Anniversary of the Perpetual Vows of Marie-Catherine of Saint-Augustin

376 years ago, Catherine of Saint-Augustin was passing through Nantes.

The day before, on May 3, 1648, she celebrated her 16th birthday. At the age of 15, she had already offered herself to the mission in Canada and vowed to live and die there if only God would open the door for her. Little could she have imagined that nearly 400 years later, we would still be commemorating the memorable moments of her remarkable life.

On her way to the port of La Rochelle, where she would board the ship bound for her new homeland, New France, Catherine of Saint-Augustin stopped at the church of Notre-Dame de Toutes-Joies.

There, on May 4, 1648, she made her solemn profession. She pronounced her perpetual religious vows and signed a document of fundamental importance, preserved to this day at the Archives Center of the Monastery of the Augustinians. Perhaps you’ve had the chance to see it yourself—it is a favorite among researchers who visit the center.

To mark this event, we have partnered with the Monastery’s Archives Center to recreate this significant moment in history—one of many that shaped the foundation of our Canadian Church.

A copy of this document is currently on display at the Catherine-de-Saint-Augustin Center, where our guides would be delighted to share more about this crucial event in the life of the blessed Catherine. And just for today, you might even encounter her in person—or should we say in “Real Presence”—as she is rumored to roam the monastery’s halls on feast days.

Monastère des Augustines, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, HDQ-F1-D2,1

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