Émilie de Rodat, Saint

ÉMILIE DE RODAT, Saint. - Foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Family, b. in the castle of Drouello (Rodez) on Sept. 6, 1787, d. at Villefranche on Feb. 19, 1852. From her earliest youth she felt drawn to the religious life, but having tried in vain to enter various religious institutes, she gave herself over to venting the ardor of her charity in assisting the lowly, especially the children of the poorest and neediest families, the sick, orphans and prisoners. In 1815 she opened in her little room at Villefranche the first school for poor girls, and already the following year, 1816, she moved into a poor house with some of her companions, where, guided by her spiritual director A. Marty, she began her institute, which she then governed for 52 years.

She had to overcome, besides the hardships of poverty in the a new house, and also opposition and contradictions, which threatened to kill her work at its birth; but her constancy and full trust in God overcame them, and the institute began to flourish wonderfully, so much so that at her death it counted 36 houses. A prodigy of energy, humble in the favors bestowed upon her, she soon reached the heroism of sanctity. She was beatified on 9 June 1940; canonized on 23 April 1950.