Marie-Josephte Fitzbach

Marie-Josephte Fitzbach, born on October sixteenth, eighteen oh six, in St-Vallier de Bellechasse, Lower Canada, was a remarkable figure in the religious landscape of Quebec. The daughter of Charles Fitzbach, a Luxembourg native, and Geneviève Nadeau, she faced significant challenges early in life. With no formal education, she left home at the tender age of thirteen to work as a housekeeper in Quebec City, striving to support her family. Her determination led her to hire a tutor to learn reading, writing, and basic accounting while working for François-Xavier Roy, a local merchant.

In eighteen twenty-eight, after the death of her employer's wife, Marie-Josephte married Mr. Roy, who had two children from a previous marriage. Together, they had three daughters. Tragically, her husband passed away in eighteen thirty-three, leaving her to care for their three daughters alone. The loss was compounded by the death of one daughter in eighteen forty-six. In eighteen forty-nine, her two surviving daughters joined the Sisters of Charity of Quebec, prompting her to move to the Sisters' hospice to be closer to them.

Responding to a call from Bishop Pierre-Flavien Turgeon, Marie-Josephte established St. Magdalen's Refuge in December eighteen forty-nine, a sanctuary for women released from prison. Her commitment to helping others culminated in her becoming the first mother superior of the Good Shepherd Sisters of Quebec in February eighteen fifty-six, taking on the name Mother Mary of the Sacred Heart. This significant achievement marked her as the first person born in Quebec to found a religious order.

Marie-Josephte's legacy is further immortalized through a portrait painted by Marie-Elmina Anger, a fellow member of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Her contributions to society and the church were recognized posthumously when she was declared venerable in June twenty-twelve.