St. Louise de Marillac – Feast Days, Prayers, Patronage, Quotes and More

Saint Louise de Marillac

Use the links below to jump to different sections of our page dedicated to St. Louise de Marillac.

Overview

  • Birth: August 12, 1591
  • Location: Paris, France
  • Death: March 15, 1660
  • Beatification: May 9, 1920, Vatican by Pope Benedict XV
  • Canonized: March 11, 1934, Vatican by Pope Pius XI
  • Feast Day: May 9
  • Patron Saint of: sick people, widows, social workers, and orphans
Pray on Hallow

Early Life

Born near Meaux, France in 1591, St. Louise de Marillac’s mother died young, so Louise lived under the care of her aunt, a religious sister.

Louise herself felt called to enter religious life, but her spiritual director advised her to wait. She married Antoine le Gras and had a son, whom she raised devotedly by carrying out charitable works. Her husband soon fell ill, and she cared for him until his death in 1625.

Legacy

Louise suffered from guilt over possibly having rejected her earlier calling to religious life, but her spiritual director, St. Vincent de Paul, guided her with God’s mercy and compassion.

Under his guidance, she formed a community of women who performed works of mercy, tending to the sick, the neglected, and the poor. St. Louise de Marillac went on to found the Daughters of Charity.

Louise served with great zeal until her death in 1660, and she is the patron saint of social workers.

Pray on Hallow

St. Louise de Marillac Prayers

By reflecting on Saint Louise’s life and asking for her intercession, you can pray for increased virtues of faith and charity. She is a shining example of living in accordance with God’s will despite suffering hardships like grief. Here is a prayer below you can say:

Loving and compassionate God, we celebrate with great joy the faith and works of our patroness St. Louise de Marillac. Instill in us the fire of her love, the tenacity of her belief, and the tenderness of her care for the most abandoned. Draw us together into the light of your presence and help us to trust in the power of your Spirit, leading us to ever closer to you, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

(Source)

Feel free to meditate on this prayer from Saint Louise de Marillac:

Pray on Hallow

I adore you, O my God and recognize that you are the author of my existence. Because of the love I owe you, I abandon myself entirely to your holy will in my life. Although I am filled with powerlessness and reasons for humiliation on account of my sins, I trust in Your mercy.

I beg You, because of the love You have for Your creatures, to send the assistance of your Holy Spirit so as to produce the full effect of the plan which your holy will has had, from all eternity, for my soul and for all the souls redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

(Source)

St. Louise de Marillac, pray for us!

St. Louise de Marillac Quotes

  • “Continue to serve our dear masters with great gentleness, respect, and cordiality, always seeing God in them.”
  • “I irrevocably resolve to love and serve Him with greater fidelity and to give myself entirely to Him.”
  • “I have no desire for any greater assurance than Divine Providence.”

Patronage

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