In the Footsteps of St. Louis Marie de Montfort

"Footsteps Online"

Spring 2000 (Volume 5, Issue 1)

In the Footsteps of Wisdom

Marie Louise Trichet, first Daughter of Wisdom, was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II on May 16th 1993. This article reflects on how the first Daughter of Wisdom walked the way of Wisdom - a way that was to utterly change her life, a way that led her to seek and serve Christ, '...who is the power and wisdom of God.'

Marie Louise of Jesus,
first Daughter of Wisdom,
who used her gifts of mind and heart
in the service of others.
Did it ever cross your mind
in busy Poitiers, in western France,
between the spasms of pain that drained you
as you gave birth to a new religious family,
that your 'Yes' in a specific time and place
would dramatically alter the lives
of many women, over the centuries?
That other women of diverse cultures
would walk the way of Wisdom as you did?
Woman of your time,
What do you say
to the women and men of our time
Now standing at the start of A new millennium?

This is the story of one 18th century woman, who responded to Christ's call to take a risk, a risk that for a woman of that time was to leave herself open to ridicule and misunderstanding, since the perceived role of religious women was of a more monastic and cloistered nature.

Faith Story

The story of any growth in faith is a gradual one, and involves much searching, and this was true of Marie Louise Trichet, who sought for many years to commit herself to God. The year was 1702. It was about this time that Fr. Louis Marie de Montfort was appointed as chaplain to the Workhouse of Poitiers - a place where men, women and children lived in conditions of extreme poverty. On approaching Montfort for confession, she found that the direction of her life was to be changed forever - but in God's time and according to His wisdom. What Montfort demanded of her was nothing less than total commitment to Christ Wisdom and loving service of the poor and destitute. She was to follow Christ who, "emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave". (Philippians 2:7)

We are asked to picture a young woman of 19 in this Workhouse in Poitiers, not in any administrative or supervisory role, but as a member of a group of women from the Workhouse itself led by a blind woman, whom Montfort had drawn together under the title 'WISDOM'. And what was this school of Wisdom that Marie Louise was to live under? It was, above all, an experience of being rooted in the meaning of the Incarnation - an experience of a compassionate God who sent his Son Jesus to heal, redeem and liberate,

"... to bring good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
and to proclaim the Lord's year of favour…" (Luke 4:18)

Among the Poor

In her choice of ministry and service of people Marie Louise, following in Christ's footsteps, must always,

"Choose what is weak by human reckoning, those whom the world thinks common and contemptible, those who are nothing at all, to show up those who are everything." (1 Cor 1:27-29)

For Marie Louise, this Wisdom was to be essentially the response of an open heart that knows there can be no timetable where the love of God is concerned, the response of an open heart filled with compassion, following Christ who is,

"Gentle in His origins, gentle in His looks, gentle in His Words and gentle in His actions." (Love of the Eternal Wisdom Ch.10)

Within the walls of the Workhouse in Poitiers, Marie Louise lived the Wisdom of God, a Wisdom that was down-to-earth and practical by nature.

For this initial 'Wisdom' group of women, the central focus was the cross that Montfort erected - now called the Poitiers Cross - around which the small community gathered in prayer. Thus began for Marie Louise a period of several years spent among the poor of Poitiers, wearing the grey habit given to her by Montfort on February 2nd 1703, and living by the Rule of Life drawn up by him. They were lonely years, as Montfort was to be away for much of this time, having told Marie Louise before his departure,

"My daughter, do not leave this hospital for ten years. Even though the establishment of the Daughters of Wisdom be not made to the end of this time, God will be satisfied and His plans for you will be fulfilled."

Then, and throughout her long life, Marie Loulse's desire to love and serve Christ Wisdom was to lead her down many twisting paths and roads - her love was expressed in her ready response to any human need, any place where she - as a Daughter of Wisdom - could heal, redeem and liberate.

"I was by God's side, a master craftswoman, delighting God day by day, ever at play in His presence, at play everywhere. in the world, delighting to be with the children of the world." (Proverbs 8: 30-31)

(to be continued in next issue)