MONTAGNAC DE CHAUVENCE, LOUISE-THÉRÈSE. – Founder of the Oblates of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, born at Le Havre-de-Grâce (diocese of Rouen), died at Montluçon (diocese of Moulins) on 27 June 1885.
Having settled at Montluçon after the death of her aunt, who had piously educated her, she wished to establish a work that would provide sacred vessels especially for poor churches. Gathering some poor orphans into a house adjoining her own, she began an orphanage in whose chapel the day of adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament was established for every Thursday of the year. As the orphanage grew, to render the work stable she founded, with the approval of ecclesiastical authority, the Pious Union of the Oblates of the Sacred Heart on 21 December 1874; she was elected their first superior general on 17 May 1880. The new institute spread to many dioceses of France; it received the decree of praise in 1881 and definitive approval in 1895. The cause of beatification was introduced by decree of 23 December 1914.