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The Legacy of Hélène de Chappotin

January 2011 H de Chappotin, born May 21, 1839, in Nantes, France, was the youngest child of an upper-class Catholic family. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her siblings and first cousins. Bright and precocious, Hélène exerted genuine leadership despite her youth. Tragically, her mother died, as did two sisters and a cousin, which further shaped her character. Her relationship with God matured, and she realized God would always love her more than she loved God.1 For Hélène this gift of herself within the context of her spiritual formation meant offering her life without condition in the service of the church. With guidance from her spiritual director, she chose religious life to realize this gift of herself and in 1860 entered the Poor Clare monastery in Nantes, a cloistered Franciscan community. Although she was there only six weeks, she had a profound, unexpected experience of God on January 23, 1861, in which she spiritually understood the presence of God loving her and asking her to offer herself for the church and for souls.2 This event shaped her self-understanding from then on. A short time later Hélène became ill and, at her family’s insistence, returned home. Approximately three years later, during which Hélène devoted herself to reading, prayer, and the concerns of her family household, her spiritual director, a Jesuit, advised her to enter the Society of Marie Reparatrix.3 This congregation was begun in France in 1855 by Emilie d’Oultremont d’Hooghvorst in order to make reparation to God for sinfulness in the world, through contemplative prayer and ministry in union with Mary.4 Hélène entered this community in 1864 and was given the name “Mary of the Passion.” After a few months she was sent with others to the Reparatrix community in Madurai, South India, at the request of the Jesuits responsible for the mission. The Sisters’ willingness to leave for India attests to their love of God and firm commitment to obey within their context of religious life. Today we recognize they were not prepared for missionary life in another culture.5 Hélène’s commitment and energy were soon acknowledged, along with her firm faith and leadership ability. She was appointed provincial superior for the Reparatrix in Madurai. She worked tirelessly with her Sisters to develop a fervent community and prayer life joined with other ministries, especially an extraordinary service among women and children living in the cruel realities of poverty and discrimination within the caste system of India. The Sisters organized workrooms where the women could learn a trade. In addition they conducted retreats and helped in the formation of local congregations.6