Helene de Chappotin
| Bl. Mary of the Passion, F.M.M. | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Religious, missionary and foundress | |
| Born | Helene-Marie-Philippine de Chappotin 21 May 1839 Nantes, Loire Inférieure, France |
| Died |
November 15, 1904 Sanremo, Imperia, Kingdom of Italy |
| Venerated in |
Roman Catholicism (Third Order of St. Francis) |
| Beatified | 10 October 2002, Vatican City, by Pope John Paul II |
| Major shrine | Generalate of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, via Giusti, Rome, Italy |
| Feast | 15 November |
Hélène Marie Philippine de Chappotin de Neuville (Nantes, 21 May 1839 – Sanremo, 15 November 1904), known as the Blessed Mary of the Passion, F.M.M. (French: Mère Marie de la Passion) was a French Religious Sister and missionary, who founded the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in British India in 1877, currently one of the largest religious institutes in the Catholic Church, .
Born Helene-Marie-Philippine de Chappotin in 1839 in Nantes, then in the Department of Loire Inférieure, part of the region of Brittany. The death of her two sisters and a beloved cousin affected her deeply and drove her to seek the meaning of life, guided by the strong beliefs of her mother. During a spiritual retreat in April 1856, she had a deep experience of God's love and a call to serve God, which was to guide her for the rest of her life.
As a result of this experience, she determined to commit her life to religious service. However, when Helene was twenty years of age, her mother died suddenly and she took on the responsibilities of mistress of the household. In December 1860, with the permission of the Bishop of Nantes, de Chappotin entered the local monastery of the Poor Clares, whose ideal of Franciscan simplicity and poverty drew her. On the following 23 January, while still a postulant, she had a profound experience of God's inviting her to offer herself as a victim for the Church and for the Pope. She soon fell ill, however, and had to leave the monastery.
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