St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
The year was 1769. It would be seven years before the Thirteen British Colonies would declare their independence from England. It was six years since France lost the Seven Years War and the title to all the American lands west of the Mississippi to Spain. Not knowing this, in 1764 Laclede and Chouteau had started a fur trading post on the west bank of the river. They named it St. Louis, after the King of France.
Meanwhile, back in France, a little girl was born to Pierre Francois Duchesne, a successful businessman in Grenoble, and his wife Rose. Forty nine years later, in 1818, Sister Rose Philippine Duchesne would arrive here in St. Louis.
A lot happened to Sr. Rose during those 49 years. As a young girl, she was determined to come to America to evangelize. She was educated, first at home, then by the Visitation nuns. At the age of 19, without her parents’ knowledge or permission, she joined them.
During the French Revolution, religious communities were outlawed and the Visitation Convent was closed. After the revolution was over, Rose tried to re-open the convent, but the nuns had scattered and she couldn’t find enough of them to do it. So, in 1804 she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart and turned the convent over to them.
In 1818, James Monroe was President of the United States. The Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 were over. It would be three years before Missouri became a state. William DuBourg, the Bishop of Louisiana, was trying to figure out how to govern a diocese that covered thousands of square miles. He asked France to send him some help. Rose and four other sisters were among those who answered the call. They landed in St. Charles where they started the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi.
Then they moved to Florissant where they opened a convent, an orphanage, a parish school, a school for the Indians, a boarding school, and a novitiate for the Sacred Heart order.
In 1827, Mother Rose started an orphanage, a convent, and a parish school in St. Louis. At the age of 72, she founded a mission school for Indian girls in Kansas.
Mother Rose Philippine Duchesne died in St. Charles in 1852, at the age of 83.
We've all seen the movies and TV shows about pioneer life in the United States. Mother Duchesne endured all that and more. She didn't just build a little cabin with her husband. She built institutions! She built schools, and orphanages, and convents. She did it with the help of a handful of nuns! She's an example for all of us that nothing's impossible with God's help.
She lived the pioneer life, with all the danger and all the hard work well into her eighties. Her example of holiness and persistence in the face of great obstacles and great dangers should be an example for all of us. And, she did her best work right here in St. Louis.
Meanwhile, back in France, a little girl was born to Pierre Francois Duchesne, a successful businessman in Grenoble, and his wife Rose. Forty nine years later, in 1818, Sister Rose Philippine Duchesne would arrive here in St. Louis.
A lot happened to Sr. Rose during those 49 years. As a young girl, she was determined to come to America to evangelize. She was educated, first at home, then by the Visitation nuns. At the age of 19, without her parents’ knowledge or permission, she joined them.
During the French Revolution, religious communities were outlawed and the Visitation Convent was closed. After the revolution was over, Rose tried to re-open the convent, but the nuns had scattered and she couldn’t find enough of them to do it. So, in 1804 she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart and turned the convent over to them.
In 1818, James Monroe was President of the United States. The Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 were over. It would be three years before Missouri became a state. William DuBourg, the Bishop of Louisiana, was trying to figure out how to govern a diocese that covered thousands of square miles. He asked France to send him some help. Rose and four other sisters were among those who answered the call. They landed in St. Charles where they started the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi.
Then they moved to Florissant where they opened a convent, an orphanage, a parish school, a school for the Indians, a boarding school, and a novitiate for the Sacred Heart order.
In 1827, Mother Rose started an orphanage, a convent, and a parish school in St. Louis. At the age of 72, she founded a mission school for Indian girls in Kansas.
Mother Rose Philippine Duchesne died in St. Charles in 1852, at the age of 83.
We've all seen the movies and TV shows about pioneer life in the United States. Mother Duchesne endured all that and more. She didn't just build a little cabin with her husband. She built institutions! She built schools, and orphanages, and convents. She did it with the help of a handful of nuns! She's an example for all of us that nothing's impossible with God's help.
She lived the pioneer life, with all the danger and all the hard work well into her eighties. Her example of holiness and persistence in the face of great obstacles and great dangers should be an example for all of us. And, she did her best work right here in St. Louis.
posted by Mike at 7:29 PM
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