Rose Philippine Duchesne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintRose Philippine Duchesne R.S.C.J. |
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| Missionary | |
| Born | August 29, 1769 Grenoble, Dauphiné, Kingdom of France |
| Died | November 18, 1852 (aged 83) St. Charles, Missouri, U.S. |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church (United States & the Society of the Sacred Heart) |
| Beatified | May 12, 1940, Vatican City, by Pope Pius XII |
| Canonized | July 3, 1988, Vatican City, by Pope John Paul II |
| Major shrine | Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne St. Charles, Missouri, United States |
| Feast | November 18 |
| Patronage | perseverance amid adversity, Archdiocese of St. Louis, Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau |
Rose Philippine Duchesne (August 29, 1769 – November 18, 1852) was a French nun and teacher. She traveled to America as a missionary. She is known for helping and educating Indigenous American children.
Rose Philippine Duchesne was an early member of the Society of the Sacred Heart. She helped start the first communities of this group in the United States. She spent the last part of her life teaching and serving people in the Midwestern United States. This area was then the western edge of the country.
She was made a saint by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
Contents
Her Life Story
Early Years in France
Rose Philippine Duchesne was born in Grenoble, France, in 1769. She was one of seven daughters. Her father was a lawyer. Her mother came from a well-known family.
When she was young, Rose went to school at the Monastery of Sainte-Marie-d'en-Haut. It was run by Visitandine nuns. She felt a strong desire to become a nun. Her family did not want her to join. But in 1788, she decided to enter the Visitation religious order anyway.
French Revolution and Changes
In 1792, the French Revolution began. Revolutionaries closed down the monastery. The nuns had to leave. Rose went back to her family's home. She tried to live like a nun while helping her family. She also helped people suffering during the revolution.
Later, the Catholic Church could open again in France. In 1801, Rose tried to restart the Visitation Monastery. The buildings were badly damaged. Only a few older nuns returned, but the conditions were too hard. Rose was left with only three friends.
Joining the Society of the Sacred Heart
Around this time, Madeleine-Sophie Barat started a new group called the Society of the Sacred Heart. This group focused on educating young women. In 1804, Rose met Madeleine-Sophie. Rose decided to join her new group. The two women became close friends for life.
In 1815, after the wars ended, Rose started a Sacred Heart convent in Paris. She opened a school there. She also trained new nuns.
Missionary Work in America
Dream of Helping Native Americans
Since she was a child, Rose had wanted to help Native Americans. She heard stories from priests about life in Louisiana. This area was once a French colony.
In 1817, a bishop from America, Louis William Valentine Dubourg, visited Paris. He was looking for teachers to help children in his area. Rose asked for permission to go with him. She wanted to be a missionary.
Journey to Missouri
In 1818, Rose and four other Sisters sailed to the United States. They arrived in New Orleans after ten weeks. Then, they traveled by steamboat up the Mississippi River. Their journey ended in St. Charles, in what was then the Missouri Territory.
Rose described the place as "the remotest village in the U.S." But the Sisters opened a new Sacred Heart convent in a log cabin. This was the first house of their Society outside France. It was also the first free school west of the Mississippi River.
The Sisters faced many challenges. They had little money and poor housing. They were often hungry and cold. They also struggled to learn English. Despite this, their group grew. By 1828, they had six communities and several schools.
Helping the Potawatomi Tribe
In 1841, when she was 71, Rose went to a new mission. It was with the Potawatomi tribe in eastern Kansas. She was not chosen at first because of her age. But a priest said, "She may not be able to do much work, but she will assure success to the mission by praying for us."
Rose could not learn the Potawatomi language. So, she spent a lot of time in prayer. The children called her Quahkahkanumad. This means Woman Who Prays Always. She helped Native Americans as far as the Rocky Mountains.
Slavery and the Sisters
During this time in American history, some people owned enslaved people. When Rose arrived in America, she was surprised by this. Slavery had been outlawed in France.
In 1822, Rose wrote, "In spite of my dislike for having Negro slaves, we may be obliged to purchase some." The Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau bought an enslaved man named Frank Hawkins in 1823. Later, they bought other members of his family to keep them together.
Rose herself was given an enslaved person by Bishop Louis DuBourg around 1821 or 1822. Because of these links to slavery, a college in England, founded by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, renamed a building that was named after Duchesne. It is now named after Nelson Mandela.
Later Years and Death
In 1842, Rose's health was not good. She returned to Saint Charles, Missouri. She spent her last ten years living in a small room. It was under a stairway near the chapel. She spent her time in quiet prayer.
She died on November 18, 1852, at the age of 83.
Honoring Her Memory
Rose Philippine Duchesne was first buried in the convent cemetery. Three years later, her body was moved to a small shrine.
In 1940, Pope Pius XII declared her "Blessed." This is a step toward sainthood. In 1988, Pope John Paul II made her a saint. Her remains were moved to a larger shrine in 1952.
Images for kids
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Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
