Saint Marguerite d'Youville

Born at Varennes

"On the sixteenth day of the month of October of the year one thousand seven hundred and one, Father Guillaume Bulteau, delegated to this task, baptized Marie-Marguerite, born the previous day, the daughter of Christophe Dufros, Esquire, Sieur de la Jemmerais, Lieutenant in the Guards, and of Lady Renée Gaultier de Varennes, his wife. The godfather was Jacques René Gaultier de Varennes and the godmother Marie Marguerite Gaultier de Varennes, whose signatures are appended."

Her Family

Marie-Marguerite was the oldest of six children. Her brothers Charles and Joseph would become priests, whereas her brother Christophe would accompany his uncle, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de la Vérendrye, in his explorations of western Canada. Her sisters, Marie-Clémence and Marie-Louise, would marry, respectively, Pierre Gamelin Maugras and Ignace Gamelin, Montreal merchants.

Her Childhood

Marguerite was only seven years old when her own father died on 1 June 1708. The family then went through a period of insecurity and deprivation, for the earnings of an officer were not sufficient for the immediate needs of a family, and the widow’s pension was a long time in arriving. No doubt, Pierre Boucher took this as an occasion to welcome into his home in Boucherville his granddaughter Marie-Renée and the orphans.

The move to Montreal

In 1719, Marguerite’s mother married again, this time an Irish doctor, Timothy Sullivan, who also went under the name Timothy Sylvain. In 1721, the Sullivan couple and the Lajemmerais children moved to Rue St. Vincent in Montreal.

The Wedding

In August 1722, a brilliant marriage united François-Madeleine d'Youville and Marguerite Dufrost de la Jemmerais. She went to live with her mother-in-law, Madame You de la Découverte, “who being quite stingy, made Marguerite’s life difficult; she indeed lived as if she had already retired to a convent,” wrote her son Charles, who was her first biographer.

The d'Youville

Public opinion opposed them, and the years following Marguerite’s marriage were sombre ones. Happiness was definitely not in the books.

Wife and Mother

In the biography of his mother, Charles says that the difficulties and trials that Marguerite experienced in her marriage caused her to shed bitter tears; but he also says that “the goodness of her heart was so great that all the indifference and harshness of her husband did not prevent her from being deeply grieved by his death.”

The Confraternity of the Holy Family

The Confraternity of the Holy Family was an association going back to the very founding of Montreal. It expanded greatly under the influence of Bishop de Laval. Many lay women from all walks of life had joined it.

A New Way

When her husband died, Marguerite was left with two children to care for. She was pregnant with her sixth child, but the infant did not survive. Being very familiar with poverty, she did all she could to ease the lives of the destitute, she visited the sick, and she mended the clothes of the residents of the General Hospital.

A New Society

During 1737, Marguerite performed a series of acts that eventually led to a special commitment. They were laying the foundation for a life devoted to the service of the poor. 

The Le Verrier House

On 30 October 1738, Marguerite d'Youville and her companions moved into a house that they rented from Madame Le Verrier. The building was large enough to accommodate ten people. They were able to support the household by their own work.

A Life Changing Trial

The Le Verrier house was destroyed by fire on 31 January 1745, and the Widow d'Youville and her household found themselves on the street. Owing to the populace’s dislike of them, it was going to be hard to find a new home.

Support from the Priests Saint-Sulpice

A society of priests known as the Priests of Saint-Sulpice, or Sulpicians, had come from France in 1657. They played a major role in the founding of Ville Marie and in consolidating their roles as both pastors and lords and proprietors of the island. They were in charge of the parish of Notre Dame, which welcomed the family of Marguerite when they moved from Varennes.

The General Hospital

In 1694, Letters Patent had been sent from the King of France authorizing the foundation of a men’s religious community to which the people of Montreal gave the name “Charon Brothers” because its founder was François Charon. This charitable work was not able to survive the death of its founder; and in 1747, the administration of the General Hospital was placed in the hands of the Widow d’Youville’s community.

A Controversial Appointment

After having devoted three years of hard work to restoring the General Hospital from its ruins and getting it in shape to receive poor people, Marguerite heard by chance in the public square that the authorities were going to suppress her charitable institution and merge it with the General Hospital of Quebec City, and that she would be losing her position.

Defending Rights

At that time, Marguerite wrote several letters, of which manuscript copies still exist; and she herself went to Quebec City to set the record straight about her directorship following Monsieur Bigot’s allegations and to defend the rights of the poor people of Montreal.

Official Recognition

On 3 June 1753, the King signed the Letters Patent conferring legal status upon the community formed by Marguerite d'Youville and her companions and entrusting them with the administration of the General Hospital of Montreal.

The Mission Grows

Epidemics, poor harvests, famine, and war meant that they had to find inventive ways to survive and to meet the needs of the ever-increasing number of people who sought refuge in the General Hospital. At the request of Intendant Bigot, they took in prisoners and wounded soldiers.

A Terrible Trial

On 18 May 1765, the General Hospital was completely destroyed by fire in a few hours. Marguerite and her family of 17 sisters and 96 residents, including 18 children, found themselves once again on the street.

The Priests in Marguerite's Family

Pierre Boucher, Marguerite’s ancestor, had eleven priests over four generations among his descendants. In a letter to his bishop, François called it a “priestly family”.

The Last Meeting

On the evening of 23 December 1771, Marguerite suffered a third stroke. People passing by the General Hospital noticed a luminous cross in the sky above it. At that moment, Marguerite was entrusting her sisters with her last wishes.

The Radiant Influence of Her Life

The life of Marguerite d'Youville has inspired and continues to inspire thousands of people. The cause for her canonization was introduced in Rome in 1890. On 3 May 1959, Pope John XXIII beatified her with the title Mother of Universal Charity. On 9 December 1990, Pope John Paul II canonized her. She was the first native-born Canadian saint to be canonized.