Thérèse Couderc
Thérèse Couderc - born Marie-Victoire Couderc - was a French religious sister and the co-founder of the Sisters of the Cenacle. Couderc underwent humiliations during her time as a sister for she was forced to resign from positions and was ridiculed and mocked due to false accusations made against her though this softened towards the end of her life. She was a spiritual writer having written on sacrifice and service to God. After her death, she left a series of spiritual writings. Pope Paul VI canonised her in 1970.
Life
Marie-Victoire Couderc was born in 1805 in Le Mas as the fourth of twelve children to farmers Claude Michel Corderc and Anne Méry; her parents married in 1801. One sibling was Jean and two others died in their childhood. The surviving children were eight sons and two daughters; Couderc was the elder one. In her childhood she attended Mass twice a week. She received her First Communion in 1815.In 1822 her parents sent her to a boarding school at Vans and she remained there until in Lent 1825 when her father wanted her to attend a school in their local area. In 1825, he entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Saint Regis, a teaching congregation in Lalouvesc. Couderc, who took the religious name Thérèse, made her the perpetual vows on 6 January 1837.
Couderc and two other sisters were sent to care for female pilgrims at a hostel at the shrine of St. John Francis Regis in Lalouvesc.
In 1826, Couderc co-founded the Sisters of the Cenacle with a priest, Jean-Pierre Etienne Terme, and became their superior in 1828. Desirous to provide women a place for recollection in solitude, prayer, and meditation, they resolved to open houses where women could make retreat. When a motherhouse was established, Couderc became superior general. In 1828, Jean-Pierre Etienne Terme began to hold Ignatian retreats for the sisters. He continued to do so until his death in December 1834. After Terme's death the congregation split into the Sisters of Saint Regis who retained teaching, and the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle, which continued its retreat ministry. Jesuits then led the retreats.
The regular school teaching of the hostel was separated from the retreats, and this resulted in financial hardship for the sisters. Although she was not at fault, Couderc accepted responsibility. This led, in October 1838, to the Bishop of Viviers, Abbon-Pierre-François Bonnel de la Brageresse, to remove her from her office; Couderc resigned in full on 27 October 1838.
In 1842 she was sent for almost eighteen months with another sister to a small house in Lyon; in 1852 she went to Paris. In November 1856 she was appointed as the superior of the Tournon house until it was to be sold off and so she returned to Lyon. On 20 October 1859 a Jesuit gave a retreat on the topic of Christian sacrifice that had a profound impact on her. At the end of August 1860 she was sent to the house at Montpellier but its closure in 1867 saw her return to Lyon once more.
In the beginning of 1885 she fainted and was unconscious for several hours in an occurrence that left her bedridden until her death. Couderc died on 26 September 1885 and was buried in Lalouvesc.
Beatification process
The beatification cause was opened on 18 July 1927, and Couderc was titled as a Servant of God. Pope Pius XI proclaimed Couderc to be venerable on 12 May 1935 after he confirmed her heroic virtue. Pope Pius XII beatified her on 4 November 1951 after approving two miracles attributed to her intercession. Pope Paul VI canonized Couderc on 10 May 1970 after approving two more miracles attributed to her intercession.Spirituality
To surrender oneself
In 1864 Couderc wrote:The surrendered soul has found paradise on earth.