Madeleine Sophie Barat

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Madeleine Sophie Barat : biography

December 12, 1779 – May 25, 1865

In January 1806, at the age of 23, Madeleine Sophie was elected, by one vote, Superior General of the entire Society of the Sacred Heart. Sophie’s wisdom and humility quickly secured her acceptance in all the Sacred Heart establishments. In 1820, she called all the superiors together in a council at Paris in order to establish a uniform course of studies for the quickly expanding network of Sacred Heart schools. These studies were to be serious, to cultivate the mind, and to create young women who would be devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and perform good deeds in God’s name. As foundations continued to multiply, Sophie saw the need for a greater degree of unity, and for this sought the approval of the Vatican in Rome. By 1826, the Society of the Sacred Heart had received Rome’s seal of approval.

In 1840, Sophie averted a potential schism between the Vatican and the archbishop of Paris. While all her sisters pressured her to choose sides, Sophie refused to do so and was able to heal the breach. Over the course of her 65 years as superior general, Sophie and her Society survived the regime of Napoleon, saw France undergo two more revolutions, and witnessed Italy’s struggle to become a full-fledged nation.

The Sacred Heart schools quickly earned an excellent reputation. They are now often known for educating social elites, but this was not at all Sophie’s original intent. Quite to the contrary, she dreamed of educating all children regardless of their parents’ financial means. For almost every new school established, a corresponding “free” school was opened to provide the poorer children of the area with a high-quality education that they would not otherwise have received.

Education

Sophie’s older brother was a serious boy and a brilliant student. His parents encouraged his interest in studies and employed a tutor for him at home. Shortly after entering the Collège Saint-Jacques in Joigny at the age of nine, Louis decided to become a Catholic priest. In 1784, at the age of 16, Louis left Joigny to begin his studies for the priesthood at the seminary at Sens. Louis was ordained a deacon, but, because he was too young to be ordained a priest, he was obliged to return home until he was 21. Louis worked as a teacher at his old school and, noticing that his eight-year-old sister was clearly very intelligent, decided to take on Sophie’s education. Louis taught her to read and write and schooled her in Scripture, Latin, and mathematics, providing Sophie with an education rarely available to young women and girls at that time. He would often set Sophie the same exams he set his own students at the Collège, and she consistently out-performed all her brother’s male students.

Quotes

Said by Sophie:

“We don’t live with angels; we have to put up with human nature and forgive it.”

“Show by charity how to meet a crisis.”

“Before making any change take counsel…. Prudence and a wise slowness are necessary in the beginning.”

“More is gained by indulgence than by severity.”

"Be humble, simple, bring joy to others."

"For the sake of one child, I would have founded the Society."

"Your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world."

"And what is God? Supreme happiness. That is all."

"Give only good example to the children; never correct them when out of humor or impatient. We must win them by an appeal to their piety and to their hearts. Soften your reprimands with kind words; encourage and reward them. That is, in short, our way of educating."

Said of Sophie:

“It was her way to think well of people until forced to do otherwise.”

“She loved people through their faults to the core of their best selves.”

Solari, Connie. "Madeleine Sophie Barat." Personal interview. 14 Oct. 2011. Solari, Connie. "My PhiloSophical Vocation." Network of Sacred Heart Schools Leadership Teams Meeting. Missouri, St. Charles. June 2008. Speech.