The Bicentenary of the birth of Mélodie Dufresne, SNJM
Because she is one of the foundresses of our Congregation, we celebrate, on November 9 2009, the bicentenary of the birth of Mélodie Dufresne, companion of Marie-Rose Durocher and of Henriette Céré.
Born in Beloeil, Mélodie Dufresne, (in religion Sister Marie-Agnès), met Eulalie Durocher in 1825. Initially, she worked with her, in the rectory at Beloeil, then in 1843 went to Longueuil where Bishop Bourget had invited them to found a religious congregation devoted to the education of young girls.
For 25 years, Mélodie Dufresne, referred to as “God’s Mystic” by her companions, shared her artistic gifts with her students. Throughout her life, she tried, with sensitivity and humility, to correct her difficult character, in order to grow closer to God and to others. A student spoke of her thus: “She is strict but she is a saint.”
She died in 1881 at the age of 72.
