Life in a few key dates
October 24, 1904
Born in Mussidan (Dordogne).
The years of youth
1904-1916
Moves around depending on her father's nominations as ticket inspector for the railways from Paris to Orléans.
Attends the Institution Sainte Solange in Châteauroux and private lessons.
1915
First holy communion at Montluçon.
1916-1921
Moves to Paris (14th district). Her father is appointed head of the Parisian stations of the Paris-Sceaux train line.
Attends an agnostic's salon. Interested in art, literature and philosophy, writes poems.
Conversion
1922-1924
Writes "God is dead, long live death [...] we must have the courage to no longer live as if he were alive”.
Meets Jean Maydieu, a student at the École Centrale. Their relationship ends when he considers entering the priesthood.
Very affected by this, she continues her journey towards faith until her conversion on March 29, 1924.
Becomes immersed in religious writings, writes an essay on art and mysticism. Takes painting lessons.
1926
Attends the parish of Saint Dominique (Paris 14th district). Meets father Jacques Lorenzo, chaplain to the French Scout mouvement.
Receives the Prix Sully Prudhomme for her poems.
1927
Renounces entry into the Carmelite order for family reasons.
Publishes her poems under the title "La Route", published by Éditions Alphonse Lemerre.
1928
Involved in scouting. Commissioner for the Scouts de France in Paris region.
1931
Gets her nursing degree.
1932
Enters the École Pratique de Service Social.
With cub scout leaders , creates a group called “la Charité” and begins a project of community life.
Departure for the red suburbs
October 1933
At the request of the parish priest of Ivry, together with Suzanne Lacloche and Hélène Manuel, takes charge of a parish social centre in the Plateau district. Discovers the social and political reality of the district.
Organizes a daily consultation, visits families and pursues studies as a social worker.
November 1933
Secretary of the Union des oeuvres publiques et privées d'Ivry
1934
Begins a two-year internship as a salaried parish social worker.
1935
Moves into the house at “11 rue Raspail”, near the town hall.
1936
Participates in the actions of the committee for mutual aid to the unemployed, whose president is the communist mayor, Georges Marrane, and the vice-president, Jacques Lorenzo, who has since become the parish priest of Ivry.
1937
Graduates top of her class as a social worker.
Publication of her dissertation under the title "Ampleur et dépendance du service social".
1938
Goes on a study trip to Germany. Publishes an article under the title "Nous autres, gens des rues" defining the spirituality of "la Charité", the name of the group she had previously formed, together with several young women who have joined her.
Social worker
September 1939
Participates in the evacuation of the Parisian population.
Designated social worker of the "Office de Protection de la Maternité et de l'enfance de la Seine" in Ivry.
June 1940
Appointed by the Seine department as technical delegate of the social services for the district of Ivry.
1941
Recruited by the "Service Social de la Région Parisienne", hired on a part-time basis by "Secours national".
Coordinates the existing social services in the area with the municipal social service.
Publication of her book "La femme et la maison". Writes "Aux travailleuses sociales. Veillée d'armes", published by Editions Bloud.
Meets Louis Augros in Lisieux. He is in charge of creating the seminary of the Mission de France which trains priests for the evangelization of dechristianized regions. Her experience of community life and her texts help to define its bases.
1942
Appointed municipal councillor as a person "qualified to deal with private welfare and charitable works". Member of the liaison Committee of Social Services of the Seine Department.
Sets up structures for families, against unemployment and to ensure the training of young women.
Provides assistance to the families of those who have been shot, deported or imprisoned.
1944
Organizes relief efforts after the German bombing of August 26th that hit the city.
Gives a study on social work to Venise Gosnat, vice-president of the local Libération Committee. Continues to act as technical delegate with the agreement of Georges Marrane, mayor of Ivry.
Produces texts on training, recruitment and the role of social workers.
“La Charité” becomes her priority.
1945
Resigns from social work role on October 1. Ceases her professional activity definitively in October 1946. Refocuses on the organization of “la Charité” which is now composed of about fifteen women living in a team.
Begins to write spiritual meditations in poetic form: "Bal de l'obéissance", "Liturgie des Sans-Office", "Le nouveau jour"...
1949
Takes a stand in favour of Miquel Grant, resistance fighter, convicted of participating in an execution in 1944.
1951
Writes a letter to the Christians of Spain to protest against the indictment of the “34 de Barcelone” who have been sentenced to death for having started a strike.
1952
Creates the Ibéry confectionery cooperative with Carmen Cuevas and Alberto Codina, Spanish political refugees from the Ravensbrück and Mauthausen camps.
Takes part in the efforts to prevent the International Eucharistic Congress from being held in franco's Spain.
Pilgrimage to Rome at the time of the crisis of the priest-workers, whom she supports despite differences of opinion on their form and circles of action.
1953
Advocates for the pardon of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, New York communists, found guilty of spying for the Soviet Union and sentenced to death.
Meeting with Pius XII.
Marxism, atheism, commitment
1954
First lecture on Marxism to priests in Paris.
1956
Hands over a dossier of notes on the relations between Marxists and Christians to Cardinal Veuillot, patron of “la Charité”.
Numerous presentations in the provinces.
1957
Publication of her book "Ville marxiste, terre de mission" published by Editions Le Cerf.
1958
Eighth pilgrimage to Rome. publication of the charter of “la Charité”.
1959
Signs a letter with members of the Mouvement de la Paix in Ivry calling for the opening of negotiations to achieve peace in Algeria.
1960
Participates in the congress of Pax Christi, the international Catholic movement for peace, in Geneva.
1961
Trip to Poland. Conference on Marxism: Espoir marxiste et espérance chrétienne.
1962
Goes to Abidjan (Ivory Coast) where Suzanne Perrin and Guitemie Galmiche, team members of “la Charité” are living.
Asked to work on contemporary atheisms in view of the Vatican Council II.
1963-1964
Writings and lectures on atheism. September 16,1964, last conference: "Lesson of Ivry, Atheist milieu, a place for our conversion".
October 13, 1964
Dies in Ivry-sur-Seine in the house at "11 rue Raspail” at her writing desk.