Saint of the Month

      Answering God's call can be the answer to other people's prayers. Madeleine Barat was born prematurely on Dec. 12, 1779. It is said that her mother was frightened by a fire which caused her to go into labor. Madeleine often said she was born of fire. She certainly had a lot of exuberance as a child. She wanted to do and know everything the world had to offer. She learned much from her older brother Louis who was a priest. He taught her Latin, Greek, Spanish, Italian, and natural science. She learned quickly. She read and studied the classics.
      During the "Reign of Terror" (1793-94) churches and religious locations were closed or destroyed. Over 16,000 people were killed publicly with the guillotine. Her brother was thrown into prison for being a priest. Madeleine and her family prayed in front of pictures of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus every day for Louis' safety. It was during this time she found her great love of prayer. Louis was eventually released after the war and encouraged Madeleine to study in Paris.
      In Paris her brother introduced her to Fr. Varin. Fr. Varin had been looking for a woman to head a group of women to do for girls, what the Society of Jesus had done for boys. The Society of Jesus had schools for boys to learn the Catholic faith as well as life skills. All the original convent schools were destroyed during the war. Madeleine at the age of twenty was being called to start a school for girls in a time when an education for females was ignored. She fervently accepted her assignment. She was considering being a Carmelite sister. But she took her vow to religious life, founding of an order or nuns called the Society of Jesus. She prayed deeply for guidance. In 1801 the first convent was opened. She would eventually open 86 houses throughout the world including the United States.
     Although she stressed formal prayer, St. Madeleine also praised the power of informal prayer. She encouraged all people to pray throughout their day giving praise and glory to God. Her writings often reiterated this:
    " Few give themselves over to the Holy Spirit, and what a mistake we make in not being among the privileged few! Believe me, it costs much more to stay in a miserable mediocrity in which one belongs neither to God nor to oneself. It is like swimming between two currents; it is difficult and dangerous. Hurry up and plunge into mid-stream. The Holy Spirit will then carry you and you will get to port much more quickly." (Letters 5 vols. II 339)
    At 23 she became the superior of the order and remained so for the next sixty three years. By answering her call to the religious life, she was able to provide a future for young females. She was able to lead souls to Christ and help make our world better. It took great courage and perseverance to do the many wonderful things she did for girls and young women. Mother Barat died in Paris on the Feast of the Ascension in 1865. She was beatified in 1908 and canonized in 1925. Her body, incorrupt, lies in Jette, Belgium. One of her most beautiful quotes:
" God does not ask of us perfection of tomorrow, nor even of tonight, but only of the present moment."