de Saint-Joseph, Marie

de Saint-Joseph, Marie

The Ursuline Nuns, including Marie de Saint Joseph, were dedicated teachers to young girls. Mainly in arts, language, music and the Christian doctrine. Marie de Saint Joseph taught mainly young Indigenous girls, and made her impact mostly by teaching music and hymns. Marie was loved by the Algonquin and Huron people particularly. The record on her is slim, likely due to her short life, but she impacted the lives of many Indigenous girls.

1639-1652

Person

Organization unknown, Les Ursulines de Québec, Quebec City

Marie-Emmanuel Chabot, o.s.u., “SAVONNIÈRES DE LA TROCHE, MARIE DE, dite Marie de Saint-Joseph (Marie de Saint-Bernard),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 1, 2021, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/savonnieres_de_la_troche_marie_de_1E.html.

1616

Château de Saint-Germain in Anjou, France

1652

Quebec City, QC, Canada

Ursulines; Missionary; Musician; Teacher

French; Algonquin; Huron

Marie de Saint Joseph (previously known as Marie de Saint Bernard before she went to New France) affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, as a nun in France. Later in 1639, she journeyed to New France and devoted her time to the Algonquin and Huron people, who adored her and called her mother. She taught young Indigenous girls, mainly through songs and hymns. She was described as keen of mind and extremely good humoured. She died at 36 from tuberculosis, dropsy and gangrene. She was deeply mourned, with reports of her funeral being the largest one the convent had ever seen.

Conflict and Change in Early Canadian History (Carleton HIST 1301)

Meghan Troyer