Mère Marie-Philomène Maujoüan du Gasset
The iris with the triple crown of petals evokes the deep devotion of Mother Marie to the Holy Trinity. Soul of prayer, worshiping the living God in the temple of her heart, she drew the faith and energy to carry out the construction of the Monastery of the Visitation of Nantes but especially the building of pure and solid as a sanctuary the souls that God had entrusted to her.
Born in 1818 in Saint Etienne de Montluc, she bore the name of Leonid. As a teenager, her flexible waist like a reed deviated slightly. She says: “I implored the Lord to please straighten my size. He did not hearken unto me; he gave me much better, by deigning to straighten my soul. ” What she calls her “conversion” led her gradually to realize the call of Jesus. Spending a day in front of the Chapel of the Visitation, she was inspired to recommend herself to St. Philomena, venerated in this place. She promised to bear her name, if she got to devote herself to God.
The request was registered in heaven, it was going to be answered quickly: September 30, 1842, Leonid entered the Visitation to “seek God and His Cross.”The very first months at the monastery in the service of her sisters and obedience to housekeeping was a very tough task. Later, referring to this work in the refectory, she said: “I felt that my bones were dislocated and I was dying. “
Sister Mary Philomena was professed on February 3, 1844. She wrote in 1848 during a retreat: “Our Holy Founder says that a religious of the Visitation is to be united with God as Jesus Christ is united with the Father. It is in this union that I want to strive with all my strength. Also, should I not be content to think of Our Lord; but I must love what he loved, despise what he despised. For this I want to study constantly in prayer; and in all my actions, to imitate the look, to act in union with Him, in His divine and adorable will. I want to focus here on my Beloved by love , suffering and humiliation, and continually ask him to die rather than displease him, even in the smallest things. “
Appointed Director of the novitiate in 1849, she made for her younger sisters, “The little beggar of God, because he never asks for anything at the same time, but he gives us the means to execute it.” Severe to herself, she was full of indulgence for others. She did not spare her poor health and led her little flock with admirable zeal, nourishing the strong teachings.
She was elected Superior for three years on May 24, 1855. She pondered in her heart the project to build a monastery according to the plans of the Customs because the house built since 1810 was threatened with ruin. During his visit in 1859, Bishop Jacquemet, Bishop of Nantes, realized this, he said: “Mother, you have to build a monastery, I give you obedience.” Receiving this word as an expression of the will of God, Mother Mary Philomena determined to overcome all obstacles . His appeal was to the Heart of Jesus through the intercession of Our Lady, the holy Founders, St. Joseph and St. Philomena. She had a young very capable Treasurer, Sister Marie-Ambroise Lamy,a soul full of faith and zeal for the Lord.
The construction of the chapel and monastery started in 1859 were completed 5 years later, driven by the constant prayer of the community which was itself driven by the unshakable confidence in Divine Providence testified by Mother Mary Philomena,
in the midst of worldly cares, responsible for a community of fifty Sisters and novices. She confided, “I feel a taste, a continual attraction to love God, to act only for His glory “
It is in the fulfillment of her mission as Mother that the Lord came to bring her joy in the day of her 78 years on March 20, 1896. She said the words: “The Superior is not the mistress of souls, she is only their servant; she should serve them according to their need and tirelessly ever. I loved my sisters, as much as I could love; my joy was to give them all my devotion. “
She said shortly before her death: “I wish that we continue to give the name of Mary to all the Sisters who come hither.” She wanted and entrusted to the Mother of Heaven all religious present and future of this family she had so loved. The promise was made to faithfully keep the vow in perpetuity.