” (Source: Saint Vincent’s First Foundation: The Ladies of Charity, by Collette Padberg and Daniel Hannefin D.C.)

In Louise de Marillac, Vincent de Paul “had recognized for so many years perfect prudence, exemplary and persevering piety, and ardent, untiring zeal. He put into her care a few girls to be housed with her, and to live a community life. She was living at that time near St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet, and she began this little community on 29th November, 1633.” (Source: The Life of Mademoiselle Le Gras by Monsieur Gobillon, Parish Priest of Saint-Laurent, writing about the origin of the Daughters of Charity)

“Although it is difficult to locate them precisely, two homes of Louise de Marillac stood near the church of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet. Probably after her husband’s death she moved to Rue Saint Victor, now at 43, rue du Cardinal Lemoine, and then to Rue de Versailles. It was from these residences that Vincent sent out Louise to visit the Confraternities of Charity.” (Source: In the Footsteps of Vincent de Paul: A Guide to Vincentian France by John E. Rybolt C.M.

Louise was the official visitor sent by Vincent to monitor how well the confraternities carried out their mission to the sick poor. A teamwork and friendship developed between them.

Around 1627, Louise’s son Michel–Antoine was placed as a boarder at the seminary of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet, but he did not do well in his studies. Louise hoped he would become a priest. Vincent de Paul befriended the boy and welcomed him at Saint Lazare, the headquarters of the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers. Eventually it became obvious that he had no vocation to the priesthood.

Facade of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet church, Paris, built in the 16th-17th centuries.

Paris, St. Victor gate, College of Bons Enfants at right inside the wall

Paris, St. Nicolas du Chardonnet, statue of St. Vincent de Paul (Depaul archive)

All Vincentian Places in this Series

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

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