At a certain
point you say
to the woods, to the sea,
to the mountains,
the world,
Now I am ready.
Now I will stop and be wholly attentive.
You empty yourself and wait,
listening...
Annie Dillard
Philippine Duchesne
| Born: 1769 in Grenoble, France |
| Died: 1852 North America |
| Canonised in 1988 |
Philippine’s
life story, with its many failures and many achievements,
shows
how as a wealthy woman who belonged to a politically
prominent French
family decided
to dedicate her life and gifts to the poor.
Her story tells how she provided free education for those
who had long
been denied the privilege - young women; the poor and the
native Americans.
Philippine was an inspiration to all whom she encountered
throughout her
life time,
and continues to be so.
Let us pray that Philippine’s
• strength of character;
• courage;
• sense of adventure;
• vision;
• desire to serve the poor and to spread the love of God
will engender in us, and in all who come to know her,
a sense of purpose and meaning so that we can continue
to grow in ‘one heart and one mind’, and contribute together
as dedicated members of the worldwide family of the
Sacred Heart.
Contemporary Insights:
Madeleine Sophie Barat: A Life by Phil Kilroy, rscj