Blessed Maria Anna Blondin – Feast Day – January 2

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Today is Sunday, March 3, 2024

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin was born on 18 April 1809 in Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada as Esther Blondin. She worked in Canada and died around 2 January 1890 at Lachine, Quebec, Canada of natural causes. Her feast Day is celebrated on April 18.

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin Biography
Date of Birth April 18 1809
Country of Birth Canada of America
Profession Nun
Place of Work Canada
Date of Death January 2 1890
Place of Death Canada
Feast Day January 2
Beatification Beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 29 2001
Canonization Canonized by N/A
Patron Saint of N/A

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin Life History

In May 1833, Marie-Anne taught at a ward school in Vaudreuil on the invitation of a former novice from Notre Dame who ran the school. A few years later, Esther became the principal of Académie Blondin.

But she discovered that one reason for intellectual poverty among French-Canadians was a church rule that forbade women from teaching boys and men to teach girls. Since most priests could not fund two schools in the congregation, many of them had no schools.

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin Date of birth

She was born on 18 April 1809 in Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada as Esther Blondin.

Place of Birth

She was born on 18 April 1809 in Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada as Esther Blondin.

Family Background

Bl Maria Anna Blondin was born as Esther Sureau Blondin on April 18, 1809, in Canada. Esther’s parents were Jean-Baptiste Blonde and Marie-Rose Limoges, who were modest but poor Christians.

She grew up in her parents’ farm and took part in the diverse activities there. Schooling was a challenge and her parents could not afford, even with the support of religious orders and ward schools, so Esther received no education.

To help the family, Marie-Anne began twenty years of service with a merchant in the village. A few months later, she offered her services as a servant to the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame, who had just arrived in the village and who ran the congregation school.

Marie-Anne was still illiterate but learned to read and write while working. In 1833 she entered the sister novice, but illness forced her to quit.

Profession

Esther traveled to Montreal in the spring of 1848 to submit to the bishop a long-standing project: Founding a religious congregation to teach poor children in rural areas, in mixed schools with both boys and girls. Although Bishop Ignace Le Bourget did not trust the project, he supported Marie-Anne and allowed a modest test.

Marie-Anne established the institute Sisters of Saint Anna and became it superior and took the order name st. Marie-Anne, or Mary Ann, as she became known as in English-speaking Canada. It started with six members, but already in 1857, they had 45 members.

In 1853, there was a lack of space and the Bishop instructed them to move to (Saint-Jacques de Montcalm) in ​​Joliette. But there, Marie-Anne had to face big problems.

After one year, on August 18, 1854, Bishop Le Bourget ordered Marie-Anne to resign as the monastery’s superior. Despite the obstacles, the sisters continued their communion work and devoted themselves to the education of the poor and the needy.

Marie-Anne became head of the boarding school Sainte-Geneviève. But because the persecution of her continued, and four years later they were taken up again.

Marie-Anne was called back to Saint-Jacques under the pretext of bad administration and there her name was for one year not listed on the list of sisters and their duties. The sisters were forbidden to call her mother. She was reduced to zero. In 1859 she was appointed sacristy and performed various manual tasks according to the needs of the community.

In 1860, the sisters of St. Anna moved their headquarters to Lachine on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. She was kept away from the general capital negotiations, even when the sisters in 1872 and 1878 re-elected her.

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin Date of Death

After 25 years of humble life, Marie-Anne died on January 2, 1890, at the headquarters of Lachine. Before she died, she repeated her forgiveness of the chaplain Maréchal.

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin Place of Death

After 25 years of humble life, Marie-Anne died on January 2, 1890, at the headquarters of Lachine. Before she died, she repeated her forgiveness of the chaplain Maréchal.

Blessed Maria Anna Blondin Feast Day

She is among the famous Blesseds whose feast Day is celebrated on January 2 every year.

Beatification

She was beatified on 29 April 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

Canonization

She was canonized by Pre Congregation process and we will update this information soon.

Patron Saint of

There are no data based on who were her Patron Saints but we are keeping tabs and we will update this information soon.


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About Laban Thua Gachie 10721 Articles
The founder of Catholicreadings.org is Laban Thua Gachie. I am a Commissioned Lector, a commissioned Liturgy Minister, and a Commissioned member of the Catholic Men Association. We at Catholic Daily Readings, operate the catholicreadings.org, a Catholic Church-related website and we pride ourself in providing you, on a daily basis the following; 1. Catholic Daily Mass Readings 2. Reflections on those Daily Readings 3. Daily prayers 4. Bible Verse of the Day 5. Saint of the Day