Marie-Eugénie de Jésus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintMarie-Eugénie de Jésus |
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Photograph c. 1880.
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| Born | Anne-Eugénie Milleret de Brou 25 August 1817 Metz, Moselle, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 10 March 1898 (aged 80) Auteuil |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 9 February 1975, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Paul VI |
| Canonized | 3 June 2007, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI |
| Feast | 10 March |
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Saint Marie-Eugénie de Jésus (born Anne-Eugénie Milleret de Brou) was a French nun who lived from 1817 to 1898. She started a group of religious sisters called the Religious of the Assumption. This group focuses on educating young people, especially those who are poor.
When she was young, Anne-Eugénie wasn't very religious. But her First Communion (a special church ceremony) changed her deeply. Later, a powerful sermon inspired her to dedicate her life to God. This led her to create her religious order.
Her journey wasn't always easy. Her group faced challenges, including illnesses among its first members. Despite these difficulties, her work grew. She was recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Pope Paul VI declared her "Blessed" in 1975, and Pope Benedict XVI made her a saint in 2007.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Anne-Eugénie Milleret de Brou was born in Metz, France, on August 25, 1817. She was one of five children. Her father, Jacques Milleret, was a banker and politician. He had some different ideas about faith. Her mother, Eleonore-Eugénie de Brou, was very caring and helped poor families.
The family lived in a large house (a chateau) near Paris. Sadly, Anne-Eugénie lost two younger siblings when she was very young. In 1830, when she was 13, her family faced financial problems. Her father lost his money, and her parents separated.
Anne-Eugénie moved to Paris with her mother. She often went with her mother to visit and help families in need. This experience taught her a lot about caring for others.
A Call to Faith
In 1832, Anne-Eugénie's mother passed away from cholera. This was a very difficult time for her. She then lived with different relatives. Some of her family cared a lot about worldly things, while others were very strict about religion.
Anne-Eugénie felt a deep desire to live a life of faith and justice, like her mother had taught her. In 1825, she visited a special church called Sainte-Anne d'Auray. There, she felt a strong feeling that she should start a religious group to educate the poor.
A very important moment for her was her First Communion on Christmas Day in 1829. During this special church service, she felt God's presence in a powerful way. This spiritual experience stayed with her for the rest of her life.
Founding a New Order
In 1836, Anne-Eugénie went to hear a famous speaker, Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire, at the Notre Dame Cathedral. His speeches deeply touched her heart. She had a strong conversion experience and became very devoted to God and the teachings of the Gospel.
In 1837, she told her father and brother that she wanted to become a religious sister (nun). They found it hard to understand her dream. She briefly joined another group of nuns, but it wasn't the right fit for her.
She then met a priest named Abbé Théodore Combalot. He was looking for someone to help him start a new religious order. This order would be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to educating the poor. He believed Anne-Eugénie was the right person to lead this new group.
On April 30, 1839, Anne-Eugénie, along with four friends, founded the Religious of the Assumption. They started in a small apartment in Paris. Their first Mass (church service) as a religious group was on November 9, 1839.
In March 1841, she became the leader (Superior) of the order. She held this position until 1894, when she resigned due to poor health. She made her first promises (vows) as a nun in 1841 and her final, lifelong promises in 1844.
Later Years and Recognition
Marie-Eugénie de Jésus traveled to Rome several times. In 1866, she met Pope Pius IX. In 1888, Pope Leo XIII officially approved her religious order. This was a very important step for the Religious of the Assumption.
She continued to travel and work for her order, even as she got older. In October 1897, she had a small stroke which affected her speech and made it harder for her to move.
Marie-Eugénie de Jésus passed away on March 10, 1898, at the age of 80. By 2019, her religious order had grown significantly. It had about 1300 members from many different countries, working in 34 countries around the world.
Becoming a Saint
The process to declare Marie-Eugénie de Jésus a saint began in Paris in 1934. Her writings were carefully checked and approved. In 1940, Pope Pius XII officially started her "cause" for sainthood, and she was given the title Servant of God.
Later, in 1961, Pope John XXIII declared her "Venerable." This means he recognized that she had lived a life of great heroic virtue (holiness).
Beatification and Canonization
Pope Paul VI declared her "Blessed" on February 9, 1975, in Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City. This is the step before becoming a saint.
For someone to become a saint, the Catholic Church usually requires a miracle to be officially recognized. A miracle related to Marie-Eugénie de Jésus was investigated.
The Miracle for Sainthood
The miracle that led to her sainthood involved a young girl named Risa Bondoc, born in February 1995. Risa had a serious condition where the two halves of her brain had not joined properly. Her adoptive parents, Ditos and Carmen Bondoc, had taken her to many doctors, but nothing helped.
After prayers were offered through Marie-Eugénie de Jésus, Risa was healed. Medical experts, theologians, and church officials studied this healing. They concluded it was a miracle that could not be explained by science.
Pope Benedict XVI approved this miracle in 2006. He then officially declared Marie-Eugénie de Jésus a saint on June 3, 2007, in Saint Peter's Square.
