Important Dates of St. Louise de Marillac
Co-founder of the Company of the Daughters of Charity
of Saint Vincent de Paul 1591-1660
| 1591 | Birth , 12 August, in or near Paris. The identity of her mother is unknown; her father was a widower at the time of her birth. Educated at the Dominican Convent at Poissy, where she had an aunt. |
| 1595 | Remarriage of her father to Antoinette Le Camus in January. Louise's stepmother never accepted her husband's illegitimate daughter into the family |
| 1604 | Death of her father, Louis de Marillac, 25 July |
| c. 1604 | Transferred to a "pension" or a boarding home to learn domestic skills |
| 1613 | Marriage to Antoine LeGras, secretary to the Queen, Marie de Medicis, 5 February; birth of son Michel Antoine, 18 October. |
| 1619 | Francis de Sales meets Louise and provides great consolation and support to her. |
| 1622 | Antoine, Louise's husband becomes ill |
| 1623 | Made vow of widowhood, 4 May. Pentecost experience: La Lumière, 4 June, which became a pivotal point in her spiritual development. |
| c. 1623-24 | Beginning of spiritual direction by Vincent de Paul |
| 1625 | Death of husband, 21 December |
| 1629 | Louise sent on her first mission by Vincent de Paul to the Confraternity of Charity at Montmirail |
| 1632 | Death of Michel de Marillac, Louise's uncle and guardian |
| 1633 | Foundation along with Vincent de Paul of the Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, 29 November |
| 1634 | Establishment of the Ladies of Charity at the Hotel Dieu of Paris |
| 1638 | Establishment of the Daughters of Charity at Richelieu, the first successful mission outside of Paris. |
| 1639 | Healthcare ministry begins at the Hospital of St. Jean at Angers by the Daughters of Charity |
| 1640 | Ministry to the galley slaves and prisoners begins by the Daughters of Charity |
| 1641 | Ministry of education begins by the Daughters of Charity |
| 1642 | Vows made for the first time by Louise and others |
| 1646 | Approbation of the Confraternity of the Daughters of Charity by Jean François de Gondi, coadjutor of the Bishop of Paris; the Confraternity is made dependent upon the bishops, 20 November. |
| 1650 | Son Michel marries Gabrielle Le Clerc, 18 January |
| 1651 | Birth of Renee-Louise LeGras, grand-daughter of Louise |
| 1652 | Sending of the first Daughters of Charity beyond France into Poland at Warsaw |
| 1655 | Act of Establishment of the Company of the Daughters of Charity, 8 August. First election of Officers. Approbation of the Company of the Daughters of Charity by cardinal de Retz, Archbishop of Paris. The superior general of the Priests of the Mission is recognized as the superior of the Daughters of Charity. |
| 1660 | Death, 15 March |
| 1911 | Pope Pius X issued the Decree of Heroicity of Virtues of Louise de Marillac, widow Le Gras, co-foundress of the Daughters of Charity, 19 July. |
| 1920 | Pope Benedict XV beatified Louise de Marillac, 9 May. |
| 1934 | Pope Pius XI presided at the solemnity of canonization, 11 March |
| 1960 | Pope John XXIII commemorated the Third Centenary of the death of Saint Louise de Marillac, by declaring her "Patron of Christian Social Workers,"10 February. |
Compiled by Sister Betty Ann McNeil, D.C.