Blessed Renée-Marie Feillatreau

Wife, Mother, and Martyr (1751-1794)

+ Renee-Marie was born in Angers, France.

+ During the French Revolution, which targeted Catholic priests and religious faithful to the Pope, Renee-Marie was arrested for the “crime” of hiding vestments and sacred vessels used for Mass. She was accused of stealing wealth from the Republic.

+ At her trial, Renee-Marie was condemned to death, but she declared to her judges that she would rather die than deny her Catholic Faith. She was guillotined on March 28, 1794. Her only crime had been her strong devotion to the Church and her willingness to protect hunted priests.

+ Blessed Renee-Marie Feillatreua was beatified with other martyrs of the French Revolution in 1984.

Spiritual bonus

Wednesday of Holy Week is often called “Spy” or “Traitor” Wednesday as a way of recalling the reading from the Gospel proclaimed today, in which Judas Iscariot goes to the Sanhedrin and agrees to betray Jesus to them for 30 pieces of silver.

Quote

“Sometimes, reading the stories of so many of yesterday’s and today’s martyrs, — who are more numerous than the martyrs of the early days — we are amazed at the strength with which they have faced the supreme trial. This strength is a sign of the great hope that animated them: the certain hope that nothing and no one could separate them from God’s love given to us in Jesus Christ (cf. Rom 8:38-39).”—Pope Francis

Prayer

O God, who willed your Son to submit for our sake
to the yoke of the Cross,
so that you might drive from us the power of the enemy,
grant us, your servants, to attain the grace of the resurrection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal: Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.