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Madeline Sophie Barat Was Born
Story goes that a fire raged through the town of Joigny in the Burgundy region of France
The fire came close to the house where Madeleine Barat was pregnant with her and her barrel making husband Jacques’ third child
As a result of all of the chaos happening on the street Madeleine gave birth to her daughter Madeleine Sophie prematurely -
Sophie's brother Louis left Joigny and went to Paris
Amongst the French Revolution it became too dangerous for Louis to remain in Joigny -
Louis was imprisoned
Because he had been to the seminary -
Louis was released from prison
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Louis takes Sophie to Paris with him
He decided Joigny was still too unsafe for him so asked his parents if he could take Sophie to Paris where she would further her education with him -
Louis takes Sophie with him back to Joigny
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Sophie goes back to Paris
When the political situation eased off a bit she returned to Paris again
This time she remained for five years and spent her time living a life of prayer and study, catechising the children of the Marais quarter. -
Louis introduces Sophie to the priest Joseph Varin
Varin was in Paris looking for a foundational stone for a Religious Society of Women Educators dedicated to the Sacred Heart
When Varin first approached Sophie she wasn’t sure what to do because she was intent on becoming a Carmelite. -
The beginning of the Society of the Sacred Heart
Varin managed to convince her to join him and on November 21 1800 before a picture of the Virgin Mary Sophie and three others made their first consecration. -
The first school was started in Amiens
The school had 20 boarders and 160 day pupils
In the beginning Mademoiselle Lequet who was the Superior of the Convent and Principal of the school. However, she was seen to be unsatisfactory. -
Varin appointed Sophie Superior
With Lequet gone Varin appointed Sophie Superior even though she was only 23 years old! -
Sophie stopped teaching
Despite being a good teacher Sophie had to stop teaching after a year so she could deal with the administration of the society. -
Sophie was elected as Superior General
In 1806 there were many communities and it was decided that there was a need to elect a Superior General. Anne Baudemont thought she was going to win. However, Sophie was elected and was to remain in the position for the rest of her life. -
Sophie’s spiritual leadership of the society was centered on the love of God revealed in the Heart of Christ
These qualities were stressed in the original Constitutions of the Society in 1815 and reaffirmed in the revised Constitutions of 1982. -
Sophie sent correspondence to the entire society
In 1834 Sophie sent correspondence to the entire society informing them that the new mother house was to know be in Paris. During Sophie’s career she travelled to many parts of Europe. Some examples of these travels were:
- Grenoble
- Poitiers
- Rome -
Sophie's Death
Sophie died in the grounds of the Hotel Biron in Paris on May 25, 1865. Aged 85 years old. -
Beatified
She was beatified in 1908 by Pope Pius X. -
Canonised
She was canonised (became a saint) in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. -
Her body was returned to Paris
It lies in a glass coffin in the Sacred Heart Chapel of the Church of St Francis Xavier (across the road from the Hotel Biron).