Any Visitandine will tell you that the name “Mother Ponnet” is synonymous with the “Commentary on the Spiritual Directory”, our guide to the interior life.
But this profound commentary was only possible because of Mother Ponnet’s own deep, mystical interior life. This month we share a little about this French Visitation nun.
Born in Lyon (France) on November 7, 1858,she received the name of Antoinette. She had very fragile health that hindered her development, but she also had an ever-increasing strength of spirit that helped her cope with all the difficulties. Her mother with a deep Christian piety, guided her child in the ways of unity with God, prayer and Christian virtues. Her father, a man of deep love, but very severe, was a source of great suffering for Antoinette. Her childhood was spent with hardship, sorrow and suffering.
In 1868, she and her sister Maria were sent to the boarding school of the Monastery of the Visitation of Fourviere to study and receive a more complete education (since at that time the contemplative monasteries were obliged by law to provide education to girls).She made her first communion in 1870, and was confirmed in 1872, at 13 years. She began reading St Francis de Sales works, and the Introduction to the Devout life, at bedtime!. She began to realize she might have a vocation to the Visitation.
In 1874, at age 16, her health worsened and her mother died.The girls went home to care for their father. During these sufferings,Antoinette received divine lights that comforted her, and she kept repeating: “My God, you’re my only inheritance”, and the only meaning of her life happened to be heavenly wealth and sanctification of her soul.
In 1881, she entered the Monastery and began her novitiate at Fourviere. On August 2, 1882 divine union was made by her religious profession. Her religious name was now Sr Marie Madeleine.Her life consisted in serving and helping others in all circumstances, with a charming and sweet charity, abandoned to the will of God and faithful observance of the Constitutions. From her deep interior life,she possessed love and devotion to the Holy Trinity, to the Virgin Mary, the Angels, the Saints. She was Mistress of Novices,a mission served with love and zeal for souls entrusted to her.
In 1896, Sr Marie Madeleine Ponnet received the mission with other sisters to found the monastery in Vassieux. The superior destined for this foundation died suddenly and Sister Marie Madeleine was directed to replace her.Although considering her limitations,she was abandoned in God, and lived this obedience with love and dedication.
She lived a holocaust that consumed her every day, but she just wanted the glory of God. It may seem that the mission of Mother Marie Madeleine has been manifested, to make known the intimate relationship between divine mercy and human misery.
Towards the end of her life, she wrote in her notebook of exercises: “the two poles of the tiny land of our soul are annihilation and confidence; and, between these two poles, God lives, works, works fully… And the greater the distance between these two poles, the higher the annihilation and the higher the confidence, the more vast the field of divine action … If we had more light and, therefore, more knowledge, we would spend life for the grace of annihilation ” .
She died in 1914, at 55 years, in the odor of sanctity and several witnesses have reported graces received through her intercession.
End of Part One