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| - The history of the beautiful Chapelle of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours is deeply intertwined with the fascinating story of Sainte Marguerite Bourgeoys.
Born in France, she decided to follow the call of God when she was 20 and she dedicated her life to the poor, women and children.
After meeting Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, who was the governor of Montréal, she decided to migrate to Ville-Marie (that we now know as Montréal) in the Nouveau-Monde in 1653.
There she quickly became the angel of the infirms and the poor people and she had a crucial role in the education of many children.
She strongly believed that women were the key to the future of the country and worked very hard with Jeanne Mance, the administrator of the hospital, to make sure that all the women of various social classes in the colony could learn a job, preparing them for their new role of spouses and mothers and being a menthor and a trustworthy confidant and teacher for many children.
In 1655 she asked all the habitants of the colony to help her build a pilgrimage chapel, which was completed after 20 years in 1675.
Sainte Marguerite Bourgeoys was the founder of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame and until her death in 1700, she completely dedicated her life to the welfare of the people of Montréal.
She was canonized in 1982 and she now rests in the same place where she spent most of her life. This church is a beautiful tribute to her history and to the city of Montréal.
I felt moved and humbled at visiting such an important place, where many pilgrims from across the globe come every year to pay their respects and leave an ex-voto in the shape of a heart, symbolizing the generous heart of Sainte Marguerite Bourgeoys.
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