Louise was responsible for managing the work of the Confraternity of Ladies of Charity and the Daughters of Charity at the aging and enormous Hôtel-Dieu hospital.

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Louise was responsible for managing the work of the Confraternity of Ladies of Charity and the Daughters of Charity at the aging and enormous Hôtel-Dieu hospital.

In 1641 the headquarters of the community of the Daughters of Charity was transferred to the Faubourg Saint-Denis, in a house opposite Saint-Lazare. This was the building that was the Motherhouse for the longest period of Louise’s life.

The Daughters of Charity were invited to Angers to take over management of the nursing services of the hospital there. As it was the first ministry outside Paris for the fledgling community, Louise made the arduous journey there in the company of three sisters.
Due to the influx of vocations, in May, 1636, Louise moved to more commodious quarters with her community, the Daughters of Charity. A house at La Chapelle was chosen because of its nearness to Saint-Lazare.
Around 1631, Vincent de Paul arranged for Louise’s son Michel to study at the former Jesuit college which was called the College de Clermont at that time.
St. Vincent put a few girls into St. Louise’s care, 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 (the Daughters of Charity) on 29th November, 1633.
St. Vincent put a few girls into St. Louise’s care, 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 (the Daughters of Charity) on 29th November, 1633.
It was in the church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs, on Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 1623, that Louise was freed from her doubts and received the grace that illuminated her soul. This is called her Lumière Experience.
During her married years, Louise lived in the Marais district of Paris, in the parish of Saint-Sauveur (church now demolished). Along with being devoted to her family, Louise was also active in ministry in her parish.
Louise and Antoine Le Gras were wed in the fashionable Church of St. Gervais on February 5, 1613.
Louise, at age 20, went to live with Valence d’Atticy, her aunt, to help care for her family of seven children.
When Louise was about 12 years old, she was sent to a modest pension (boarding house) that was run by a poor woman. Here Louise received a practical education, learning cooking, housekeeping, and sewing.