Saint Emily de Rodat (19 September): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

On September 19, the Church honors St. Émilie de Rodat, foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche and a tireless servant of poor and abandoned children. Born in France in 1787, Émilie experienced a profound spiritual renewal during the feast of Corpus Christi in 1804. After years of searching for her vocation, she heard families lament that they could not afford to educate their children. Her answer was immediate: “I will give the necessary instruction to those poor children.” Beginning with 40 children crowded into a small room, Émilie endured mockery, clerical criticism, legal threats, illness, deaths within her young community, and a severe dark night of the soul. Yet she continued. By the time of her death, her congregation had established 38 houses devoted to education, nursing the sick, prison ministry, orphans, and other works of mercy. Émilie united the active and contemplative lives through the examples of Martha and Mary. She insisted upon simplicity so that resources could be given to the poor, respected the freedom required for a true religious vocation, and urged her sisters to cultivate supernatural joy: “Rejoice, rejoice! We must keep away all sadness.” After suffering from a cancerous tumor, St. Émilie died on September 19, 1852. She was canonized in 1950. St. Émilie de Rodat, pray for teachers, children, religious sisters, and all who serve the poor! Source: Butler’s Lives of the Saints. 00:00 Introduction 00:17 Émilie’s birth and childhood in France 01:05 Her youthful decline in devotion 01:30 A transforming spiritual renewal 02:01 Searching for her religious vocation 02:33 Teaching children and preparing them for Communion 03:31 Poor families unable to afford education 03:56 “I will teach these poor children” 04:10 Forty pupils crowded into one room 04:25 Opposition, criticism and legal threats 04:42 The free school opens 04:57 Eight sisters and 100 pupils 05:20 Deaths threaten the young community 05:43 Émilie considers abandoning the foundation 06:07 Perpetual vows and the new motherhouse 06:22 Painful illnesses and a difficult new foundation 07:16 The dark night of the soul 07:25 Thirty-eight houses and expanding works of mercy 07:40 Confidence in Providence 07:49 Radical simplicity for the sake of the poor 08:36 Freedom and the religious vocation 08:50 Prison ministry and rehabilitation for women 09:15 Orphans, novices and elderly religious 09:31 Martha’s service united with Mary’s prayer 09:46 Émilie’s memorable sayings 10:42 Holy joy as a mark of sanctity 11:05 Overcoming pride through humility 11:37 Responding to slander with kindness 12:03 Émilie’s deep prayer and ecstasies 12:12 Her friendship with Father Marty 12:45 Her final illness and resignation 13:18 Concern for abandoned children during her agony 13:32 “The wall is collapsing” 13:46 Death and canonization https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/september/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 #StEmilyDeVialar #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicSaints #CatholicChurch #SaintOfTheDay #CatholicFaith #CatholicHistory #CatholicInspiration #CanonizedSaints #FrenchSaints 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴