1756-1838
May God preserve and enkindle in your hearts ever more and more the fire of his most ardent charity [love].
St. John Eudes
Madame Madeleine Lamy of Caen, France, a woman of means, was deeply concerned about the poverty and exploitation of the local women, so much so that she took them from the streets into her own home.
Did you know … Madame Lamy is credited as being the spark that led to the creation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity.
Among the hardships that were faced by women in Caen was prostitution. Fr. John Eudes sought answers and consulted others, including a few laypeople, such as Madame Lamy.
One day, Fr. Eudes was walking with friends past Madame Lamy’s home. She spotted them and called out to them harshly:
“Where are you going? To the churches, to devour the images, after which you’ll think you’re quite devout! That’s not where the problem lies, but rather in working to establish a home for these poor girls who are going astray for lack of means.”
Her words struck a deep chord with Fr. Eudes. In 1641, he established a safe house for these women. This effort officially blossomed into a new religious community called the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, now known as the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.
Today, Madame Lamy’s words continue to enflame our zeal for serving women and girls with dignity to empower them to restore their lives to the fullest.