Twenty-Three years ago today...

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

It was on this day in 1988 that Pope John Paul II canonized Mother Philippine Duchesne as Saint Philippine, the fourth American saint.  Let us take a look back at her life.  Below is a brief chronology of Blessed Philippine’s life as written in the booklet: “Through the Year with Philippine Duchesne”



1769 born August 29 in Grenoble, France; parents: Pierre-Francois Duchesne
and Rose Euphrosine Perier

1780 went with her cousin Josephine Perier to boarding school at Sainte-Marie- d’em-haut,          Visitation; received First Communion and Confirmation there.

1782 returned home; studied under tutor four years

1788 entered the Visitation Monastery of Sainte Marie and remained there four years and a half.

1792 was obliged by the French Revolution to return home; spent nine years either with her family or doing works of charity in Grenoble; lost her mother in 1797.

1801 secured possession of the Old Monastery of Sainte Marie, which had been converted into a prison; failed to rehabilitate the monastery under Visitation rule.

1804 welcomed Mother Madeleine Sophie Barat to Sainte Marie.

1805 made her first vows in the Society of the Sacred Heart and remained at Sainte Marie ten years.

1815 opened the first Convent of the Sacred Heart in Paris, with St. Madeleine Sophie as Superior.

1818 sailed for America; landed in New Orleans on May 29; reached St. Louis on August 21; opened the first Convent of the Sacred Heart in America at St.Charles, MO., on September 7.

1819 transferred community and school to Florissant, Missouri

1823 welcomed the Jesuits to Florissant.

1827 founded the Convent of the Sacred Heart, St. Louis

1829 visited the convents founded by Mother Aude in Grand Coteau and St. Michael’s, Louisiana.

1834 was transferred to Florissant again as Superior.

1840 welcomed Mother Galitzin as Visitatrix and was relieved of office as Superior; went to live at City House.

1841 was one of the foundresses of the mission for Pottawatomie girls at Sugar Creek, Indian Territory.

1842 returned to St. Charles, Missouri, where she spent the last ten years of her life.

1852 died on November 18 and was buried in the convent cemetery.

1940 beatified on May 12 by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII.

1988 canonized by Pope John Paul II on July 3 and became the fourth American Saint