History of the Cause
Mother Marie Anne remained ignored by the congregation she had founded for almost another generation, due to long-held prejudices about her character. It was only in 1917, after a chaplain at the motherhouse had come to know the details of her life and gave a series of talks about her to the community, that enthusiasm arose among the Sisters for honoring her. After a waiting period of 50 years to open a cause for canonization, the Sisters began to collect the information necessary for having Mother Marie Anne canonized.
Her skeletal remains were exhumed from the community cemetery at the motherhouse, and certified and sealed on May 16, 1945. On August 19, 1950, Paul Emile Leger P.S.S. (1904-1991), Cardinal Archbishop of Montreal, gave permission to introduce the cause of Mother Marie Anne. The official opening of the diocesan information process took place in Montreal on March 16, 1955. The Holy See accepted the petition, and the Sacred Congregation of Rites approved the writings of Mother Marie Anne on December 15, 1964. In 1991, the title of “Venerable” was granted. After the certification of a miracle, Mother Marie Anne was beatified in Rome by Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) on April 29, 2001.
