Relationship/collaboration between St. Louise de Marillac and the Congregation of the Mission.

1. Louise de Marillac and
the Priests of the Mission
From the writings of Sr. Élisabeth Charpy, DC

2. Louise and Vincent
We do not have any record
of the date of the first
encounter between Louise
de Marillac and Vincent de
Paul but they probably saw
each another walking the
streets of Paris. Their houses
were near one another.
When Vincent became
Louise’s spiritual director,
she felt blessed that he lived
so close by in Paris; she
wanted this person to be
present and accessible to
her at all times.

3. Louise hears about the new
Congregation of the Mission
Louise discovered, however,
that Vincent had signed a
contract with three other
priests (the so-called Act of
Association which is
considered as a foundational
fact of the Congregation of
the Mission). So… would she
lose her spiritual director?
Who would assist her when
she needed consoling or
when she wanted to express
her concerns or when she
had questions?

4. How did Louise view the
newly-formed Congregation
of the Mission?
1. She liked their practice of
living in poverty

5. The contempt for the things of the world, professed by the first members of the Congregation of
the Mission, also meant a renunciation of all benefits and honors. This was an attitude that was
opposed to the lifestyle of many members of the clergy who lived during the seventeenth
century. Vincent himself had once desired such a benefice and yet the priests who signed this
contract of association wanted to live true evangelical poverty. Louise agreed with them since
she had wanted to embrace the austere life of poverty as a member of the Capuchins … a plan
that she was unable to accomplish. Now Vincent would be able to lead her along the path of
poverty … poverty that she earnestly desired and that she wrote down as the first rule to guide
her life:
“May the desire for holy poverty always live in my heart in such a manner that, freed from all
bonds, I may follow Jesus Christ and serve my neighbor with great humility and gentleness, living
under obedience and in chastity all my life and honoring the poverty that Jesus Christ practices
so perfectly.” (SWLM:689 [A:1])

6. How did Louise view the
newly-formed Congregation
of the Mission?
1. She liked their practice of
living in poverty
2. She liked the fact that
they were missionaries

7. Louise was very appreciative of the fact
that these priests were missionaries;
they went to various parishes to preach
and instruct and to administer the
sacraments in a worthy manner:
“In the design of serving the Church, it
shall have a knowledge of God,
recognizing him as sovereignly worthy
of being fittingly honored. To this end,
each one in particular shall give himself
entirely to work for the salvation of
souls and insofar as he can hope to do
so by the love of God. This work will be
greatly advanced by their example and
their instructions on the duties of a
Christian as well as by the grace of the
sacraments worthily administered in
the Church. This will happen and the
glory of God will be greater when the
only priests are good priests.”
(SWLM:696 [A:38])

8. How did Louise view the
newly-formed Congregation
of the Mission?
1. She liked their practice of
living in poverty
2. She liked the fact that
they were missionaries
3. She shared their desire
that all people be saved

9. The life of these Missionaries was a
continuation of the life of Jesus Christ
who came to earth in order to save
people. These Missionaries serve the
Church: they make God known and
teach the country people to love and
serve God. The minister for the glory
of God whose kingdom and justice
they strive to establish:
“They shall enter into a holy
relationship with the Son of God who,
by personally detaching himself, as it
were, from his Father, willed to take
our flesh for the salvation of the
human race. Likewise they shall be
completely detached from anything
that could prevent them from working
toward this same end, for the glory of
God.” (SWLM:696-697 [A:38])
In her writings Louise revealed this
same desire that all people be saved.
She prayed frequently to the Virgin
Mary for the salvation of the world.

10. How did Louise view the
newly-formed Congregation
of the Mission?
1. She liked their practice of
living in poverty
2. She liked the fact that
they were missionaries
3. She shared their desire
that all people be saved
4. She liked their decision to
live together in
community

11. Vincent explained to Louise that the priests who
signed the contract of association made a decision
to live together in the manner of a congregation, a
company or a confraternity. Louise asked if this
reality of community life would make it more difficult
for Vincent to serve as her director. She exerted
much effort in trying to understand the importance of
community life and discovered its greatness:
“Moreover, they shall honor the Blessed Trinity by
great union among themselves. This union shall be
neither constrained nor forced but always maintained
by gentle necessity which cordiality transforms into
mutual affection.” (SWLM:696 [A:38])
In the CM foundational documents there is no
mention of the Blessed Trinity. Did Louise discover in
her meditation the richness of this mystery, the
image of unity in diversity? Or did Vincent speak to
Louise about this mystery? Louise wrote:
“It seemed to me that in order to be faithful to God
we must live in great union with one another. Since
the Holy Spirit is the union of the Father and the Son,
the life which we have freely undertaken must be
lived in this great union of hearts.” (SWLM:768 [A:75])

12. How did Louise view the
newly-formed Congregation
of the Mission?
1. She liked their practice of
living in poverty
2. She liked the fact that
they were missionaries
3. She shared their desire
that all people be saved
4. She liked their decision to
live together in community
5. She became certain that
the Congregation of the
Mission was truly a work
of God

13. Louise understood the greatness of God’s plan in establishing
the Congregation of the Mission… She hoped that this new
foundation would bring to perfection the work that God had
entrusted to its members. As Louise would later do with the
Company of the Daughters of Charity, so now Louise entrusted
the Congregation of the Mission to the Virgin, Mother of God.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, formed him and accompanied him
through his life, even to his death on Calvary. Therefore Mary is
also able to assist and sustain and console those who now take
the place of her Son on earth. Mary confronted suffering and a
lack of understanding. These are situations in which one is able
to accompany those who follow the path of her crucified Son.
After these lengthy meditations and prolonged periods of prayer,
Louise is certain that the Congregation of the Mission is truly a
work of God. She begged Mary, through the intercession of her
Son, to provide the Missionaries with the continued presence of
the Holy Spirit and this same Spirit guide them every day of their
lives:
“Since their end is also to work for the salvation of souls and to
keep themselves always in lowly positions and submissive to
others, to ask Mary, by her intercession, to obtain the perfection
of this spirit for them and for their successors. To beg the
Blessed Virgin … to guide them by his Holy Spirit and to look
upon their Association as truly his work.” (SWLM:697 [A:39])

14. Doubts removed
Louise was now able to move
forward. She was able to
trust the Congregation of the
Mission in the same way that
she trusted Vincent de Paul.
She had reflected on what
she came to know about this
new Congregation and, as
she liked to do with the
important events of her life,
she put her reflections into
writing.
She begged Mary to guide
them and she placed her
own life in the hands of the
Virgin as well.

15. Louise had many other
cooperations with the
Congregation of the Mission
1. She came to know the first priests,
companions of St. Vincent, very well. After her
husband died, she and her son lived close to
their residence at the Collège des Bons-
Enfants. Louise was around thirty-five years old
and most of the priests were in their 20s to
40s.
2. She collaborated with the missionaries in the
Confraternities of Charity.
3. Some of the young priests took care of her son
while she was away on her missionary travels.
4. As people began to hear about the ministry,
brothers and sisters and cousins from the
same town would enter the CM and the
Daughters of Charity together. These family
relationships were recognized, accepted and
encouraged across both congregations.
5. The CMs placed much importance on
vocational recruitment for the Daughters. In all
the places where they preached, the priests
were attentive to, and encouraged young
women to offer themselves to God for the
service of the poor.

16. During all of her life Louise
gave witness of her friendship
and her trust in the priests of
the Mission. She encouraged
the Daughters of Charity to
establish similar simple and
fraternal relationships. Louise
expected much from the
Congregation of the Mission.
She relied on the
Congregation so that the
Company of the Daughters
would preserve their charism,
maintain their vitality and
fulfill the mission that the
Church had entrusted to
them.
Conclusion

17. God had led both Vincent and Louise along this path
so that together they might fulfill the will of God.

18. Source:
Louise de Marillac and the Priests of the Mission, by Sr. Élisabeth Charpy, DC
https://vincentians.com/en/louise-de-marillac-and-the-priests-of-the-mission/
Images: Depaul Image Archive