St. Louise de Marillac

Patron Saint of all Laborers

The woman St. Louise had been born out of wedlock in 1591 to Louise de Marillac, a member of the prominent Marillac family and a widower. Her brother was a major figure in the court of Queen Marie de' Medici and though she was not a member of the Queen's court, she lived and worked among the French aristocracy. Louise grew up amidst this affluent society of Paris but without a stable home life. She did not know her mother who died soon after giving birth to Louise. After her father's remarriage, her stepmother refused to accept Louise as part of the family. Nevertheless, she was well looked after and received her education at the royal monastery of Poissy near Paris, where her aunt was a Dominican nun. Louise was educated among the country's elite and introduced to the arts and humanities as well as the spiritual life. She felt drawn to the cloistered life and made application to the Daughters of Passion in Paris, but was refused admission. It is not clear if her refusal was due to her continual poor health or other reasons, but her spiritual director's prophetic response to her application was that God had "other designs" for her.Devastated by this refusal, Louise was at a loss as to the next step in her spiritual development. Her family convinced her that marriage was the best alternative and an uncle arranged for her marriage to Antoine Le Gras, an ambitious young man who seemed destined for great accomplishments. Louise took the marriage in her stride and in 1613 the couple had their only child in their first year of marriage. Though devoted to her family, Louise still longed for a life of service to God. Soon after the birth of their child, Antoine contracted a chronic illness and eventually became bedridden. Louise lovingly cared for her husband and child but always wondered if being a wife and mother was her true vocation.Louise suffered for years with this internal doubt and prayed for resolution, which she finally received during an inner experience of divine communication with God. In 1623 she wrote, "On the feast of the Pentecost during Holy Mass or while I was praying in the church, my mind was completely freed of all doubt. I was advised that I should remain with my husband and that the time would come when I would be in the position to make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and that I would be in a small community where others would do the same." She also received insight that she would be guided to a new spiritual director (St. Vincent de Paul) and that this grace was coming to her from her recently deceased confessor, St. Francis de Sales.Two years after this experience, Antoine died and left Louise to fulfill her next great mission in life. She now took on the task of her own spiritual development. Being a woman of great energy, intelligence, determination and devotion, Louise wrote her own "Rules of Life in the World" which detailed a structure for her life. Times were set aside for reciting the Offices of the Blessed Virgin, attending Mass, receiving Holy Communion, meditation, spiritual reading, fasting, penance, reciting the rosary, and special prayer. Still, Louise managed to find time to maintain her household, entertain guests and nourish her son, now thirteen years old. This great enthusiasm was a boon for Louise, but she also needed guidance and a tempering of her energy. This came from her relationship with Monsieur Vincent de Paul.