1870 - Marie-Anne Pavillion

June 21, 1870

Tianjin

Born at Tour-Landry near Chevillé, France, in 1823, Marie-Anne Pavillion entered the Catholic seminary at the age of 31. Her first appointment of service was to Belgium. While there Marie-Anne deepened her commitment to God and made a firm decision to give the remainder of her life to the service of Jesus Christ. In 1862 she heard about a new work of the Daughters of Charity that was starting in Tianjin, China. She was appointed to join the small team there, arriving in late 1862.

Not long after her arrival a request was made by a Catholic mission in southern China, and Marie-Anne was sent there to help out. The work was poorly organized and badly understaffed, so after a few years in the south she felt exhausted and returned to Tianjin in 1868. Because of the stress of her years in the hot and humid south, Marie-Anne struggled to regain robust health and she often fell ill. She never complained however, and her quiet manner and servant heart gained the respect of the other Sisters. It was said of her,

“Simple and straightforward she saw in each the hand of God, and let Him do with her as He would, with perfect confidence, seeking only Himself as witness of her actions and her sufferings, making every effort to show Him her abnegation, and going straight to Him by the path of obedience…. One saw her always humble and ready to help everyone, especially with regard to her companions, who all loved and cherished her.”[1]

Marie-Anne Pavillion’s greatest joy was found in helping poor Chinese children. If a trip to the countryside was scheduled, she would often drag herself from her sickbed to go on it. When they discovered a dying child she was known to shout out, “What a blessing! Here is another one for us!” She viewed children as little angels and told her colleagues if she were ever called to die for Christ, she would be happy to do so while helping children for Him.

On June 21, 1870, the 47-year-old French nun was granted her desire.