A portrait of St. Marie of the Incarnation
St. Marie of the Incarnation
October 28, 1599 – April 30, 1672
Feast
April 30 · XVII c.
Patron of
Canada · The Ursulines · Missionary work · Mystics
Order
Religious / Mystic
French Ursuline mystic, foundress of the first school for girls in North America, and one of the great spiritual writers of the seventeenth century. Widowed young, she entered the Ursulines and in 1639 sailed to Quebec, where she learned multiple Indigenous languages — Algonquian, Iroquois, Huron — and composed the first dictionaries and catechisms in those tongues. Her thousands of mystical letters from the New World are a treasury of Christian spirituality.
Life & Times
Also known as: Marie Guyart; Marie de l'Incarnation; Mother Mary of the Incarnation · Born: October 28, 1599 · Died: April 30, 1672 · From: Tours, France; Quebec, New France.
Patronage
St. Marie of the Incarnation is invoked as the patron of canada, the ursulines, missionary work, mystics. Those in these callings or circumstances often turn to this saint in prayer.
“I prefer to be united to God in difficulties than to be without him in consolations.”— Letters from Quebec to her son Claude, 1646
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About Catholic Saints
Catholic saints, including St. Marie of the Incarnation, are Christians whom the Catholic Church has formally recognized as having lived lifes of heroic holiness and who now dwell with God in heaven, offering an example of faith for those still on their earthly journey. Catholics don't worship saints, but ask them to pray to God with us and for us — much as one might ask a trusted friend to pray for them — trusting that those closest to God can join their voices to ours before Him. Discover more saints in the Catholic Shop Saints section.