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Feast Day: February 27
Birth: May 28, 1841
Death: February 27, 1884
Blessed Marie Deluilmartiny, also known as Sister Marie of Jesus, Sister Mary of Jesus, or by her birth name Marie-Caroline-Philomène Deluil-Martiny, was born on 28 May 1841 in Marseille, France. She was the oldest of five children, with one brother and three sisters. Her parents, Paul Deluil-Martiny and her mother, whose name remains unknown, belonged to the upper middle class. Marie was baptized on the day of her birth and received a good early education from the Visitation Sisters in her hometown, followed by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Lyons, France.
During her formative years, Marie exhibited a strong devotion to her faith and felt a call to religious life. At the age of 15, she and a group of like-minded school friends formed a group called the Oblates of Mary. However, their teachers quickly intervened to prevent any deviation from orthodox Christianity without proper guidance.
Marie's spiritual journey continued, and she began keeping a spiritual journal to record her thoughts and experiences. Despite several marriage proposals, she turned them down, realizing that her calling was to dedicate her life to God. Inspired by Saint John Marie Vianney's preaching, she sought his counsel regarding her vocation. He encouraged her to heed the call.
On 9 March 1864, Marie founded the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart, also known as the Association of Presence to the Heart of Jesus. This association aimed to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist. It received canonical status on 7 June 1872. Through her work with the Guard of Honour, she met Saint Daniel Comboni in June 1865. They formed a strong friendship and corresponded for years, influencing each other's missionary work.
In December 1866, Marie attended a spiritual retreat in honor of the beatification of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. During this retreat, she heard Father Jean Calage preach about the Sacred Heart. Marie confided in him about her call to religious life, and he became her spiritual director, providing guidance and support.
With Father Calage's assistance, Marie founded the Congregation of the Daughters of the Heart of Jesus on 20 June 1873 in Berchem, Antwerp, Belgium. The congregation's mission was to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart and to pray continuously for priests. In 1875, they completed their constitution based on the teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and on 2 February 1876, they received diocesan approval from Cardinal Victor-Auguste-Isidor Deschamps.
Marie and the first sisters made their vows on 22 August 1878, and she served as the superior of the congregation for the remainder of her life. The Daughters of the Heart of Jesus established their first convent on 24 June 1879 and continued to expand their works in Belgium, France, Austria, Italy, and Croatia. Their efforts received recognition and support, including a papal decree of praise on 25 February 1888 and full papal approval from Pope Leo XIII on 2 February 1902.
However, Marie did not witness many of these achievements as tragedy befell her on Ash Wednesday, 27 February 1884. She was shot twice at point-blank range with a revolver by Louis Chave, an angry and down-and-out anarchist whom Marie had hired as a gardener at La Servianne. Despite the damaged carotid artery, Marie displayed incredible courage and faith, remaining conscious and offering forgiveness to her assailant before succumbing to her wounds.
She was initially buried with her family in Marseille but was later re-interred at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Berchem, Antwerp, Belgium in 1899 after the Daughters of the Heart of Jesus were expelled from France. In 1989, the relics were exhumed and inspected as part of the canonization investigation. Finally, on 28 September 2013, Marie's remains were re-interred at the mother-house of the Daughters of the Heart of Jesus in Rome, Italy.
Blessed Marie Deluilmartiny's heroic virtues were recognized on 23 October 1987 by Pope John Paul II. She was beatified by the same pontiff on 22 October 1989, receiving official recognition for her sanctity and the impact of her life on others. Today, the Congregation of the Daughters of the Heart of Jesus continues its mission of promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart and prayer for priests, carrying on the legacy of their beloved foundress.