Three images, closely linked to the place where the story began, illustrate the years during which the seed was germinating…. In the soil. It was to become a great tree.

In the little bedroom in Joigny which her sister Marie-Louise left when she married, Sophie studied and studied. This was on the insistence of her brother Louis, who realised that her gifts could serve the word of God. Himself a deacon and while he was professor of mathematics at the college in Joigny, had retracted the oath of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. By a miracle, he escaped the scaffold, and having been secretly ordained, he lived incognito in Paris, only returning very occasionally to Joigny. Whenever he was there, Sophie's mother was unable to let little Sophie join in the fun of the grape-harvest. All Sophie's time had to be spent on spiritual and intellectual preparation for a service which as yet was not clear. She herself dreamt of Carmel.

During one short pause in theses studies at home, Sophie broke her hart laughing when reading aloud to her family the exploits of Don Quixote. She was reading from the original version.

For her brother, philosopher and teacher of mathematics at the college in Joigny, allowed the study of modern languages, Spanish and Italian, only by way of relaxation. Study was for word; not for enjoyment. But ancient literature spoke much to Sophie, who confessed many years later that in her youth she had been more virgilian than christian.

This wide knowledge which was imposed upon her, proved very useful when devising the plan of studies for the boarders, even if the young women educated at the sacred Heart did not attain to her level intellectually. Rather than becoming very learned, the became good Christians, witnessing to this in their family and social life.

Sophie's early years in the pleasant region of Burgundy were marked by the chaos and excesses of the Revolution. When she came to Paris at the beginning of he 19th century, she was witness to the fact that the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians. Very many religious congregations were founded at that time, to meet the needs brought about by the revolution, and quite a number of them took their name and inspiration from the Sacred Heart, the "source of ardent charity". When the Society of the Sacred Heart had borne its first fruits, its own former pupils founded different congregations, adding to this burgeoning of life. To name but three who were close to us, Eugénie Smet, a pupil of Lille, founded the Helpers of the Holy Souls; Anne de Meeûs, a pupil in Paris, wrote the constitutions of her congregation of Perpetual Adoration at the little Château in Jette, and Henriette d'Osseville, a pupil in Paris, founded "the faithful Virgin".

In the apartment belonging to Mademoiselle Duval in Paris, Sophie was very busy. Officially, she was a "dressmaker"; like so many other women who had had to leave their convents or who were awaiting the return of peace, before entering. Study was very important. Sophie gave herself to this with the same success as before. There was also catechism to be taught to the children of the underground church.

It was at this time (1797) that Sophie embroidered a picture of the Sacred Heart and sent it to her mother. This is a wealth of theology in the symbols she used: the pelican spoken of by Saint Thomas Aquinas, who fed her chicks with her own heart's blood; the apple from the garden of Eden and the serpent conquered by the cross; the instruments of the passion; the open heart of Jesus from which springs the blood of the Eucharist; the heart of May pierced by a sword, as Simeon prophesised, while lilies of purity and roses of charity surround the two hearts which became the seal of the Society. This picture can be found in Madeleine Sophie Barat's family-home in Joigny, which is now a Centre of spirituality, open to individuals and groups.

In the apartment belonging to Mademoiselle Duval in Paris, Sophie was very busy. Officially, she was a "dressmaker"; like so many other women who had had to leave their convents or who were awaiting the return of peace, before entering. Study was very important. Sophie gave herself to this with the same success as before. There was also catechism to be taught to the children of the underground church.

It was at this time (1797) that Sophie embroidered a picture of the Sacred Heart and sent it to her mother. This is a wealth of theology in the symbols she used: the pelican spoken of by Saint Thomas Aquinas, who fed her chicks with her own heart's blood; the apple from the garden of Eden and the serpent conquered by the cross; the instruments of the passion; the open heart of Jesus from which springs the blood of the Eucharist; the heart of May pierced by a sword, as Simeon prophesised, while lilies of purity and roses of charity surround the two hearts which became the seal of the Society.[1]

[1]This picture can be found in Madeleine Sophie Barat's family-home in Joigny, which is now a Centre of spirituality, open to individuals and groups. (Centre Sophie Barat - 11, rue Davier - 89300 Joigny, France)

first seal of the Society:

Last update: 2005-02-27