Born at Troyes (Aube), France, in 1620; died in Québec, Montréal, Canada, Jan.12, 1700; beatified in 1950; canonized in 1982.

      Saint Marguerite was the daughter of a prolific candle-maker. Like several saints before her, she was frustrated by those who could not see her vocation. She first tried to enter the Carmelites and Poor Clares. Both refused her entry, so she joined an uncloistered community of active sisters. This was not satisfactory either. God was calling her, but the message was dim for she was to be the founder of a new order.

      In 1652, the governor of Montréal visited Troyes and recruited Marguerite to tutor the children of the French garrison at Ville-Marie (now Montréal), where she arrived the following year. There she busied herself teaching children, caring for the sick in the hospital, and helping in other ways in the small outpost. In 1658, she was appointed the headmistress of the first school established at Montréal. Realizing that more teachers would be needed, Marguerite returned to France and recruited four helpers. She repeated the process in 1670-72.

      At that time she decided to found, what has become the Congrégation de Notre-Dame (CND). It was given canonical approval by the bishop of Québec in 1676 and by the Vatican in 1688; however, the first 24 did not make their professions as Sisters of Notre Dame until 1698--after Marguerite had resigned as superior.

      Having obtained the royal patent from King Louis XIV to teach throughout Canada, the congregation's apostolate expanded in spite of the difficulties the sisters encountered, such as fires and massacres by the neighboring Iroquois. They established schools for Indian children. New schools for the French were established at Québec and Trois Rivières. With indomitable courage they continued their mission through the hardships entailed by pioneering, of poverty, and even misunderstandings with the bishops.

      In 1889, the CND received papal approval to spread into the United States. The 200 convents of Marguerite's congregation today are evidence for her wisdom and sheer goodness described by her contemporaries (Attwater2, Benedictines, Farmer).