Foundress Marie Rose Durocher

in 1841, louis-moïse brassard, parish priest of longueuil, entered discussions charles-joseph-eugène de mazenod, bishop of marseilles, france, establishment of mission quebec french religious congregation known sœurs des saints-noms de jésus et de marie. durocher learned of proposed mission through brassard. along friend mélodie dufresne, durocher applied in advance join novitiate of new congregation upon arrival in canada. however, mission did not go ahead, , mazenod instead advised ignace bourget, bishop of montreal, whom mazenod had met during bourget s european visit of year, establish similar congregation in canada, based upon 2 women had been eager part of french group.

on 2 december 1841, mission of oblate fathers arrived in montreal, , in august 1842 opened church @ longueuil. among oblates father pierre-adrien telmon, travelled belœil conduct popular missions, met durocher , became spiritual director. on 6 october 1843, durocher travelled longueuil witness brother eusèbe profess religious vows, , there met bishop bourget. together, bourget , telmon petitioned durocher take leading role in foundation of new religious congregation dedicated christian education of youth. durocher agreed request, , on 28 october 1843, durocher began postulancy @ saint-antoine church in longueuil under direction of father jean-marie françois allard, member of oblates. 2 companions entered training alongside her: durocher s friend mélodie dufresne, , henriette céré, schoolteacher of longueuil @ school building durocher , dufresne roomed during postulancy.

on 28 february 1844, in ceremony conducted bishop bourget, 3 postulants began novitiate, assumed religious habit , received religious names. durocher took name sister marie-rose, dufresne became sister marie-agnes , céré became known sister marie-madeleine. bishop bourget gave newly founded community diocesan approval , named sisters of holy names of jesus , mary, after french community durocher had hoped join. sisters adopted rule , constitutions of french namesakes, modified version of habit. on 8 december 1844, durocher, dufresne , céré professed religious vows in church @ longueuil. bourget named durocher mother superior, mistress of novices, , depositary of new congregation.

the new congregation began teaching out of henriette céré s schoohouse, demand services extraordinary , on 4 august 1844 forced move larger premises. number of prospective pupils continued rise on following years, result between february 1844 , october 1849 sisters established 4 convents (in longueuil, belœil, saint lin , saint timothée) employing 30 teachers , enrolling (as of 6 october 1849) 448 pupils. sisters developed course of study provided equally english , french pupils. sisters had planned teach girls missionary requirements forced them teach boys in provinces.

on 17 march 1845 sisters incorporated act of canadian parliament. during 1846, durocher clashed charles chiniquy, outspoken priest leave roman catholic church , become protestant. chiniquy wished take control of teaching in sisters schools, , when blocked in aim durocher, publicly disparaged sisters.