Saint Marie of The Incarnation Guyart

Biography

Saint Marie of The Incarnation Guyart, also known as Marie Guyard, Marie Guyart of the Incarnation, Marie Guyart, Marie de l’Incarnation, Marie of the Ursulines, Mother of New France, and Theresa of the New World, was born on October 28, 1599, in Tours, France. She came from a humble background as the daughter of a baker and grew up in a family of craftsmen and tradesmen. On her mother's side, she was related to the noble Barbon de la Bourdaisière family.

Marie exhibited a deep piety and occasionally had mystical experiences from a young age. As a child, she would memorize and recite homilies, and she developed a strong desire to become a nun. However, against her wishes, Marie entered into an arranged marriage with Claude Martin, a silk manufacturer, at the age of seventeen. They soon became parents to a son.

Tragically, Marie's husband passed away only two years into their marriage. After being widowed, she returned to her family and staunchly refused to consider remarriage. She supported herself by working as an embroiderer. However, on March 25, 1620, Marie had a life-altering vision. In this vision, she was confronted with all her faults and human weaknesses before being immersed in the blood of Christ. This transformative experience led her to a deeper commitment to her faith, expressed through prayer, liturgical devotion, and acts of charity.

Driven by her desire to dedicate her life to religious service, Marie eventually left her father's home and took up a position as a bookkeeper in her brother-in-law's shipping company. Her aptitude for administration quickly led to her becoming the company manager. Even so, her yearning for the religious life never waned. In January 1631, Marie made the decision to entrust the care of her son, Claude, to her sister and joined the Ursuline Order in Tours, France, on January 25 of that year.

Marie Guyart took her final vows as Marie de l'Incarnation in 1633 and became the assistant mistress of novices for the Order in Tours. However, a few years into her role, she experienced another vision that drastically changed the course of her life. She envisioned a vast country marked by mountains and forests, which she understood to be Canada. In this vision, she felt called to go to Canada and establish a house for Christ. Over several years, Marie worked tirelessly to collect the necessary funds and gain support for her mission.

Marie-Madeleine de la Peltrie, one of Marie's primary supporters, joined her when they set sail from Dieppe on April 3, 1639. They arrived in New France on July 4, 1639, and reached Québec, Canada, on August 1 of the same year. Marie was appointed as the first superior of the Ursulines in Canada and dedicated herself to missionary work among the Native peoples and other residents of the region.

She undertook a study of the local languages, learning and becoming proficient in Algonquin, Iroquois, Montagnais, and Ouendat. Such was her proficiency that she wrote dictionaries for these languages and a catechism in Iroquois. In 1641, Marie laid the foundation stone for the convent, which later burned on December 29, 1650. Undeterred, she oversaw its reconstruction, completing the construction on May 29, 1651.

Marie's strong-willed nature was evident in her opposition to Bishop Blessed Francis de Montmorency Laval's attempts to exert control over the Ursulines in Quebec. Additionally, her prolific correspondence resulted in the preservation of over 12,000 of her letters, providing invaluable insights into her life and work.

Saint Marie of The Incarnation Guyart died on April 30, 1672, in Quebec City, Canada, from hepatitis. She was beatified on June 22, 1980, by Pope John Paul II, and canonized as a saint on April 3, 2014, by Pope Francis through equipollent canonization. Pope Saint Pius X had previously venerated her on July 19, 1911.

Saint Marie of The Incarnation Guyart serves as an inspirational figure for her unwavering dedication to her religious calling, her missionary work, her selfless service to others, and her linguistic accomplishments.