COUDERC, MARIE-VICTOIRE-THÉRÈSE, Venerable. - Co-founder of the Institute of Our Lady of Retreat at the Cenacle (v. CENACOLO). Born at Weiler-le-Mas (Viviers) on 1 Feb. 1805; died at Fourvière (Lyon) on 26 Sept. 1885. She taught at Le Vans and then at Aps among the Sisters of the Presentation (1826), before moving to La Louvroère to assist the missionary preacher Étienne Terme in his work of spiritual retreats. The following year, 1827, he founded the aforementioned institute with her, and she served as its first Superior General for a decade.
When the Institute was divided into two distinct branches in 1838—one for education (Sisters of St Francis Regis) and the other for conducting retreats (Sisters of the Cenacle)—Couderc continued to lead the latter, enduring severe trials until, urged to resign, she did so and spent nearly fifty years thereafter as a humble subject in obscurity. The decree on her heroic virtues was promulgated on 12 May 1935.