Mary Fabyan Windeatt - Blessed Marie Of New France: The Story of the First Missionary Sisters in Canada

Blessed Marie of
New France

The Story of the First
Missionary Sisters in
Canada

Mary Fabyan Windeatt

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

Copyright 1958 by P. J. Kenedy & Sons, New York.

First published in 1958 by P. J. Kenedy & Sons, New York, under the title Mre Marie of New France , as part of the American Background Books series.

Retypeset by TAN Books, an Imprint of Saint Benedict Press, LLC. The type in this book is the property of TAN Books, and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from the Publisher. (This restriction applies only to this type , not to quotations from the book.)

ISBN: 978-0-89555-432-1

Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 93-61383

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.TANBooks.com
2012

For
Reverend Paschal Boland, O.S.B.,
Monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey,
Saint Meinrad, Indiana,
in appreciation of much kindness.

BOOKS BY MARY FABIAN WINDEATT

A Series of Twenty Books

Stories of the Saints for Young People ages 10 to 100

THE CHILDREN OF FATIMA

And Our Ladys Message to the World

THE CUR OF ARS

The Story of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of Parish Priests

THE LITTLE FLOWER

The Story of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

PATRON SAINT OF FIRST COMMUNICANTS

The Story of Blessed Imelda Lambertini

THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

The Story of Our Ladys Appearances to St. Catherine Laboure

ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT

The Story of Our Ladys Slave, St. Louis Mary Grignion De Montfort

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS

The Story of The Dumb Ox

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA

The Story of the Girl Who Saw Saints in the Sky

SAINT HYACINTH OF POLAND

The Story of the Apostle of the North

SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES

The Story of the Little Doctor of Lima, Peru

SAINT ROSE OF LIMA

The Story of the First Canonized Saint of the Americas

PAULINE JARICOT

Foundress of the Living Rosary & The Society for the Propagation of the Faith

SAINT DOMINIC

Preacher of the Hail Mary and Founder of the Dominican Order

SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE

The Story of the Apostle to the Gentiles

SAINT BENEDICT

The Story of the Father of the Western Monks

KING DAVID AND HIS SONGS

A Story of the Psalms

SAINT MARGARET MARY

And the Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

SAINT JOHN MASIAS

Marvelous Dominican Gatekeeper of Lima, Peru

SAINT FRANCIS SOLANO

Wonder-Worker of the New World and Apostle of Argentina and Peru

BLESSED MARIE OF NEW FRANCE

The Story of the First Missionary Sisters in Canada

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T HE AUTHOR is deeply grateful to Mother Mary of Jesus, O.S.U., Mother Saint George, O.S.U., and Mother Saint Joseph, O.S.U., of the Ursuline Monastery, Quebec, Canada, for their generous help and encouragement in preparing this story of Mre Marie de lIncarnation. Appreciation is also due to the following for the loan of much valuable source material: Reverend Paul-Emile Racicot, S.J., Propagandiste des Fondateurs de lEglise Canadienne , Montreal, Canada; Reverend Placidus Kempf, O.S.B., and Reverend Adrian Fuerst, O.S.B., monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Saint Meinrad, Indiana; Mother M. Celeste Hanlon, O.S.U., Provincial of the Ursulines of the Roman Union, Kirk wood, Missouri; and Mother M. Claire, O.S.U., Louisville, Kentucky.

CHAPTER 1

THE MOTHER

Y OUNG PIERRE DUPLETTE laid three fresh logs atop the small fire on his masters hearth, then glanced hopefully at the white-haired figure bent over a desk in the far corner of the room. Bertrand dEschaux, the Archbishop of Tours, was not a man to demand bodily comforts for himself, even on a cold January morning like this one of the year 1631. There was good reason to believe that a special visitor was about to arrive, and a special visitor generally meant not only a bit of decent warmth in the Archbishops drab study, but wine and cakes as well.

Monseigneur, is there anything else youd like? asked the boy respectfully.

Slowly the old Archbishop rose to his feet and approached the crackling fire. No, Pierreunless it is the answers to a few questions.

And what would they be, Monseigneur?

First, do you know anything of Madame Marie Martin?

The daughter of Florent Guyart, the baker? The poor woman who lost her husband eleven years ago?

The same.

Pierre nodded vigorously. Oh, yes, Monseigneur! A very holy soul. Whenever I see her praying in church, I always feel as though Im watching a saint. Shes wonderfully kind to the poor, too. And of course a fine mother to her boy.

Ah, young Claude. By the way, how old is the lad now?

Not quite twelve, Monseigneur. And a strange little character, if I may say so.

Strange?

Well, perhaps thats not the word. But everyone knows he ran away to Paris last week because he said he wasnt loved at home. Three days he was gone, too, which almost broke his mothers heart. Can you imagine a normal child doing such a thing?

The Archbishop smiled. Young Pierre Dupletteserious, hard-working and trustworthyhad been all but a son to him since that fateful day, eighteen years before, when the plague had carried off both the boys parents.

Now, Pierre, dont forget it takes all kinds of folk to make a world, he observed mildly. Claude Martin will find his place someday. Then, suddenly, cocking his ear, he said, But isnt that the doorbell? Run and answer it like a good soul. Im expecting a visitor.

Pierres eyes shone. So, hed been right after all! Of course, Monseigneur. Ill go at once. And perhaps youll be wanting wine and cakes in a little while?

The Archbishop nodded. Yes, Pierre. The best wine and cakes in the house.

Alone for a moment, Bertrand dEschaux turned from the fire and crossed the room to stand by the window overlooking a rustic shrine to Our Lady in the garden outside. It was a desolate place now, the little shrine, with only a few barren trees and vines for a background. Yet the face of the Virgins statue was as gracious as in the time of blossoms. Indeed, the outstretched hands suddenly seemed to come alive in the pale January sunlight as though they would bestow upon the Archbishop all manner of priceless treasures.

Not so much for myself as for another, Holy Virgin, he pleaded silently.

Even as the Archbishop prayed, there came a soft rap at the door. Turning, he saw an attractive woman in her early thirties being ushered into the room by a somewhat bewildered Pierre. So there was a reason behind all those questions, the boys look plainly said.

Although the newcomer was very simply attireda black hooded cloak covering a dress of common gray homespunher smile was as radiant as that of a young girl, and the dark eyes that lifted to his own as she came forward to kiss his ring were extraordinarily beautiful.

Bonjour , Madame Martin! How good to see you!

Bonjour , Monseigneur! How good of you to want to see me!

When Pierre had left the room, the Archbishop motioned his guest to a chair beside his own close to the fire. I sent word for you to come, Madame, after hearing what the Prioress of the Ursulines had to tell me yesterday. That was surely good news!