St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

Marguerite Bourgeoys, the foundress, was born at Troyes, France,
17 April, 1620. She was the third child of Abraham Bourgeois,
a merchant, and Guillemette Garnier, his wife. In 1653 Paul Chomody de Maisonneuve, the founder of Ville Marie (Montreal), visited Troyes, and
invited her to go to Canada to teach; she set out in June of that year,
arrived at Ville Marie, and devoted herself to every form of works of
mercy. She opened her first school on 30 April, 1657, but soon had to
return to France for recruits, where four companions joined her. A
boarding school and an industrial school were opened and sodalities were founded. In 1670 the foundress went back to France and returned in 1672
with letters from King Louis XIV and also with six new companions.
In 1675 she built a chapel dedicated to Notre Dame de Bon Secours.
To insure greater freedom of action Mother Bourgeoys founded an
uncloistered community, its members bound only by simple vows. They
had chosen 2 July, as their patronal feast-day. Modelling their lives on that
of Our Lady after the Ascension of Our Lord, they aided the pastors in the
various parishes where convents of the order had been established, by
instructing children.