St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys founded Montreal’s Congregation of Notre Dame and established schools for children in the difficult young colony.

The story

Marguerite Bourgeoys was born on April 17, 1620, in Troyes, France, the sixth of twelve children of Abraham Bourgeoys and Guillemette Garnier. Her mother died when Marguerite was nineteen. In 1640, during a procession honoring Our Lady of the Rosary, Marguerite experienced a decisive renewal of faith. She joined an external association connected with the Congregation of Notre Dame in Troyes and began teaching poor girls.

Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, governor of the small settlement of Ville-Marie in New France, met Marguerite while seeking a teacher. She accepted his invitation and arrived at Ville-Marie, now Montreal, in 1653. The struggling colony was too small for a formal school at first, so Marguerite assisted families, cared for children, and helped prepare women for marriage and household responsibilities. On April 30, 1658, she opened a school in a converted stone stable.

Marguerite returned to France to recruit companions. Their community taught the children of settlers and also undertook educational work among Indigenous communities. Unlike cloistered teaching orders common at the time, the sisters traveled where they were needed. The Congregation of Notre Dame received royal letters patent from Louis XIV in 1671. Bishop François de Laval authorized the community in 1676. After years of negotiation about its form of life, Bishop Jean-Baptiste de La Croix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier approved its constitutions in 1698, and the sisters professed simple vows.

Marguerite guided the congregation through poverty, fires, long journeys, and uncertainty about its future. She eventually handed leadership to a successor. Near the end of 1699, she became seriously ill. She died in Montreal on January 12, 1700. Her congregation continued its educational mission in Canada and beyond. Pope Pius XII beatified her on November 12, 1950. Pope St. John Paul II canonized her on October 31, 1982, presenting her as a courageous missionary and educator. Her memorial is observed in Canada on January 12.

What Marguerite teaches

St. Marguerite teaches that patient service can build institutions that outlast their founders. Education is an expression of charity because it helps each person develop God-given gifts. Parents and educators share responsibility for moral and spiritual formation, as taught in CCC 2223.

Patronage

Montreal, teachers, schoolchildren, Congregation of Notre Dame.

Prayer

God of providence, through the intercession of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, bless all who teach and form the young. Give us her courage when resources are scarce and the future is uncertain. Help us serve you faithfully in every child and every person in need. Amen.