Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Blessed Mary of the Incarnation


Barbe (Barbara) Aurillot was born at Paris in France. When she was seventeen, she married Pierre (Peter) Acarie. Barbra and her husband loved their Catholic faith and practiced it. They had six children and were a happy family.

Barbara tried to be a good wife and mother. Her family learned from her a great love for prayer and works of charity. Her husband was once wrongly blamed for a crime he had not committed. To save him, Barbara herself went to court, and, all alone, proved that he was not guilty.


Although she was busy with her own family, she always found time to feed those who were hungry. She taught people about the Catholic faith. She helped the sick and dying. She gently encouraged people who were living sinfully to change their ways. The good deeds she did were works of mercy.

When Barbara was forty-seven Pierre died. She then joined the Carmelite convent and spent the last four years of her life as a nun. Three of her daughters became Carmelite nuns, too and one son became a priest. Barbara's new name as a nun was Sister Mary of the Incarnation.
She worked with joy in the kitchen among the pots and pans. When her own daughter became the superior of the monastery, Blessed Mary willingly obeyed her.

When she was dying, she humbly said: "The Lord forgive the bad example I have given you." The nuns were very surprised because Barbara had always tried so hard to live a good life. Blessed Mary died in 1618 at the age of fifty-two.

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