February 7
Rosalía Rendu (1786–1856)
Secular
Practical advice
Listen today without interruptions to someone tired and help them resolve a specific burden that is in your hands.
Biography
Daughter of French Charity, Rosalía Rendu lived fifty-four years in the impoverished Parisian neighborhood of Mouffetard. He visited the sick, opened schools, organized help for orphans and the elderly, and cared for the wounded during revolutions and epidemics without first asking about his side. He trained numerous lay people in charity, among them the young Federico Ozanam. His house became a meeting point where the poor could unload their burdens. Rosalía combined efficiency, tenderness and a brave defense of human dignity.
Example of
Spirit of serviceSanctified workChristian education