<p>Marie-Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais was born at Varennes, Quebec, on October 15, 1701. Following the death of her father in 1708, Marguerite's family lived in poverty. Thanks to generous relatives, Marguerite was able to study at the Ursuline Convent in Quebec for two years. When she returned home, she taught her five younger brothers and sisters.</p>
<p>In 1722, she married François You de la Découverte who proved to be a selfish and indifferent husband, involved in illegal liquor trading. When François died eight years later, he left Marguerite with two children (four infants had died) and enormous debts. When she had overcome her financial difficulties, Marguerite rented a house in Montreal in 1737 where she and three companions, the first Grey Nuns, sheltered needy women. For several years, the four were slandered and persecuted, accused of being drunkards and prostitutes.</p>
<p>In 1747, Marguerite was given charge of the colony's general hospital which was deep in debt. Trusting in Providence, she worked hard and saved the hospital. In 1765, fire destroyed the hospital, but Marguerite rebuilt it within four years. Following a brief illness, she died on December 23, 1771. Marguerite was declared blessed in 1959 and on December 9, 1990, the first Canadian-born saint.<br /></p>
<p>©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong>. Reprinted with permission.</p>
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