The Story of Mother Marie of the Incarnation: Mystic, Missionary, Mother of New France

Step into the astonishing world of Marie Guyart (1599-1672), an extraordinary woman who abandoned comfort and security to establish the first school for girls in North America.

Born to a baker's family in Tours, France, widowed at nineteen with a young son, Marie later followed an unmistakable calling across the Atlantic to the rugged frontier of Quebec. There, amidst harsh winters and primitive conditions, she built an educational legacy that stands to this day.

This meticulously researched account draws from Marie's own letters and writings, preserved by her son Claude Martin after her death. Witness her mastery of indigenous Algonquin, Montagnais, Huron, and Iroquois languages - a feat that earned her respect from native communities when such cultural appreciation proved rare. Experience her calm leadership during crisis, including the devastating 1650 fire that destroyed everything the Ursulines had built.

Follow Marie's journey from April 30, 1599, when she entered the world in France, to January 25, 1631, when she entered the Ursuline convent, and finally to her arrival in Quebec on August 1, 1639. Each date marks a pivotal moment in a life that culminated in canonization by Pope Francis on April 2, 2015.

Catholics will find inspiration in Marie's profound spirituality, which fused contemplative prayer with tireless action. Educators will appreciate her innovative approaches to cross-cultural learning and language acquisition. History enthusiasts will value this window into the formative years of New France through the eyes of a woman who helped build a colony from its foundations.

This authoritative biography presents Marie not as a distant historical figure but as a flesh-and-blood woman whose faith, intelligence, and determination created an enduring legacy across continents and centuries.

Bring this remarkable story into your library today and encounter a woman whose life continues to speak powerfully to our modern world.