Rosalie Cadron-Jetté

In the middle of the 19th century, the city of Montreal faced rapid urbanization and great social distress. Single mothers suffered extreme social and moral exclusion, rejected by their families and society. Moved by their situation, Bishop Ignace Bourget, Bishop of Montreal, sought a solution to help them. Knowing the discreet charity of Rosalie, who was already welcoming women in difficulty into her home, he asked her to devote herself entirely to this apostolate. In 1845, Rosalie opened a first secret refuge, the Hospice of Sainte-Pélagie, to welcome and care for single mothers and their newborns. Despite the misunderstanding and opposition of those around her, she persevered with courage. On January 16, 1848, the work was officially structured with the religious profession of Rosalie and her first companions, marking the foundation of the Institute of the Sisters of Misericorde. Rosalie then took the religious name of Sister of the Nativity (or Mother of the Nativity). Out of deep humility, she refused to assume the office of superior of the new congregation, preferring that this responsibility be entrusted to another sister (Sister Saint-Jean-de-Chantal) in order to remain a simple servant in the shadows. She humbly devoted herself to the most arduous tasks: welcoming mothers, caring for newborns, and visiting the sick at home. At her death on April 5, 1864, the institute had proven itself and counted 33 nuns, 11 novices and postulants, as well as 25 "Madeleines" (penitent women associated with the work). Under her impetus, the community had already offered refuge and dignity to more than 2,300 single mothers.

The cause for the canonization of Rosalie Cadron-Jetté was introduced at the end of the 20th century. In 1989, Cardinal Paul Grégoire, Archbishop of Montreal, signed the decree opening the canonical inquiry. On November 6, 1990, during the official opening of the diocesan tribunal, Rosalie was declared a "Servant of God." On November 12, 1990, the cause received the nihil obstat decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. The diocesan inquiry was closed on June 9, 1992, and the decree of validity for this inquiry was signed in Montreal on January 29, 1993. The Positio (a dossier on the virtues and reputation for holiness, totaling 856 pages) was presented in Rome on July 1, 1994. It received the unanimous approval of the committee of historical experts of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on March 29, 1996, and subsequently the unanimous approval of the committee of theological experts on November 30, 2011.

On December 9, 2013, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, officially attributing to her the title of Venerable. For her beatification to be pronounced, the Catholic Church requires the official recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession, a dossier which is currently the subject of research and prayers by the promoters of her cause.

The spirituality of Rosalie Cadron-Jetté is deeply rooted in active mercy, unconditional welcome, and the non-judgment of those wounded in their dignity. She knew how to combine evangelical truth with immense compassion toward mothers in distress. The violet flower is traditionally associated with her memory. This association dates back to May 11, 1931, during the transfer of her remains to the motherhouse in Cartierville, where violets were picked in the garden in remembrance of her modesty and gentleness. Her legacy continues today through the International Mercy Family (IMF), which brings together laypeople and religious individuals eager to live out her charism among single-parent families and mothers in difficulty. Furthermore, several aid and educational institutions bear her name in North America, notably the École Rosalie-Jetté in Montreal (dedicated to adolescent mothers), as well as reception centers in Toronto, New York, Milwaukee, and Winnipeg. In 2021, the government of Quebec officially designated her as a "historic figure" for her pioneering role in the social history of the province.