Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis

Marie-Léonie Paradis, PSSF (born Virginie-Alodie Paradis but raised as Élodie Paradis; 12 May 1840 – 3 May 1912) was a French-Canadian Catholic religious sister from Quebec who established the Little Sisters of the Holy Family in 1880, dedicated to the domestic needs in the field of education across Canada. Pope John Paul II beatified her when he visited Canada in 1984 and she was canonized in October 2024 by Pope Francis. Alodie-Virginie Paradis was born in Quebec in 1840 as the sole daughter — the third of six children, only three of whom survived to adulthood – of Joseph Paradis and Emilie Gregoire. She was educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame. Paradis received the sacrament of Confirmation and the First Communion in 1849 and 1850 respectively. On 21 February 1854 at the age of fourteen, she became a candidate of the congregation of the Marianites of Saint-Laurent in Montreal. Despite her frail health, she was nevertheless admitted and pronounced her vows on 22 August 1857. She received the religious name Marie de Sainte-Léonie (which was shortened to Marie-Léonie). She taught in Montreal for several years. In 1862 she was sent to the St. Vincent de Paul, a parish for French-speaking Catholics in Manhattan, where the congregation ran an orphanage. She remained there until 1870, when she joined the Sisters of Holy Cross, the American branch of the congregation, located at Notre Dame, Indiana. There she taught French and needlework to the sisters training to become teachers. In 1874, Paradis was appointed novice mistress at the Collège Saint-Joseph in Memramcook, New Brunswick. The school was in need of basic support in the housekeeping and culinary departments. On 31 May 1880, Paradis established the Little Sisters of the Holy Family. On a number of occasions she asked Bishop John Sweeny of New Brunswick to grant approval to the small community, but it was not forthcoming.