Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat was born in 1779 in Joigny, France. Practicing Catholicism in secret as the convents had been closed following the French Revolution, Sophie would make her first vows in November of 1800, wishing to lead a life of prayer and help her society through the education of girls. In doing so she founded the Society of the Sacred Heart, receiving formal papal approval in 1826. Opening many houses across the world throughout her life, Madeleine Sophie Barat died in 1865, and was canonized in 1925.

Sources:

Franciscan Media. “Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat.” Franciscan Media, July 22, 2025. https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-madeleine-sophie-barat/.

“Madeleine Sophie’s Story.” The Society of the Sacred Heart. Accessed August 14, 2025. https://www.rscjuk.org/about/madeleine-sophies-story.

You can read Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's pamphlet through JSTOR:

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat: Foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart