"What does it matter except that Christ be made known!"
Pauline Jaricot.

The father of Pauline, Antoine, was the thirteenth child of fourteen. He was firm, courageous, honest and pious. It was his custom to attend daily Mass at 4 a.m. before beginning his day's work. He was apprenticed in the folding and selling of silk. After marriage to Jean, harmony reigned in their home. This couple was young, strong, honest and pious. Eight children were born to them. Pauline was the youngest, being born on July 21, 1799. The Jaricot's were very prosperous in their silk business and as a result learned to distrust money and its deadly effects on the soul.

At the time of Pauline's birth the clergy had taken a vow of obedience to the State, so that the Jaricot's had Pauline baptized at home by a refractory priest. Pauline's brother, Phileas, was then two years old. These two were inseparable As they grew, they dreamed of being great missionaries.

Pauline had a temper and myopia, a condition of near sightedness. She would often run into things. She had a lovely voice and her father called her, "my nightingale," to which her mother added. "of Paradise." She had a happy and spoiled childhood. Entering her teens, she embarked in the 'dashing' social life of the silk world. She says, "I dressed myself in all my finery, believing myself worthy of universal admiration and preening myself with the conceit of a peacock. Self-love made itself forcefully into my heart." At this time in her life she climbed on a high foot-stool and had a severe fall, with a hard knock on the head which affected her nervous system. The doctor feared for her life. Overwhelmed with grief, Pauline's mother offered her own life for that of her daughter. God answered her prayers. She died but Pauline was completely cured.

Entering her teens, she embarked in the 'dashing' social life of the silk world.

Her heart and soul were torn apart. "My life is dull and my youth is so sad". At seventeen years of age she attended a sermon by the Abbey Wurtz. The subject was of all things, vanity! She was deeply impressed and made her confession to the Abbey. She then went home and burned her romantic novels and songs, set aside her jewels and decided never again to look into a mirror or wear beautiful dresses. "I suffered terribly during my first few months of conversion. I would never have been able to cure myself of vanity if I had not guarded myself carefully. Death
seemed to me more preferable than renouncing all the vanities of the world."

Her soul was resolved to serve the Lord. Pauline turned the page of her life by making a general confession. A short while after, she visited a Marian Shrine and made a vow to remain chaste in body and soul though clearly understanding that she did not have a religious vocation. Two passions dominated her and remained with her throughout all her life; anger and pride. The first caused her to feel fury. "In order to keep silence, I had to put in my mouth whatever was close at hand. My passions weakened to the degree I combated them."

"I suffered terribly during my first few months of conversion. I would never have been able to cure myself of vanity if I had not guarded myself carefully. Death
seemed to me more preferable than renouncing all the vanities of the world."

At a large family gathering, she begged forgiveness for the worldly inclinations she had so often shown. Many tears were shed on that day when young Pauline closed the book on her past. She felt liberated and renewed. She began to take upon herself works of charity. She visited the poor and dressed like one of them. They were never made to feel indebted, but she gave them, rather, the feeling that it was her honor to be with them. She helped the desolate and wayward girls of her own age, obtaining for them work in her brother's silk factory while encouraging piety and good works among them. Pauline, remembering the spiritual decay caused by the Revolution and above all the permanent offense given to God, gave her group the explicit name of women of reparation or 'Reparatrices.' They made reparation which was to penetrate devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the cult of the Sacred Heart in France.

She abandoned herself to the Heart and love of Jesus and gave
the Church one of the greatest imaginable works.

Christ spoke to her innermost soul and put her, without her realizing it, on the mystical path which is told in the story of her life. She abandoned herself to the Heart and love of Jesus and gave the Church one of the greatest imaginable works. In her own words, she modestly said, "I lit the match that lit the fire." It was an inferno that was to cover the entire surface of the earth! The founding of the Propagation of the Faith was no accident, but rather an entire chain in her life.

It was through her correspondence with her brother Phileas that the Society was born. She encouraged her brother to the priesthood. And together they had great concern for the foreign missions. Phileas asked for her help with the Society of Rue de Bac, a propagation of the Faith which had formed in Rome in 1692. The work was two fold, prayer and alms to spread the Faith in the countries of Asia. On May 3, 1822, Pauline Marie Jaricot founded the Association in Lyon. The Association for the Propagation of the Faith had as its sole aim the raising of funds for the Asian missions.

In the Spring of 1818, with her heart set afire Pauline began work among the 200 'repartees' at the factory. The donation suggested was a "sou" which at that time was l/2Oth of a Franc (penny). Pauline could have put out a collection box, but she preferred the idea of a 'collector.' Pauline always wanted to personalize an action. She went from person to person. This is the major characteristic of her life, as well as the profound explanation of the extraordinary success of the works that she began.

Pauline always wanted to personalize an action. She went from person to person.

She prayed to God for a plan and the idea of groups of 10's 100's and 1000's came to her. Each group leader was responsible to the leader of the group above. The plan succeeded beyond her wildest hopes. The first month she did everything herself. People were alarmed. Pauline, alone, bore the questions, reluctance and oppositions. The Vicar, Abbey Quelque, launched a campaign against her. In a sermon, he accused her of beginning a 'non-authorized work' in Lyon. The same thing happened in other parishes. A few supported her, but quietly. She begged their pardon and said that she would disband the organization without delay. Her instructions were not to disband, but not to expand! The pastor of St. Polycarp took up her defense. She was then 19 years of age. Phileas encouraged her to continue. His words to her in a letter were prophetic, "Continue to propagate this work of charity. It is, possibly, the mustard seed that will produce an enormous tree, whose benevolent branches will overshadow the entire surface of the earth."

"It is, possibly, the mustard seed that will produce an enormous tree, whose benevolent branches will overshadow the entire surface of the earth."

A French Bishop from the U.S. was sent as an embassy to Lyon for the purpose of collecting money for a diocese in New Orleans. American Missions needed help. He suggested that a charity be designed to encompass both worlds: Asia and America. He perceived Pauline's genius and used it. When the plan was shared with him, he acted as though he thought of it himself. Abbey Inglese proved to be a swindler and a thief. He embezzled large sums of money for his personal use. He became a member of the Association of Lyon, won the others over by the weight of his title, his eloquence and his ardor. Everyone applauded him and asked him to found such an association.

Someone presented him with the system which was already set up. Nothing was changed. The leaders remained the same, the same decimal system was used and the members themselves were the same. THE INVISIBLE FOUNDRESS WAS THERE.

May 1822 was a happy time. There was no vision of the problems that would arise 25 years later. These men were drowned with the eloquence of Abbey Inglese and his "spontaneous explosion of common thought." The Secretary recorded this statement, " We have done nothing but to develop and regulate an idea that WAS NOT originally ours." Pauline gave to this group of 12 the ability to continue and develop her association; by plan of action that was adopted, by leaders who met in council and by the troops, which it inherited.

At 22 years of age, Pauline stayed in the shadows and contented herself with managing her group of 100. It was at this time that she retired and wrote, a treatise entitled: Infinite Love of the Holy Eucharist

Pauline was, at the time, a far distance from Lyon, sick. She learned what had happened and reflected on it. She was delighted with the fact that God had found other instruments to make the Propagation of the Faith work, but she did not wish for her small, efficient collecting groups to be absorbed into this new organization, which was still so uncertain. After having it explained to her, she understood the Association consisted of applying the plan that she conceived, to a 'charitable work destined to bring the Light of the Faith to the two worlds.' This was her hoped for goal. Acting with realism she suggested that the collections be divided; one part for the American Missions and the other for the Asian Missions. This was acceptable to all and they were delighted with her wisdom.

At 22 years of age, Pauline stayed in the shadows and contented herself with managing her group of 100. It was at this time that she retired and wrote, a treatise entitled: Infinite Love of the Holy Eucharist This was published under an anonymous name. Abbey Wurtz thought it so excellent; he felt she had a vocation to the contemplative life. Pauline suffered intensely, but obeyed her confessor with the entirety of her whole being. Time passed. The Propagation of the Faith expanded without Pauline who disappeared into obscurity. It continued without deviation from the great plan; the great contribution of Pauline Jaricot!

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