Blessed Marie Rose Durocher

Main picture, through Wikimedia; Picture wey dem feature, Jarvis through Flickr

October 6: Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Virgin—Memorial wey no be obligation for USA

1811–1849
Patron Saint for sick people and people wey don lose their papa or mama
Pope John Paul II declare am Blessed on May 23, 1982
Liturgical Colour: White
Version: Full – Short

Words wey she talk:
I dey always united with una inside di Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Make we give one another helping hand, so we fit overcome di difficulties wey dey come.
We dey wait with confidence for help from God and di Blessed Virgin.
Make una get confidence say di One wey dey protect una no go ever abandon una.
Make una no ever forget to meet with God for prayer.
Make una get courage, God no go abandon una.
Make our love for God and our neighbour be like bright light wey dey burn, wey dey show everybody around us di way to live good and holy life.
~Words wey dem say Blessed Marie Rose Durocher talk

Make We Ponder: Eulalie Mélanie Durocher na di tenth out of eleven children wey dem born into one farming family wey get enough money and wey hold Catholic faith well well for Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu. Na farming village for di Montérégie area of Quebec, Canada, about thirty miles northwest of Montreal. Three of her brothers and sisters die when dem still young, one of her sisters become nun, and three of her brothers become priests. Even though her village don dey under British rule since 1763, di people still hold their French-Catholic identity strong, and di church for di village na where dem dey gather for community matters, education and spiritual life.

From when Eulalie be small pikin, she show strong Catholic faith, good behaviour and sense to judge things well. She dey friendly, and people wey know her love her well well. Her grandpapa teach her for house until she reach ten years. When her grandpapa die, dem send her go boarding school wey di Congregation of Notre Dame dey run for Saint Denis, just across di river. When she reach twelve years, after she receive her First Holy Communion, one priest for di area begin teach her for house again for about four years, because her health no good. During that time, her sister Séraphine don move go Montreal to attend boarding school wey di sisters of di Congregation of Notre Dame dey run. She plan to join their congregation when she finish school. Eulalie want follow her sister example, so she go di same boarding school when she reach sixteen years. Even though Séraphine later join di congregation, Eulalie dey struggle with sickness wey no gree go, and she need return home after two years. This one end her chance to enter di congregation as religious sister. Even though di thing pain her well well, her faith remain strong and she continue to behave well.

For 1830, shortly after Eulalie return home from Montreal, her mama die, and di work to take care of di household fall on Eulalie when she be nineteen years. One year later, when her brother, Father Théophile, become parish priest of Saint-Mathieu parish for Belœil, fifteen miles south of their family house, he persuade his papa and his brothers and sisters to come live with am. For di next twelve years, Eulalie no only take care of di family; she also work for di parish as her brother secretary, care for poor people and sick people, and help arrange plenty parish activities, including education for young people. Di time wey she spend dey work for this busy parish bear fruit for plenty ways. She see with her own eyes di many problems wey people for di parish and other communities around dey face, especially di serious lack of school education. This one fill her heart with desire wey no leave her, to try once again to enter religious life. She come see especially say dem need sisters wey go dedicate their life to teach children, including poor children and children for rural communities. For her first ten years for di parish, her desire to answer this calling continue to grow inside her.

For 1841, Eulalie hear say di parish priest for nearby Longueuil dey try bring di Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, one religious order wey dey teach, from France come di diocese. Eulalie see this one as her chance, and she and one friend offer to join di congregation as soon as di sisters arrive. But for di end, di sisters no accept di invitation; dem decide to remain for France. 

Since di need for sisters wey go teach still dey very important, di bishop of Montreal decide to start his own congregation. After he meet Eulalie, he come dey sure say she go be very good first candidate. Eulalie agree, and she and two other young women form di beginning of di Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary for Quebec. Dem no only use di same name as di congregation for France; dem also adopt their rule of life.

For February 28, 1844, when Eulalie dey thirty-three years, e become novice, wear religious habit, and take di name Sister Marie-Rose. Two other women join am, and dem take di names Sister Agnes and Sister Marie-Madeleine. For di months wey follow, dem receive formation under their spiritual director, Father Jean-Marie François Allard, wey be member of di Oblates of Mary and wey just come from France. For December 8, 1844, di novices make their first vows, and di bishop appoint Sister Marie-Rose as mother superior.

For di next six years, Mother Marie-Rose face plenty difficulties, including politics inside di local Church and false accusations wey spoil her name. But e remain firm for her commitment to build one congregation of sisters wey go meet di needs of young people. E see education and religious formation as di things wey dem need pass for that time, and e help guide other young women for that mission.

When e die for 1849 because of sickness wey don last long, di Sisters of di Holy Names of Jesus and Mary get thirty teachers, seven novices, and seven postulants for four convents, where dem dey teach 448 students. After Mother Marie-Rose die, di religious order continue to grow. For 1944, one hundred years after dem start am, dem get 3,367 teaching sisters for 212 institutions around di world, wey dey serve 57,299 students. For 1927, di process to gather information for di Cause of Mother Marie-Rose start, and for 1979, Pope John Paul II beatify am, wey open di way for canonization for future.

Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher see one need inside her local community, sense say God dey call am to meet that need, and do His will when di right time reach. Even though e fit don see di way e no fit join di Congregation of Notre Dame at first as something wey block her way, God use am as opportunity to start one new religious order wey go spread di faith across Canada, di United States, and around di world.

As we dey honour this holy woman, think deeply about anything wey block your way for life and wey first disappoint you. Put am for our Lord hand, and know say this fit just be another road to one more glorious way wey God wan use you for His glory and for souls to receive salvation.

Prayer: Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, your heart really long to teach young people di faith and di many lessons for life wey dem need to become good and faithful Catholics. Even though your first hope to enter religious life when you still be teenager no happen, God later use you do far more. Abeg, pray for me, make my heart burn with desire to serve God and help people know Him better, and make every obstacle wey I face no discourage me, but give me hope for God greater plan. Blessed Marie-Rose, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.

Dem take dis reflection from:

Saint Dem and Feast Dem for di Liturgical Year
Volume One–Four