Another cofoundress for Montreal?
In the wake of the official recognition of Jeanne Mance as cofounder of Montreal, are we likely to see such title attributed to Marguerite Bourgeoys, whose contribution helped save Ville-Marie, in the early days of the colony?
Such is the suggestion made by certain Web sites, amongst those that of the diocese of Edmunston, of the Vatican, of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, as well as Saint Joseph’s Oratory.
It is undeniable that Marguerite Bourgeoys served heroically the emerging colony of Ville-Marie (New France). Here are some of the titles she “earned” through her works: founder of the Sisters of Congregation Notre-Dame of Montreal (first non-cloistered religious order for women), Mother of the French colony, co-founder of the Church of Canada. Do we have to add to those titles that of cofoundress of Montreal?
Let’s take a look at her works.
The Congregation of Notre-Dame (France), founded in 1598 by Alix Leclerc, under the instigation of father Pierre Fournier, had a convent in Troyes. These sisters were cloistered nuns, and could not extend their works beyond the physical boundary of their convent. By creating an “external” congregation were they able to circumvent these restrictions. To answer her call to consecrated life, Marguerite Bourgeoys’ first move was to join the external Congregation in Troyes. Mother Louise de Chomedey de Sainte-Marie, sister of Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, was their superior at the time. Through her, Marguerite first heard about the foundation of Ville-Marie and the missions to Canada. It was then that she felt her first call to missionary work. Thus, it is in the wake of the foundation of Montreal that she felt called to consecrate her life to the missions in New France.
Maisonneuve happened to make a trip to France in 1652, in preparation for the “great recruit” the following year. Sister Louise de Chomedey and a few followers, interested by the work being done in Montreal, asked Maisonneuve with insistence to join the mission. He refused because of the low probability of survival of an established religious community in Ville-Marie. Nevertheless, the colony being in need of a schoolteacher for the children of settlers and natives, Marguerite Bourgeoys is more than happy to embrace the task.
Her contributions were significant and instrumental in helping the colony catch its second breath. She set foot in Ville-Marie in 1653, along with over one hundred others who came to literally save Jerôme Le Royer’s initial project. Without this additional support, the colony could not have survived much longer.
On the occasion of her frequent trips to France, young ladies, “Filles du Roi” destined to found families for the expansion of the colony, were entrusted to her care. Marguerite Bourgeoys would take them under her wing and prepare them for the tough life of settlers, by providing a roof over their head, education and support until they found a husband. Slowly but surely a school system started to emerge and a social network would begin to reach other communities across the whole country. This would earn her the title of "Mother of the colony".
In 1655, she helped erect a small chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours. Over centuries, it brought fond memories in the hearts and minds of generations of pilgrims and visitors in Montreal. In 1658, she founded her own religious community: an external congregation, dedicated to the religious up-bringing of women and young ladies. Throughout her whole life she had to fight for the status of her congregation, one of the first non cloistered religious community for women, which was self-sufficient and which survived to this day. It was a precedent for the Catholic Church in those days.
The Congregation of Notre-Dame of Montreal received its official charter from king Louis XIV in 1671, its canonical charter following an official written request by the bishop of Quebec in 1676, and finally the approval of its religious constitutions in 1698, two years prior to Marguerite Bourgeoys’ death and five years after she had been replaced as superior of her congregation. These accomplishments would earn her the title of cofoundress of the Church of Canada.
Did Marguerite Bourgeoys make an extraordinary contribution towards the establishment of the colony in New France? Without a doubt. Can we consider her involvement as heroic? Most certainly. Can she be considered as cofoundress of Montreal? What do you think?
Christian Tessier
Article from the website Tendances et Enjeu (Trends and Issue), published on September 8, 2012, and adapted for this publication.
