Louise de Marillac – Animator of the Confraternities of Charity

Sr. Elizabeth Charpy, D.C., share her insights into the role Louise played in animating the Confraternities of Charity, forerunners of the Ladies of Charity and the AIC.In 1625, when Vincent de Paul accepted the spiritual direction of Mademoiselle Le Gras, born Louise de Marillac, could he imagine the place she would take in his life? I do not think so, for during this time she appeared to him as a worried and scrupulous woman. Mademoiselle Le Gras needed to meet with her spiritual director often. She did not handle well his absences from Paris. This woman had a painful past: she did not know who her mother was, the de Marillac family had marginalized this illegitimately-born child; Louise later married even though she wanted to become a religious; from December 1625, she was a widow with the responsibility of a 12 year-old child.

      It would take Monsieur Vincent several years to discover the true personality of Louise de Marillac. She had been distressed by the illness and death of her husband, believing that God was punishing her for not having been faithful to the promise she made to become a religious. But, little by little, she would once again find balance. Vincent counselled her and involved her in working for the poor. Then, as time went on, he saw the depth of the spiritual life of his directee, her ease of contact with those she met, her kindness and also her quick understanding of situations as well as her sense of organization.

For the remainder of the study visit
http://www.famvin.net/cm/curia/vincentiana/2002/charpy.html