While most people in the CJ community are familiar with the priests and brothers that are Marianists, otherwise known as the Society of Mary, most may not realize that in the Dayton Marianist community, there are also a large number of sisters called the Daughters of Mary Immaculate. Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, whose feast day is Saturday, Jan. 10, founded this order in collaboration with Chaminade in 1816. It was after the establishment of this women’s religious order that Blessed Father William Joseph Chaminade founded their male counterpart, the Society of Mary, in 1817.
According to the Marianist website, “Adèle passionately strove to help others come to know God in their lives. Adèle recognized the need for a commitment to the revitalization of the Catholic faith in France. Her fervent zeal ultimately led her to connect with Blessed Chaminade and set her on the path to be the superior of the Daughters of Mary.”
Blessed Adèle was born on June 10, 1789, just after the start of the French Revolution. She came from a noble family. Her father, the Baron de Trenquelléon, was an officer in the king’s Royal Guard. Even with their social standing, the family was devoutly religious and dedicated to serving the poor and sick. They provided food and clothing and, when necessary, sold their own possessions to meet others’ needs. The family remained faithful to the Church during the Revolution despite the risk involved.
For most of her young life, she was separated from her father, who sought exile in London. In his absence, Adèle’s mother organized secret Masses and worship services for the community at their château on Sundays. In 1797, Adèle, along with her mother and brother, was also forced into exile. They fled to Spain and later to Portugal, where they were reunited with their father in 1798 after ten years living apart.
Living in exile was difficult, but it allowed them to practice the Catholic faith freely. Adèle and her family eventually moved to San Sebastián, Spain, near the French border, in order to return home to France as soon as it was safe. While in Spain, Adèle made her first confession and received her first communion.
Adele had mixed feelings upon her family’s return to France in 1801, since her heart was set on living at a Carmelite monastery in San Sebastian and becoming a Carmelite nun. Her parents felt that at 11, she was too young to make the life-altering decision. They agreed to support her call to religious life if that was still her heart’s desire when she was older.
Although money was tight for her family in post-war France, her father hired a former seminarian, Monsieur Ducournear, to tutor her brother. At age 13, this tutor became Adèle’s spiritual director. She asked Ducournear to develop a rule of life for her to live by as she prepared for her eventual life as a sister.
When Adèle was 15, she built a community of friends. Together, Adèle and these girls received the sacrament of confirmation in 1804. She started the Association called the “little society.” This group engaged in works of charity and supported one another’s spiritual growth. Adèle held the group together and led them to deeper faith through her extensive letter writing. With this effort, it expanded to include women throughout southwestern France.
It was around this time that Adèle learned of Chaminade’s Sodality in Bordeaux, France. The word, sodality comes from the Latin sodalitas, meaning “fellowship.” Chaminade founded his sodality, a lay Catholic association, to rebuild the Catholic faith after the French Revolution. It united people from all social classes under Mary’s patronage for spiritual growth and mission
After hearing about Chaminade’s work, Adèle’s dream became her “cher projet” (dear project) of being a sister committed to the growth of the sodalities. In 1816, some of the women expressed a desire to enter religious life, and the Daughters of Mary Immaculate were born in Agen under the guidance of Chaminade. He devised a way for the women to combine contemplative life with missionary outreach to the city of Agen.
According to the Marianist website, “Adele passionately strove to help others come to know God in their lives. Adele recognized the need for a commitment to the revitalization of the Catholic faith in France. Her fervent zeal ultimately led her to connect with Blessed Chaminade and set her on the path to be the superior of the Daughters of Mary.”
Sadly, Adèle passed away at the young age of 38 years old. Her legacy lives on through her passion to serve the poor and unite women in faith. Her establishment and leadership of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate demonstrated a true testament of courage and perseverance in faith that continues with the Marianist Sisters who live in Dayton today.
Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon was beatified (declared “Blessed”) on her birthday, June 10, 2018, in Agen, France. Pope Francis referred to her as a “gift to the whole church.” Blessed Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, also known as Blessed Marie of the Conception.
As a Marianist and Sister of Notre Dame de Namur community, Chaminade Julienne is honored to recognize Blessed Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon as one of its founders. Her passion and love of God made her a beacon of virtue for the Catholic Church and our school community.
“What we must constantly strive to instill into each other is the love of God.” ~Blessed Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon
If you are interested in learning more and getting involved with Marianist Lay Community, please visit this website: https://spiritus-mlc.org/