Mother Marie Gertrude
Mother Marie Gertrude a name very dear and closed to the heart of every SMMI on this planet. It’s she is the First missionary of the Society of DSFS along with three others brought the light of Christ to others to our land. The little work started there as grown reaching out to the far of lands and to the four directions of the world. Here below we have a glimpse of her life.
Her Early Life :
Felicie Gros was born on 27th March 1850 in a little town in France to Francois Eugene Gros and Agnes Leonie Poissant. She was very delicate and fragile in health from her early childhood. Her parents were not practicing the religion. She was baptized on 26th April 1851 and named as Felicie Eugine Gros.
Felicie was lively, mischievous, tender and affectionate but also strong headed. She inherited the moral strength, intelligence and strong will of her mother. At the age of five, Felicie lost her father. After the death of her father Felicie was put in a boarding school. It did not help her much. The company of a girl named
Emily revived her and this friendship continued its influence for long.
Felicie was twelve years when she received the First Communion at Medard Church on 3rd July 1862.By her earnest prayer she brought back her mother to the practice of religion. Music was part of her life, she being able to compose and play piano, etc….
A Thirst For God And Spiritual Life :
Until the age of 16, the priest who gave her the First Communion was her spiritual director. After his death, Felicie was in search of a spiritual director. Meanwhile she found direction by reading the book "Introduction to Devout Life" by St. Francis de Sales, recommended by Fr.Henri Chaumont. She went to Fr.Chaumont for general confession to lead a perfect life. She took him as her spiritual director and she grew in piety and in hidden virtues under his guidance. The meeting of the two opened a new horizon. Fr.Chaumont guided her spiritual life from then on.
In 1870 war broke between Germany and France. Felicie along with her mother served the victims of insurrection, dressing herself as a servant, risking her life. Under the direction of her spiritual director, she gave up her studies of music. After a long struggle to choose the state of life, she consecrated herself to God after Communion, on 14th September 1871 in the Church of St.Peter at Montmartre.
Consecration As Daughter Of St.Francis de Sales :
Fr.Chaumont introduced Felicie to Mme.Carre de Malberg, the first directress of the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales. Felicie realized that the way of this little group would answer her desire to commit herself totally to God and take care of her ailing mother. In 1873, during her holidays, she went to Paray le Monial, where Daughters were staying. On 1st January 1874, Felicie began her aspirancy as a Daughter of St.Francis de Sales and was given the name Sr.Marie Gertrude. She did her Novitiate at Avenue Breteuil. She made her Salesian Consecration on 29th January 1875 with two of her companions Miss.Tonery and Miss.Marthe Chaumont, the sister of Fr.Chaumont.
In November 1876 Mother Marie Gertrude became ill with acute Phelebites and was on her death bed. She was given the Sacrament of the sick. Fr.Chaumont assured her recovery and gave her a crucifix to bring to Paris. She was cured and gave the crucifix to Fr.chaumont . These physical crosses were her constant companions which she carried heroically and joyfully throughout her life.
Her Life In The ' House Of Good God ' :
The community life in the ‘House of Good God’ at Avenue de Breteuil, had its joys and challenges and she found ample opportunities to die to herself. She had received special grace and the spirit of sacrifice when she visited the tomb of St.Francis de Sales along with her mother. Mme Carre de Malberg encouraged her and also prepared her for a life of suffering, crosses and difficulties of all sorts. Mother Marie Gertrude spent even her free time to recruit new members to the Society and toured extensively finding new associates in Germany, Belgium and France. Fr.Chaumont asked her to be more attentive to the formation of the new members of the Society.
Her Missionary Spirit :
In 1882, Mother Marie Gertrude was appointed to train the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales who desired to go to the mission countries. They were named as Catechist Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales. She requested that she be the first one to be sent to the mission. At the request of Fr.Joseph Tissot, the Superior general of MSFS in the name of Bishop Alexis Riccaz, the Bishop of Nagpur, the Council decided to send Mother Marie Gertrude along with three companions Sr. Marie de Kostka, Sr.Madeline and Sr.Joseph to Nagpur. Fr.Chaumont prepared them well and they started their Journey on October 5th 1889 from Paris and reached Nagpur on 2nd November 1889, welcomed by Fr.Pelvat at Bombay and Fr.Peter Montagneux at Nagpur.
They stayed first in the old palace of Raja in city which was the residence of the sisters of St.Joseph. On 5th November they met Bishop Riccaz of Nagpur. They had to begin their mission of development of women from nothing. Being trained in the school of St. Francis de Sales, Mother Marie Gertrude put her and the mission directly under the Providence of God.
On 6th November they started their first mission ‘the poor house’ entrusted to them by the Bishop. This was the asylum for the destitute and incurables, who were sheltered in the stable of the camels of Raja Bhonsle. There were the blind, deaf, dumb, physically and mentally handicapped men and women, lepers, etc. Mother’s heart overflowed with compassionate love of Jesus as she took care of them.
Along with the care of the inmates she also began to visit the homes of the nearby areas, with only known language- look of love, Salesian smile with broken Marathi. Mother won many hearts of the children, through them their mothers and other women of the area. With consent of the Founder, she opened the home for the non-Christian widows and dispensaries to the sick.
On 12th April 1890, the first convent of Mary Immaculate was blessed and Jesus residing in the tabernacle under their same roof filled them with Joy. On June 8th 1890, the statue send by Fr. Chaumont was placed in the grotto, open to all people. Their apostolate grew day by day and slowly Fr. Chaumont started to send more CMMI to India to widen their mission. In spite of her poor health and all difficulties, she extended the mission entrusted to her to China on 8th November 1890, Madagasgar on 4th Nov 1894, Dacca in Jan 1896, Kumbakonam on 25th March 1900 and Tranquebar on 25th March 1901. She taught in school, instructed catechism, visited and nursed the poor and sick with special preference for women.
Mother Marie Gertrude’s Last Days :
In Dacca, Mother Vincent of the Holy Spirit became sick and she wanted to meet MMG. On 26th January 1905, MMG set out for Dacca, though many resisted her to go to Dacca due to her ill health. Sr. Therese de Missions who had accompanied her from Nagpur, took the most care of her. She wrote a letter to Mother Marie de Kostka explaining the serious state of Mother Marie Gertrude. Mother Marie de Kostka and Mother Jane de Gethsemane arrived Dacca. MMG gave them the Testament which we all preserve in our hearts. She breathed her last on 18th March 1905. Mother Marie Gertrude is venerated as ‘Servant of God’ on 25th January 2015. The process of her canonization is actively taken up the Congregation and the second phase also began in Rome.
