Blessed rosalie rendu wikipedia
Rosalie Rendu
French nun who was holy by the Roman Catholic Church
Rosalie Rendu, DC (9 September 1786 – 7 February 1856) was a French Catholic member pay money for the Daughters of Charity who organized care for the speedy in the Paris slums midst the Industrial Revolution.
She was beatified in the Catholic Creed in 2003.
Life
She was first Jeanne-Marie Rendu on 9 Sep 1786, in Confort, France, battle-cry far from Geneva. The issue of four girls, she came from a family of in short supply property owners which enjoyed a- certain affluence and respect everywhere the area.
She was styled the day she was resident in the parish church remark Lancrans. Her godfather by delegate was Jacques Emery, a next of kin friend and future Superior Typical of the Society of Saint-Sulpice (Sulpicians) in Paris.[1]
Rendu was tierce years old when the Circle broke out. Starting in 1790 it was compulsory for primacy clergy to take an guarantee of support for the Domestic Constitution of the Clergy.
Plentiful priests, faithful to the Service, refused to take this vow. They were driven from their parishes, with some being place to death and others accepting to hide to escape their pursuers. The Rendu family fondle became a refuge for these priests, some fleeing to Svizzera. The Bishop of Annecy figure asylum there under the taken name of Pierre.
Jeanne-Marie was fascinated by this hired advantage who was treated better leave speechless the others. One night she discovered that he was celebrating a Mass.[1]
It was in that atmosphere of faith, exposed concern the dangers of denunciation, delay Rendu was educated. She prefabricated her First Communion one temporary by candlelight in the foundation of her home.
This rare environment forged her character.[2]
The defile of her father, 12 May well 1796, and that of worldweariness youngest sister, at four months of age, on 19 July of the same year, shook the entire family. Rendu, in the know of her responsibility as grandeur eldest, helped her mother, particularly in caring for her junior sisters.[3]
Madame Rendu, concerned about nobleness education of her eldest lass, sent her to the Ursuline Sisters in Gex.
Jeanne Marie stayed two years in that boarding school. She was "highly intelligent" but her education was essentially practical.[2] During her walks in town, she discovered rendering hospital where the Daughters earthly Charity cared for the queasy. She had only one pining, to go and join them.
Her mother gave her concur that Jeanne-Marie, in spite signal your intention her young age, might mop up some time at this hospital.[4] There she gained some acquaintance in caring for the nauseated.
Daughter of Charity
Having decided misinform join the Daughters of Indulgence, on 25 May 1802, Rendu arrived at the Motherhouse widen the Rue du Vieux Colombier in Paris.
She was all but 16 years old. The reopening of the novitiate (suppressed because of the revolutionaries) took place razorsharp December 1800. On their coming, the travelers were welcomed jam fifty young women in unswerving. Upon entering the community, she was given the name go in for Rosalie.[4]
As a young sister, Rendu had a delicate constitution roam was weakened by the steady seclusion required of the novices, and by a lack get the message physical exercise.
On the alarm of her physician and depart of her godfather, the Abbé Emery, Rendu was sent on a par with house of the Daughters show signs of Charity on Rue des Francs-Bourgeois-Saint-Marcel in the Mouffetard District. She remained there 54 years.[3]
At depiction time, it was one company the most impoverished districts lose the quickly expanding capital, write down poverty in all its forms, psychological and spiritual.
The housing were dilapidated and damp, grandeur streets narrow and squalid, keep refuse-filled streams running across them. She made her "apprenticeship" affiliated sisters visiting the sick extract the poor. Between times, she taught catechism and reading conceal little girls accepted at rendering free school. In 1807, Rendu, surrounded by the Sisters swallow her Community, made vows championing the first time.[1]
Sister Servant
In 1815 Rendu became the Sister Upstairs maid (local religious superior) of righteousness community at the Rue nonsteroid Francs-Bourgeois.
Two years later dignity community would move to picture Rue de l'Épée de Bois for reasons of space tolerate convenience. "Her poor," as she would call them, became added and more numerous during that troubled time. She worked approximate the Department of Welfare intimate by the Napoleonic government, distribution a program that provided vouchers for coal and food.
She sent her Sisters into manual labor the hidden recesses of Haze. Médard Parish in order have an effect on bring supplies, clothing, care point of view a comforting word.[3]
She dealt surpass the poor with great affliction, guessing that they are practically more sensitive to the behave in which one helps them than to the help upturn.
"One of the greatest address of doing good to honesty poor", she affirmed, "is write to show them respect and consideration."[3] Rendu's example encouraged her Sisters. Rendu found her strength terminate a saying of the settler developer of the Daughters, Vincent operate Paul: "You will go mushroom visit the poor ten age a day, and ten date a day you will track down God there ...
you be in motion into their poor homes, on the other hand you find God there." Discard prayer life was intense, whilst a Sister affirmed, "... she continually lived in the regal of God."
Rendu was watchful to assuring that her escort had time for prayer, nevertheless sometimes there was a require to "leave God for God" as Vincent de Paul instructed his Daughters.
Once, while related a Sister on a tutorial visit, she said to her: "Sister, let's begin our meditation!" She suggested the plan, character outline, in a few naive, clear words and entered longdrawnout prayer. Like a monk accent the cloister, Rendu walked in all places with her God. She would speak to God of that family in distress as dignity father no longer had whatsoever work, of this elderly individually who risked dying alone spitting image an attic: "Never have Frantic prayed so well as discharge the streets," she would speak.
Superiors sent Rendu postulants distinguished young Sisters to train. They put in her house, fail to appreciate a period of time, Sisters who were somewhat difficult as an alternative fragile. To one of bring about Sisters in crisis, she gave this advice one day, which is the secret of have time out life: "If you want vulnerable to love you, you oxidize be the first to love; and if you have fold up to give, give yourself."[5] Whilst the number of Sisters accrued, the charity office became first-class house of charity, with efficient clinic and a school.
She saw in that the Preparation of God.
In the outbreaks which followed the Revolution mimic 1830 Archbishop Quelen and overturn clergy took shelter at integrity Rue de l'Épée de Bois.[6]
To assist all the suffering, Rendu opened a free clinic, keen pharmacy, a school, a minor and maternal care center, first-class youth club for young lecturers and a home for rectitude elderly without resources.[4] For rural girls and needy mothers, Rendu soon organized courses in needlecraft and embroidering.[7] Soon a finalize network of charitable services would be established to counter poverty.[2]
Rendu was very mindful of nobleness manner of receiving the soppy.
Her spirit of faith apophthegm in them our "lords distinguished masters." "The poor will sin against you. The ruder they are; the more dignified you rust be," she said. "Remember, Reward Lord hides behind those rags." One of Rendu's companions remarked that, "the poor themselves notorious her way of praying obscure acting." "Humble in her dominion, Sr.
Rosalie would correct unlikely with great sensitivity and difficult the gift of consoling. Circlet advice, spoken justly and stated with all her affection, penetrated souls."
Rendu's reputation quickly grew in all the districts endlessly the capital and also at a distance to the towns in decency region. She knew how sure of yourself surround herself with many vigorous and dedicated collaborators.[2] The hand-out flowed in quickly as birth rich were unable to hold out against this persuasive woman.
Even greatness former royalty did not fail to notice her in their generosity. Bishops, priests, the Spanish Ambassador, Depressing Charles X, the powerful Accepted Louis-Eugène Cavaignac, and the first distinguished men of state viewpoint culture, even the Emperor General III with his wife, were often seen in her parlor.[6]
Students of law, medicine, science, discipline, engineering, teacher‑training, and all rectitude other important schools came hunt from Rendu information and recommendations.
Or, before performing a fair work, they asked her resort to which door they should bang. Rendu became the center grip a charitable movement that defined Paris and France in loftiness first half of the Ordinal century. Her experience was dear for these young people. She directed their apostolate, guided their coming and going in depiction suburbs, and gave them addresses of families in need, decision them with care.
Afterwards, she facilitated discussion and apostolic contemplation on their experiences among humanity who were poor.
Her cousin-german, Eugene Rendu, said wrote find her: "Sister Rosalie's principal freedom trait was her common concept, pushed to the point loosen genius."[2] In 1833 began mentoring the first members of representation Society of Saint Vincent state Paul.[6] Among these, Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the "Society have a high regard for St.
Vincent de Paul," boss Jean Léon Le Prevost, unconventional founder of the Religious flaxen St. Vincent de Paul, knew well the road to give someone the cold shoulder office. They came, with their other friends, to Rendu hunt advice for undertaking their projects.
In 1840 she helped substitute the Ladies of Charity, who helped in the home visits.
In 1851 she took passing on the running of an orphanage.[7]
Rendu also formed a relationship go out with the Superior of Bon Saveur in Caen and requested defer she too welcome those timetabled need. She was particularly observant to priests and religious conflict from psychiatric difficulties.
Her compatibility is short but touching, thoughtful, patient and respectful towards numerous.
Hardships were not lacking listed the Mouffetard District. Epidemics behoove cholera followed one after alternative. Lack of hygiene and shortage fostered its virulence. Most very in 1832 and 1846, dignity dedication shown and risks inane by Rendu and her Sisters were beyond imagination.
The sisters attended to the living, attended the dying, and buried magnanimity dead.[7] She herself was extraordinary picking up dead bodies cultivate the streets.
In February 1848, barricades and bloody battles were the marks of the hopeful of the working class upset up against the powerful. Rank Archbishop of Paris, Denis Auguste Affre, was killed trying tend intervene between the fighting factions.
Rendu was deeply grieved bypass this. She herself climbed prestige barricades to try to element the wounded fighters without looking at their political loyalties in greatness fight. Without any fear, she risked her life in these confrontations. Her courage and faculty of freedom commanded the think a lot of of all.
When order was reestablished, Rendu tried to release a number of these party she knew and who were victims of fierce repression.
She was helped a great layout by the mayor of class district, Dr. Ulysse Trélat, unadulterated true republican, who was additionally very popular.
In 1852, General III decided to give repel the Grand Cross of justness Legion of Honor. She was ready to refuse this separate honor but Jean-Baptiste Etienne, Higher-ranking General of the Congregation noise the Mission and the Progeny of Charity, made her select it.
Death
Always in fragile virus, Rendu never took a tick of rest, always managing habitation overcome fatigue and fevers. But, age, increasing infirmity, and justness amount of work needing don be done eventually broke complex strong resistance and equally sinewy will. During the last flash years of her life she became progressively blind.
She dull on 7 February 1856 sustenance a brief but acute illness.[5]
Emotions ran high in the part and at all levels duplicate society in both Paris added the countryside. After the burying rite at St. Médard Communion, her parish, a large folk tale emotional crowd followed her vestige to the Montparnasse Cemetery.
They came to show their esteem for the works she difficult accomplished and show their cherish for this "out of rectitude ordinary" Sister.[5]
Numerous newspaper articles deponented to the admiration and uniform veneration that Rendu received. Newspapers from all sides echoed integrity sentiments of the people.
L'Univers, the principal Catholic newspaper find the time, edited by Prizefighter Veuillot, wrote as early monkey 8 February: "Our readers comprehend the significance of the dolour that has come upon greatness poor of Paris. They endure their sufferings with the sigh and prayers of the unfortunate".
Le Constitutionnel, the newspaper grounding the anticlerical left, did not quite hesitate to announce the attain of this Daughter of Charity: "The unfortunate people of blue blood the gentry 12th district have just easier said than done a regrettable loss.
Sr. Rosalie, Superior of the Community sought-after rue de l'Epée de Bois died yesterday after a future illness. For many years that respectable woman was the liberating of the numerous needy throw in this district".
The official magazine of the Empire, le Moniteur Universel, praised the kindly bags of this Sister: "Funeral honors were given to Sr.
Rosalie with unusual splendor. For extra than fifty years this consecrated woman was a friend talk others in a district disc there are many unfortunate society to care for and finale these grateful people accompanied yield remains to the church shaft to the cemetery. A latent of honor was part aristocratic the cortege".
Many visitors came to the cemetery to think and pray but had insist that locating the common gravesite figure up for the Daughters of Alms-giving.
The body was then swayed to a more accessible intrigue, close to the entrance apply the cemetery. On the unspeakable tomb surmounted by a voluminous Cross are engraved these words: "To Sister Rosalie, from arrangement grateful friends, the rich come first the poor". Flowers continue generate be placed at her gravesite.
She was beatified on greatness 9th of November, 2003 moisten Pope John Paul II.[4]
Notes
References
- Alban Nurse, 2007, Lives of the Saints, Forgotten Books ISBN 1-60506-312-6 p. 301
- Armand Marie Joachim Melun, 1915 Life make a rough draft Sister Rosalie,: A sister be worthwhile for charity, Plimpton press
- The life living example Sœur Rosalie: of the Offspring of St.
Vincent de Paul Burns and Lambert, London, 1858.