Marie of the Incarnation (Ursuline) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintMarie of the Incarnation OSU |
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| Born | Marie Guyart 28 October 1599 Tours, Touraine, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 30 April 1672 (aged 72) Quebec City, Canada, New France |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church and Anglican Church of Canada |
| Beatified | 22 June 1980, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | 3 April 2014, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, by Pope Francis |
| Major shrine | Centre Marie-de-l'Incarnation, Québec, Canada |
| Feast | 30 April |
| Attributes | Ursuline habit, crucifix |
Marie of the Incarnation (born Marie Guyart, 28 October 1599 – 30 April 1672) was a French nun from the Ursuline Order. She traveled to New France (which is now Quebec, Canada) to help set up the Ursuline Order there. Marie played a very important role in spreading the Catholic faith in New France.
She was also a writer and is known for starting the very first girls' school in the New World. Because of her important work, the Catholic Church declared her a saint. The Anglican Church of Canada also honors her with a special day.
Contents
Marie's Early Life
Marie Guyart was born in Tours, France. Her father was a silk merchant. She was one of eight children. From a young age, Marie felt a strong connection to religious life.
When she was seven, Marie described her first special experience with Jesus Christ. She wrote about it in her book, Relation, in 1654. She said she saw Jesus come to her and ask, "Do you wish to belong to me?" She answered, "Yes!" After this, Marie felt she was always "inclined towards goodness."
When Marie was fourteen, she wanted to become a nun. However, her parents did not agree. Instead, she married Claude Martin, a silk worker, in 1617. She said she had a happy, but short, marriage. Within two years, she had a son, also named Claude.
Her husband died just a few months after their son was born. This made Marie a widow at only nineteen years old. She also lost her husband's business. Marie then moved back in with her parents. She spent this time focusing on her spiritual growth. Later, she moved in with her sister and brother-in-law, who had a successful business. She helped them manage their home.
Marie's desire for a religious life never faded. She wrote, "I was constantly occupied by my intense concentration on God." This strong feeling eventually led her to join the Ursuline convent on 25 January 1631.
Becoming a Nun
After her husband died, Marie was free to follow her religious path. She made promises to live a life of chastity, obedience, and poverty. In 1620, she had a religious vision that guided her even more deeply into her faith.
In 1627, Marie read a book by a Spanish mystic named Teresa of Ávila. She felt a strong connection to Teresa's spiritual journey. Marie was greatly inspired by her work. Marie dreamed of traveling to the New World and even becoming a martyr there.
Inspired by Jesuit teachings and her own visions, Marie felt more and more called to go to New France. She had a vision that helped her realize her journey was meant for Canada. With help from her spiritual guide, she became certain of her mission. Even though she never became a martyr, Marie worked very hard in the New World. After her death, she was sometimes called the "Teresa of Canada."
In 1631, Marie decided to join the Ursuline monastery in Tours. This meant she had to leave her young son. Her son, Claude, was very sad about this. He even tried to get into the monastery with his friends. Marie left him with her sister's family. The pain of being separated stayed with both of them. Later, when Claude became a Benedictine monk, they wrote letters to each other about their spiritual and emotional challenges.
Journey to New France
Before leaving, Marie lived a quiet life as an Ursuline nun. After making her final promises in 1633, she changed her name to Marie de L'Incarnation. That Christmas, she had a powerful vision. This vision became the reason for her mission to New France.
In this dream, Marie saw herself walking with another woman in a foggy, foreign land. On a small church roof, she saw the Virgin Mary and Jesus. She believed this meant they were discussing her religious calling to the new land. She told her priest about the vision. He told her the country she described was Canada. He also suggested she read The Jesuit Relations. From this, Marie understood that her mission was to help establish the Catholic faith in the New World.
It took four years for Marie to leave due to personal and money problems. During this time, she wrote to Jesuits in Quebec. They supported the idea of women religious helping to teach Huron women about Christianity. However, Marie's Mother Superior and her former spiritual guide were not supportive. Her family also tried to stop her. Her brother even tried to make her give up by saying she was neglecting her son. But Marie was determined.
Marie's financial worries were solved when she met Madeleine de la Peltrie in 1639. Marie recognized Madeleine as the woman from her vision. Madeleine was a religious widow from a wealthy family. She faced strong opposition from her family about contributing to the mission. To get around this, Madeleine arranged a fake marriage. This gave her the legal right to give most of her money to the Ursuline Order. This fully funded the mission.
After this, the Ursulines went to Paris. They signed agreements with the Company of One Hundred Associates and the Jesuit Fathers. These groups were in charge of the colony's government and spiritual life. King Louis XIII soon signed the official royal document allowing the foundation to be built.
On 4 May 1639, Marie and Madeleine set sail from Dieppe for Quebec. They were on a ship called the Saint Joseph. With them were another Ursuline nun, a young commoner, three nurses, and two Jesuit Fathers.
Arrival in Quebec
In August 1639, the group arrived in Quebec City. They set up a convent in the lower part of the town. When they started their work, Quebec was just a small settlement. There were hardly six houses where Champlain had chosen the site years before. Marie and her companions first lived in a small house. In 1642, the Ursulines moved into a permanent stone building in the upper town.
The group successfully founded the first school in what would become Canada. They also established the Ursuline Monastery of Quebec. This monastery is now recognized as one of the National Historic Sites of Canada.
Early Challenges in New France
Marie's first interactions with the Native peoples were difficult. This was due to different ways of life, illnesses, and conflicts. Native groups divided work between genders and ages differently than Europeans. This made it hard for Marie and the Ursulines to teach young girls using European methods.
European colonization also brought many illnesses. Smallpox outbreaks from the 1630s to the 1650s greatly harmed Native populations. This led them to believe that the Jesuits and Ursulines were spreading disease through their religious practices. Fears that baptisms, holy symbols, and crosses caused epidemics limited interactions. This also strained Marie's relationships with Native peoples for many years.
The most challenging relationship for Marie and the Ursulines was the conflict between the French, Huron, and other Native allies against the Iroquois. The Iroquois were hostile towards the Hurons, who were allied with the Jesuits. This shaped Marie's negative view of the Five Nations.
Iroquois victories in the 1650s brought Marie and the Ursulines close to despair. Their sadness grew when a fire destroyed their convent in 1650. At the same time, problems in France caused European Ursulines to pressure their Canadian sisters to return home. This added to Marie's stress and fears. However, these feelings of helplessness ended when the convent was rebuilt very quickly. This quick rebuilding was seen as a blessing from the Virgin Mary.
Teaching and Learning
Religious education was a main part of schooling in the 17th century. Marie followed a strict teaching method she learned from the Ursulines in Tours. This system focused on the basics of faith, French and Latin literature, and good manners. The main goal of the Ursuline school was to educate young French girls and Native girls to become good Christians.
Young French girls paid a fee for their education and living costs. At that time, young Native girls did not have to pay. The Ursulines encouraged young Innu, Hurons, and Algonquins to use the school. These girls were taught French manners and how to dress in French style. After their education, the young Native students were encouraged to go home and share what they learned. By teaching girls from different tribes, French culture was passed from daughter to mother.
Marie wrote that Native students were treated the same as French students at the school. The girls were allowed to sing hymns in both French and their native languages. Many nuns formed mother-like bonds with the First Nation students.
However, there were some problems with the education system. Some students did not stay long enough to finish their education. The Ursuline nuns could not force them to stay if the girls wanted to leave. Another problem was limited money. The school could only accept a certain number of students due to a lack of funds.
Her Death
Marie Guyart died from a liver illness on 30 April 1672. In the report sent to the Ursulines in France, it was written: "The many good qualities and virtues that shone through this dear person make us strongly believe that she is now in God's glory."
Her Writings
Besides her religious duties, Marie wrote many works. These writings showed her experiences and observations during her time in the New World. They also reflected the spiritual calling that led her there.
To help with her work with the Native population, Marie learned the Innu-aimun, Algonquin, Wyandot, and Iroquois languages. She wrote dictionaries and religious books in each of these languages, as well as in French. Sadly, none of these language books still exist today. Marie also wrote two autobiographies. Her second autobiography was destroyed in a fire at the convent while it was still a manuscript.
Her most important writings were the thousands of letters she wrote to different people. Most of these letters were sent to her son, Claude. Even though they were personal letters, some were shared in France and appeared in The Jesuit Relation in love while she was still alive. Many of the remaining letters were published by her son after her death. These letters are a valuable source for understanding the history of the French colony from 1639 to 1671. Her collection of works discusses the political, business, religious, and personal parts of the colony. They help us understand New France in the seventeenth century.
Becoming a Saint
The process for Marie Guyart to become a saint officially began on 27 September 1877. She was given the title of Servant of God. Her spiritual writings were approved by religious experts in 1895. She was then declared Venerable by Pope Pius X in 1911.
She was beatified (the step before becoming a saint) by Pope John Paul II on 22 June 1980. Finally, she was canonized (declared a saint) by Pope Francis on 3 April 2014. The Pope decided that Marie did not need the usual two miracles to become a saint. She was made a saint at the same time as François de Laval, the first Bishop of Quebec.
Her Lasting Impact
Marie of the Incarnation is celebrated as an important founder of the Ursuline Order in colonial New France. Her work with the Native Americans has also been recognized by the Anglican Church of Canada. They celebrate her life with a special day on 30 April.
Several Catholic schools have been named after her. At Laval University in Québec City, there is a special program called the Centre d'Études Marie de l'Incarnation. This program studies theology and religious practices.
Marie Guyart is remembered with a statue in front of the Québec parliament building. The sculpture was designed by Joseph-Émile Brunet in 1965. It is also located at the Basilica of Saint Anne de Beaupré.
Marie Guyart's life story was made into a documentary-drama by Jean-Daniel Lafond. It was called Folle de Dieu (Madwoman of God) (2008). The film starred Marie Tifo as Marie Guyart. It was produced by the National Film Board of Canada. Marie Tifo also played Marie Guyart in a stage play in 2009.
Marie Guyart was also played by Karen Elkin in the 2020 film The Mother Eagle (Le Sang du pélican).
Images for kids
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Coffin of Marie de l'Incarnation
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Édifice Marie-Guyart, Québec
See also
