Madeleine-Sophie Barat

1779-1865 19th century Feast day: May 25

The education of the heart, patient and humble, in the service of one as of all.

Who was Madeleine-Sophie Barat?

The daughter of a Burgundian cooper, formed by a demanding brother during the revolutionary turmoil, she founded at twenty-one the Society of the Sacred Heart for the education of girls. She governed it for sixty-three years, opening houses across Europe and as far as America, through revolutions and expulsions. She wanted hearts formed to love, more than learned minds.

In their own words

For a single child, if there were no other in the world, I would have founded the Society.

Recorded words

Be humble, be simple, and bring joy to others.

Recorded words