| Jérôme le Royer de La Dauversière | |
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De la Dauversière bust in La Flèche |
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| Born | March 18, 1597 La Flèche, Sarthe |
| Died | November 6, 1659 (aged 62) La Flèche, Sarthe |
| Known for | Founder of the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal |
| Religion | Roman Catholics |
Jérôme le Royer de la Dauversière (March 18, 1597 – November 6, 1659) was a Jesuit who was head of the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal.
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Jérôme le Royer de la Dauversière was born in La Flèche, Sarthe.
He studied in Jesuit College of La Flèche in La Flèche (today the 'Prytanée Militaire'), and followed in his father's footsteps as a tax collector. He married Jeanne de Baugé, with whom he had five children. Two of his sons would become priests, and both of his daughters became nuns.
A man of great faith, he was part of the 'Sainte Vierge' charity, which helped the poor, and was also part of the mystical movement which supported catholicism in France in the 17th Century.
February 2, 1630, after having devoted himself and his family to the Holy Family, he heard the calling to found a congregation of charitable girls in La Flèche for the service of the poor and the sick. Hesitating, he confided in his confessor, the Jesuit Father Chauveau, who dissuaded him from carrying out his plan. In 1633, however, after having survived a life-threatening illness (which he considered a sign from God), Le Royer decided to go ahead with his plan and answer his calling.
He began by undertaking the renovation of the Sainte-Marguerite alms-house, which was run, from 1636, by Marie de La Ferre, his colleague, Anne Fourneau, and three servants. This small group became a member of the Holy Family Brotherhood, founded by Jérôme de La Dauversière, which was the first stage of the founding of the Daughters of St. Joseph
With the Parisian priest Jean-Jacques Olier he formed the idea of establishing at Montreal several communities: one of priests of convert the Indians, one of nuns to nurse the sick, and one of nuns to teach the local children of the Indians. Olier involved some of his wealthy penitents, while Dauversière found support from the Baron de Fanchamp. Others joined in, one being Angélique Bullion,[1] and six persons formed the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal. They raised between them seventy-five thousand livres.[2] Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve was hired by Jérôme le Royer de la Dauversière.
Place de la Dauversière is a space for rest and relaxation that opened in Montreal in 1997.