On the feast day of the Virgin of the Rosary, as was customary, the image of the Mother of God was taken in procession through the streets. Shocked by the act of faith she witnessed, Bourgeoys contemplated the face of the Virgin for a long time.
She recounts in her memoirs: “We returned in front of the portal [of the abbey] of Notre Dame where there is a stone image [of the Virgin] above the door and looking at it I found it very beautiful and at the same time I found myself so touched and so changed that I no longer knew myself.”
Moved by the gaze of Mary’s image, she experienced God’s call, as if suddenly the conviction had appeared that she could not live in any other way than by consecrating herself to the Lord. On that day, everything in her life began to move toward becoming a religious and serving those most in need.
Ministering across the ocean
In 1653, Bourgeoys arrived in the city of Montreal. At that time, she joined the French colony of Ville-Marie. There she dedicated herself, together with a group of women, to give catechesis in various schools and to assist pastorally in nearby parishes.
In 1668, Bourgeoys opened the first elementary school in Montreal with a dozen pupils.