On January 12, Roman Catholics commemorate Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, a woman whose faith and courage shaped both the spiritual life of Canada and the early foundations of the city of Montreal.
Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys was born on Good Friday in 1620 in the Champagne region of northeastern France. She was the seventh of thirteen children in a modest middle class family. Her father, Abraham Bourgeoys, worked as a candle maker, and her mother, Guillemette Garnier, raised the large household during a time marked by religious tension and colonial expansion in Europe.
As a young girl, Marguerite described herself as cheerful and popular among her peers. Her spiritual life deepened significantly in 1640, shortly after her mother’s death. That same year, on October 7, while taking part in a procession honoring Our Lady of the Rosary, she experienced a profound inner transformation while gazing at a statue of the Virgin Mary above the entrance of Notre-Dame Abbey in Troyes. She later recalled feeling so deeply changed that those around her immediately noticed a difference in her demeanor and outlook.
Inspired by the example of the Virgin Mary, whom she saw as active, attentive, and always ready to serve where charity demanded, Saint Marguerite embraced a form of religious life that was unusual for women of her time. Instead of living behind cloistered walls, she believed in serving God through active engagement with the world, especially through education.
From 1640 to 1652, she belonged to the non cloistered external group of the Congregation of Notre-Dame in Troyes, where women were trained as teachers. She also applied to several religious orders, including the Carmelites, but was not accepted. This unexpected path eventually opened the door to a new mission. In 1653, she volunteered to travel to the French colony of Quebec.
Life in New France was harsh and uncertain. When Saint Marguerite arrived in Montreal, she found extreme poverty, illness, and high child mortality. Despite these challenges, she began assisting at the local hospital and, in 1658, opened the colony’s first school in a simple stable.
Later that year, she returned to France and came back to Montreal with three teachers and a helper. Because of their connection to the Congregation of Notre-Dame in France, these women became known as the Daughters of the Congregation. Over time, they formed an independent community that would become the Congregation of Notre-Dame of Montreal. The sisters lived simply, traveled wherever they were needed, and dedicated themselves to teaching and works of mercy across New France.
Saint Marguerite made further journeys to France in 1670 and 1680 to secure support for the growing community. King Louis XIV granted civil approval for the congregation in 1670, though church leaders were hesitant to recognize a women’s religious community without enclosure. Formal ecclesiastical approval finally came in 1698, after years of perseverance and faithful service.
Her contribution to education and social life in the colony was so vital that she became known as the Mother of the Colony. The sisters not only educated children but also helped newly arrived settlers learn how to survive in the unfamiliar land. As the congregation expanded, Saint Marguerite humbly handed over leadership to another sister.
In the final years of her life, known then as Sister Marguerite of the Blessed Sacrament, she withdrew into a life of prayer. At the end of 1699, when a young sister fell seriously ill, Saint Marguerite prayed to take on the suffering herself. The young woman recovered, while Saint Marguerite became ill and died on January 12, 1700, after twelve days of suffering.
She was canonized in 1982 by Pope John Paul II, becoming the first woman saint of the Catholic Church in Canada. Her legacy lives on through education, service, and the enduring faith she planted at the heart of Montreal.