Marie Madeleine, at twenty four, was widowed, heartbroken and pregnant! Three
months later, in September 1805, her son Eugène was born. Marie Madeleine found
both consolation and delight in looking after her son and dedicated herself wholly to
his care and education. In time, her usual social life became less attractive to her and
she began to reflect more deeply on what God might be calling her to do in the future.
In 1814 when Eugène was nine she decided to send him to the newly opened
Jesuit College of St Acheul in Amiens. Already an admirer of Jesuit spirituality and
education, she was to become ever more closely acquainted with both. She took
rooms near St Acheul and for the several years of Eugène’s schooling, she spent much
of her time helping in the school in practical ways and getting to know many of the
boys as her own children.
In her spiritual search to discover God’s will for her future she placed herself under the
direction of Father Varin SJ and in due course realised that God was calling her to found the
Society Faithful Companions of Jesus. The new Society would follow the Constitutions of
the Society of Jesus and would promote education, retreats and missions.
By 1820 she felt ready to begin her first small school in Amiens where she would
still be able to look after Eugène and have the additional advantage of maintaining
contact with the Jesuit community at St Acheul.
It was a happy coincidence that during the many years of her association with St
Acheul she came to know Père Loriquet SJ who at that time was engaged in revising
and updating the Jesuit
Ratio Studiorum
(Plan of Studies)
. St Acheul had become
widely known for the excellence of its education and Marie Madeleine would have
had much to learn from her connection with the school.
It is interesting to note that most of Marie Madeleine’s knowledge of school life and
education, prior to the foundation of her own schools was acquired among boys
in a boys’ school. This was a good foundation from which to begin. It would help
to ensure that neither girls nor boys would be short-changed in the standards of
education offered to them in FCJ schools.
8
First School in Amiens
I am told your establishment (Châteauroux) is growing... My daughter owes it all to her
good companions who are well suited to inspire confidence .
M. de Bengy (father of Marie Madeleine) to Mère Legrand Nov 1923
