Feast Day of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

 

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys is considered one of the founders of Montreal. She arrived in New France in 1653 and founded a school to teach French and Indian children in a stable that had been donated by the governor.

There was a problem...St. Marguerite had founded the Congregation of Notre Dame, an association dedicated to teaching. In 1679, the bishop ordered the Congregation to merge with the Ursulines - a cloistered community. Marguerite persuaded the bishop otherwise, and she went on to become Canada's first woman saint. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1982.