Anne-Marie Rivier
Encyclopedia
Blessed Anne-Marie Rivier (1768-1838) was a Religious Sister in the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church and foundress of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary
, a religious congregation ministering in eighteen different countries. The Sisters of her congregation celebrate her memorial on the 3rd February.
in the Ardèche
Department, south-central France
.
When she was just over a year old, the young Marinette suffered an accident which resulted in a badly broken hip, leaving her unable to walk. Every day, for four years, Marinette’s mother, who was described as a “woman of great faith” brought her to a local Catholic
shrine
, called the Chapel
of the Penitents, where she would spend hours in prayer
before a representation of the Pietà
(a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the body of her son, Jesus, after He had been taken down from the Cross following the Crucifixion
). On 8th of September 1774, (the Feast of the Birth of Mary), Marinette found that she was able to walk, albeit with the help of crutches. For someone who had been unable to walk for four years, this in itself was something of a miracle; slowly her strength returned, although she was never to be a physically strong person. The fact that Anne-Marie and her mother believed that it was through the intercession of the Mother of Christ that she regained her strength influenced Marinette greatly as would be evident in her choice of name for the religious community she was to establish.
but was turned down due to her poor physical health. Undettered, she established a school in her home town the following year, when she was still a teenager. As well as operating a school, Marinette and her fellow workers visited those who were sick and opened a room where unemployed youth could come and volunteer.
Not long after this, the nation experienced the trauma of the French Revolution
; all religious congregations were suppressed and any act of religious expression was viewed with suspicion by the authorities. However, Marinette held fast to her belief in Christ and to the living out of that faith; when there was no Catholic priest available to celebrate the Eucharist
, she would hold prayer servicesand she continued to teach about the Bible
, Jesus and the saints in her school.
In 1794, the revolutionary authorities confiscated the building in which the school was run and Marinette and her companions moved to the town of Thueyts
where they received support from Father Luigi Pontanier who was a member of the Society of Saint-Sulpice
. It was in the attic of the new school that, on 21st November 1796 (the feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple), the five women formally dedicated themselves to God. The newly established group pledged themselves to teaching, working with orphans and visiting people in their homes. By the very next year, the group had increased to twelve. A provisional constitution was written and approved by the local bishop and the women made their religious professions on 21st November 1797. The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary had been established.
religion was able to be freely practised once more in France and the fledgling congregation grew. By 1810 the Sisters had established 46 communities as well as a novitiate
in 1803 in order to train the numerous young women who were responding to God’s call to the religious life. Due to the rapid increase in membership, the mother-house was moved to larger premises in Bourg-Saint-Andéol
in 1815. By 1820 the Sisters had expanded their presence to such an extent that they had 88 houses in 8 diocese
s.
Anne-Marie died, at the age of 70, on 3rd February 1838. At the time of her death, the Congregation numbered 300 sisters living in 141 communities in 15 dioceses. Anne-Marie once said “My daughters will one day cross the seas.” After the death of Rivier, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary continued to grow and are now to be found on every continent, ministering in eighteen countries. There are over 3,000 sisters in the Congregation.
Sister Anne-Marie Rivier was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 23rd May 1982.
Sisters of the Presentation of Mary
The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary are a religious congregation in the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1796 at Thueyts in the Ardèche department of south-central France, by Blessed Anne-Marie Rivier ; originally, the congregation was devoted to the education of...
, a religious congregation ministering in eighteen different countries. The Sisters of her congregation celebrate her memorial on the 3rd February.
Family background
Anne-Marie Rivier (known to her family as Marinette) was born on 19 December 1768, in Montpezat-sous-BauzonMontpezat-sous-Bauzon
Montpezat-sous-Bauzon is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
in the Ardèche
Ardèche
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River.- History :The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d'Arc. The plateau of the Ardeche River has extensive standing stones ,...
Department, south-central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
When she was just over a year old, the young Marinette suffered an accident which resulted in a badly broken hip, leaving her unable to walk. Every day, for four years, Marinette’s mother, who was described as a “woman of great faith” brought her to a local Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
, called the Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of the Penitents, where she would spend hours in prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
before a representation of the Pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
(a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the body of her son, Jesus, after He had been taken down from the Cross following the Crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
). On 8th of September 1774, (the Feast of the Birth of Mary), Marinette found that she was able to walk, albeit with the help of crutches. For someone who had been unable to walk for four years, this in itself was something of a miracle; slowly her strength returned, although she was never to be a physically strong person. The fact that Anne-Marie and her mother believed that it was through the intercession of the Mother of Christ that she regained her strength influenced Marinette greatly as would be evident in her choice of name for the religious community she was to establish.
Vocation
When she was 17 years of age, Marinette applied to join the Sisters of Notre Dame in Pradelles, Haute-LoirePradelles, Haute-Loire
Pradelles is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.-See also:*Communes of the Haute-Loire department...
but was turned down due to her poor physical health. Undettered, she established a school in her home town the following year, when she was still a teenager. As well as operating a school, Marinette and her fellow workers visited those who were sick and opened a room where unemployed youth could come and volunteer.
Not long after this, the nation experienced the trauma of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
; all religious congregations were suppressed and any act of religious expression was viewed with suspicion by the authorities. However, Marinette held fast to her belief in Christ and to the living out of that faith; when there was no Catholic priest available to celebrate the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, she would hold prayer servicesand she continued to teach about the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Jesus and the saints in her school.
In 1794, the revolutionary authorities confiscated the building in which the school was run and Marinette and her companions moved to the town of Thueyts
Thueyts
Thueyts is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:...
where they received support from Father Luigi Pontanier who was a member of the Society of Saint-Sulpice
Society of Saint-Sulpice
The Society of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life named for Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Paris, in turn named for St. Sulpitius the Pious. Typically, priests become members of the Society of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. Uniquely, Sulpicians retain...
. It was in the attic of the new school that, on 21st November 1796 (the feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple), the five women formally dedicated themselves to God. The newly established group pledged themselves to teaching, working with orphans and visiting people in their homes. By the very next year, the group had increased to twelve. A provisional constitution was written and approved by the local bishop and the women made their religious professions on 21st November 1797. The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary had been established.
Growth
With the Concordat of 1801Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801. It solidified the Roman Catholic Church as the majority church of France and brought back most of its civil status....
religion was able to be freely practised once more in France and the fledgling congregation grew. By 1810 the Sisters had established 46 communities as well as a novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in 1803 in order to train the numerous young women who were responding to God’s call to the religious life. Due to the rapid increase in membership, the mother-house was moved to larger premises in Bourg-Saint-Andéol
Bourg-Saint-Andéol
Bourg-Saint-Andéol is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Rhône Valley in southern France.-Geography:It lies directly along the Rhône River at the southeast end of the department south of the smaller see of Viviers, from Pierrelatte eastwards across the river in the département Drôme and ...
in 1815. By 1820 the Sisters had expanded their presence to such an extent that they had 88 houses in 8 diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s.
Anne-Marie died, at the age of 70, on 3rd February 1838. At the time of her death, the Congregation numbered 300 sisters living in 141 communities in 15 dioceses. Anne-Marie once said “My daughters will one day cross the seas.” After the death of Rivier, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary continued to grow and are now to be found on every continent, ministering in eighteen countries. There are over 3,000 sisters in the Congregation.
Sister Anne-Marie Rivier was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 23rd May 1982.