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Madeleine Sophie Barat
Madeleine Sophie Barat, RSCJ, (12 December 1779 – 25 May 1865), was a French religious sister who founded the Society of the Sacred Heart, a worldwide religious institute of educators. Pope Pius XI canonised her in 1925.
Barat was born on the night of 12 December 1779, in Joigny, France, next door to a house fire at a neighbour’s home. The stress and the terror of the fire caused Sophie's mother, Madeleine Fouffé Barat (1740–1822), then pregnant with her third child, to go into labour. Born two months premature, Madeleine Sophie was considered so fragile that she was baptised early the next morning in Sainy Thibault Church, just a few yards from the Barat family home. Although her parents had arranged godparents in advance, there was no time to call them to the church and so at five o'clock on the morning of 13 December 1779, Louise-Sophie Cédor, a local woman on her way to early Mass, and Sophie's older brother, Louis, stood in as her godparents.
Barat was born into a financially-comfortable family whose ancestors had lived in Joigny for generations and were proud of their roots in the region. Her father, Jacques Barat (1742–1809), was a cooper and vine-grower. Both professions were respected trades, with centuries of French culture behind them. The Barats were Jansenist Catholics, which is said to have shaped Sophie's spirituality profoundly. She was always willing to help people in need and to pray for others.
Barat's older brother Louis was a serious boy and a brilliant student. Their parents encouraged his interest in studies and employed a tutor for him at home. Shortly after entering the Collège Saint-Jacques in Joigny at the age of nine, Louis decided to become a Catholic priest. In 1784, at the age of 16, Louis left Joigny to begin his studies for the priesthood at the seminary at Sens. Louis was ordained a deacon, but because he was too young to be ordained, he was obliged to return home until he was 21. Louis became a teacher of mathematics at his old school and decided to take on Sophie's education. He taught her Latin, Greek, history, natural science, Spanish, and Italian providing Sophie with an education that was rarely available to young women and girls at the time.
In 1789, Louis Barat became involved in the debate surrounding the pending Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which required all priests to swear allegiance to the new revolutionary state. Louis took the oath of loyalty in January 1791, but on learning that the pope had condemned the Constitution, he renounced his oath in May 1792. That renunciation had immediate consequences. Louis first tried to hide in his family's attic but soon fled to Paris, for the danger had become too great both for himself and his family. In Paris, he was arrested in May 1793, imprisoned there for two years and escaped the guillotine only through the brave intervention of a friend.
After her brother was released in 1795, he briefly returned home to Joigny. Louis then went back to Paris to seek ordination and exercise his ministry in secret. He brought sixteen-year-old Sophie with him to further her education. After arriving in Paris, Sophie and Louis lived in a safe house belonging to one Madame Duval. Sophie worked as a seamstress and became an excellent embroidress. Louis continued to say Mass and teach Sophie the Fathers of the Church, mathematics, Latin, and the Scriptures. While living in Paris, at about the age of 18, Sophie decided to become a Carmelite nun. That would be impossible, however, for the Carmelites had, along with many other religious communities, been abolished in 1790. For five years, she lived in Paris a life of prayer and study and taught catechism in secret to the children of The Marais quarter. In 1800, Sophie briefly returned home to help her family with the vine harvest.
When Barat returned to Paris, she was introduced to Joseph Varin. He wanted to found a religious order of women devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and involved in the education of young women that would complement the work of the Fathers of the Faith. On 21 November 1800, at the age of 20, she abandoned her dream of becoming a Carmelite and, along with three other women living in the Paris safe-house, took her vows as one of the first members of this new religious congregation, marking the foundation of the Society of the Sacred Heart. However, because the French authorities had prohibited devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the society was initially known as Dames de la Foi ("Ladies of the Faith") or de l’Instruction chrétienne (" ...of Christian instruction").
The first school was opened in Amiens in northern France in September 1801 and Sophie traveled to the provincial city in order to teach. She made her vows, 7 June 1802. The new community and school grew quickly. A school giving classes to the poor of the town was opened. In December 1802, at the age of twenty-three, Sophie became Superior of the Society of the Sacred Heart.
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Madeleine Sophie Barat
Madeleine Sophie Barat, RSCJ, (12 December 1779 – 25 May 1865), was a French religious sister who founded the Society of the Sacred Heart, a worldwide religious institute of educators. Pope Pius XI canonised her in 1925.
Barat was born on the night of 12 December 1779, in Joigny, France, next door to a house fire at a neighbour’s home. The stress and the terror of the fire caused Sophie's mother, Madeleine Fouffé Barat (1740–1822), then pregnant with her third child, to go into labour. Born two months premature, Madeleine Sophie was considered so fragile that she was baptised early the next morning in Sainy Thibault Church, just a few yards from the Barat family home. Although her parents had arranged godparents in advance, there was no time to call them to the church and so at five o'clock on the morning of 13 December 1779, Louise-Sophie Cédor, a local woman on her way to early Mass, and Sophie's older brother, Louis, stood in as her godparents.
Barat was born into a financially-comfortable family whose ancestors had lived in Joigny for generations and were proud of their roots in the region. Her father, Jacques Barat (1742–1809), was a cooper and vine-grower. Both professions were respected trades, with centuries of French culture behind them. The Barats were Jansenist Catholics, which is said to have shaped Sophie's spirituality profoundly. She was always willing to help people in need and to pray for others.
Barat's older brother Louis was a serious boy and a brilliant student. Their parents encouraged his interest in studies and employed a tutor for him at home. Shortly after entering the Collège Saint-Jacques in Joigny at the age of nine, Louis decided to become a Catholic priest. In 1784, at the age of 16, Louis left Joigny to begin his studies for the priesthood at the seminary at Sens. Louis was ordained a deacon, but because he was too young to be ordained, he was obliged to return home until he was 21. Louis became a teacher of mathematics at his old school and decided to take on Sophie's education. He taught her Latin, Greek, history, natural science, Spanish, and Italian providing Sophie with an education that was rarely available to young women and girls at the time.
In 1789, Louis Barat became involved in the debate surrounding the pending Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which required all priests to swear allegiance to the new revolutionary state. Louis took the oath of loyalty in January 1791, but on learning that the pope had condemned the Constitution, he renounced his oath in May 1792. That renunciation had immediate consequences. Louis first tried to hide in his family's attic but soon fled to Paris, for the danger had become too great both for himself and his family. In Paris, he was arrested in May 1793, imprisoned there for two years and escaped the guillotine only through the brave intervention of a friend.
After her brother was released in 1795, he briefly returned home to Joigny. Louis then went back to Paris to seek ordination and exercise his ministry in secret. He brought sixteen-year-old Sophie with him to further her education. After arriving in Paris, Sophie and Louis lived in a safe house belonging to one Madame Duval. Sophie worked as a seamstress and became an excellent embroidress. Louis continued to say Mass and teach Sophie the Fathers of the Church, mathematics, Latin, and the Scriptures. While living in Paris, at about the age of 18, Sophie decided to become a Carmelite nun. That would be impossible, however, for the Carmelites had, along with many other religious communities, been abolished in 1790. For five years, she lived in Paris a life of prayer and study and taught catechism in secret to the children of The Marais quarter. In 1800, Sophie briefly returned home to help her family with the vine harvest.
When Barat returned to Paris, she was introduced to Joseph Varin. He wanted to found a religious order of women devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and involved in the education of young women that would complement the work of the Fathers of the Faith. On 21 November 1800, at the age of 20, she abandoned her dream of becoming a Carmelite and, along with three other women living in the Paris safe-house, took her vows as one of the first members of this new religious congregation, marking the foundation of the Society of the Sacred Heart. However, because the French authorities had prohibited devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the society was initially known as Dames de la Foi ("Ladies of the Faith") or de l’Instruction chrétienne (" ...of Christian instruction").
The first school was opened in Amiens in northern France in September 1801 and Sophie traveled to the provincial city in order to teach. She made her vows, 7 June 1802. The new community and school grew quickly. A school giving classes to the poor of the town was opened. In December 1802, at the age of twenty-three, Sophie became Superior of the Society of the Sacred Heart.
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