St. Mary Of The Incarnation

Marie Guyart was born in France in Tours on 28 October 1599, the daughter of Florent Guyart a master baker, and his wife Jeanne Michelet. They were devout Catholics and Marie had a sheltered upbringing, feeling herself close to God and wanting to give her life to Him.

When she was 18 however her parents arranged for her to marry Claude Martin, a master silk worker. A son, Claude, was born to them.  Sadly her husband died in 1619 when Marie was just twenty. For the next twelve years Marie worked in the family business.

Ursuline Sister

Marie never relinquished her life of prayer and felt God’s call so strongly that at the age of 32 she became an Ursuline sister in the convent at Tours. There she lived a community life of prayer and good works, teaching in the school and assisting all who came to her for help.

One night around Christmas she had a powerful dream of a strange and beautiful land and a voice said – "This is Canada. I want you to go there and build a church". In the dream an unknown lady was also part of the scene.

Six years later a wealthy widow Mme de la Peltrie came to the convent. Marie recognised her at once as the woman of her dream. She offered financial help to make a foundation in Canada. On 4 May 1639 Marie left for Quebec accompanied by two other sisters and Mme de la Peltrie. The voyage was very stormy and took 3 months.

Life In Canada

In time Marie built a fine convent and established a flourishing community. She is regarded as one the Founders of Canada and her statue stands in front of the Quebec parliament. In the midst of her busy days she wrote letters home and gave detailed accounts of life in a struggling colony. She was revered as a deeply prayerful sister and a strong, kind leader.