Getting to know St. Marie Rivier

A little-known nun from France, who was healed by Mary, is St. Marie Rivier.  She was fondly known as Marinette, was born December 19, 1768 in Montpezat, France.

Her life began with a great trial. At the age of 16 months, in Montpezat-sous-Bauzon in the Ardèche department (southeastern France) where she was born, she fell from a bunk bed, damaging her hip and feet to the point that she could no longer walk Over the four years that followed, Marie's mother carried her daily to a statue of the Pieta in a nearby chapel, at the child's own insistence. Marie told her mother, "That woman in the chapel will cure me." She would pray, "Cure me, Blessed Mother, and I'll give you a hat...Cure me. If you don't, I'll pout." On September 7, 1774, Marie's father died. The next day, the feast of the Birth of Mary, after the family had returned home from the father's funeral, Marie miraculously began to walk again. Her recovery came four years after the accident. Marie decided to honor her promise to the Virgin Mary. Although she recovered enough to walk again, the effects of the accident had a negative impact on her development, and she reached a height of only 1.32m (a little over 4 feet) as an adult.

 Later, in the chapel, Marie's mother discovered a hat she had made for her daughter resting upon the Madonna's head, having been placed there by the grateful child as a votive offering.  At the village church, the Virgin began talking to the young Marie.  Later, Marie Rivier said that during this period she had visions during her long hours of prayer. Sister Catherine of the Congregation of the Presentation of Mary remembers: "She was in bed and saw herself surrounded by school children and said to the Virgin: 'If you heal me, I will gather girls for you and I will tell them to love you.' This is how she received the vocation to be a teacher." 

When the French Revolution broke out and any religious action was suspicious, Marie Rivier secretly held Sunday assemblies. She was cautious but remained an apostle with a heart of fire! In 1794, the village of Thueyts beckoned her and she willingly responded. Soon four young women joined her and allowed themselves to be set afire by the Gospel. At a time when all the convents were being closed, Marie Rivier opened hers. On November 21, 1796, the feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, Marie and her four companions consecrated themselves to God. The new community grew very quickly despite the poverty it experienced. Marie Rivier founded 141 schools around the world.  For Marie Rivier and her daughters, the Christian education of youth was and will remain a priority. However, religious education extended to adults as well. The poor also held a special place in Marie's heart, and she opened her first orphanage in 1814. Even if the house was poor, welcoming the most destitute was sacred.  St. Marie Rivier passed on February 3, 1838.

The miracles attributed to Marie are dramatic.  The three most egregious examples are;

1)   Paulette was born on August 3, 1930, in Bourg Saint Andéol, Ardèche (Diocese of Viviers).  Since December 1937, the child’s state of health had been deteriorating: The doctor has diagnosed an infantile acrodynia.  The child was completely healed on the last day of the novena of Mother Rivier. On the evening of February 3, 1938, all signs of the illness disappeared instantly. 

2)  The healing of Angel Marie from the Philippines was cured from a generalized edema, on Sept. 2021.

3)   A baby girl was healed of hydrops fetalis, according to Vatican News. This is a life-threatening condition in which there is a buildup of fluids around the lungs and heart.

Pope Francis has approved this miracle and announced her to be part of the Canon on May 15. 2022.  She has been known and is known as the “woman-apostle”.