Feast Day: | October 16 |
Born: | 15 October 1701, Varennes, Quebec |
Died: | 23 December 1771, Montreal, Canada |
Canonized: | 9 December 1990, by Pope John Paul II |
Major Shrine: | Chapel of St. Marie Marguerite d'Youville, near Montreal |
Patron of: | Against death of children, difficult marriages, in-law problems, loss of parents, opposition of Church authorities, people ridiculed for piety, victims of adultery, victims of unfaithfulness, widows |
Margaret Mary was born in Burgundy in France. As a child, she was a happy little girl who loved the nuns at school. But when she was eleven, she became very sick.
It was four years before she was well again after she saw a vision of the Virgin Mary. Her father had died, and an aunt had moved into their home.
This aunt and her husband made Margaret Mary and her mother suffer very much. Almost every day, Margaret would hide in the garden to cry and pray. What hurt her most was seeing her mother get hurt.
Her mother wanted her to marry and so did her relatives. They were worried about her, especially when she brought beggar children into the garden to try to teach them.
Margaret Mary hesitated a while, neither marrying nor entering the convent. At last she decided on the convent and joined the Visitation sisters. She was kind and humble but often made others impatient since she was slow and clumsy.
But she was dear to Jesus. Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and showed her his sacred heart. His heart was encircled by a crown of thorns that was a symbol of his great sacrifice. Jesus told her how much he loves each one of us and wanted her to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart.
It was a very hard thing to do as not many people believed she had really seen Jesus. Some were angry with her for trying to spread the new devotion.
This brought her lots of suffering. Yet she did her best to carry out the Lord's wish. Jesus blessed her hard work and pain. Today, this wonderful devotion to the Sacred Heart is practiced all over the world.
Our Lord made twelve great promises to St. Margaret Mary for those who are devoted to his most Sacred Heart. They are:
From St. Margaret Mary we can learn to trust in the Heart of Jesus, which - as she wrote - is filled with "love to meet our every need."