Louis-Marie Baudouin was a French Catholic priest born in 1765 who lived through the French Revolution. After refusing to swear allegiance to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, he faced imprisonment and lived in exile in Spain. He eventually returned to France, where he served as a priest, a seminary rector, and a vicar general. He is primarily remembered for establishing the Ursulines of Jesus and the Sons of Mary Immaculate, two religious congregations founded to promote Marian devotion.
Life and service
Following his ordination in 1789, Baudouin served as a curate and tended to the sick. During the revolutionary period, he functioned as a proscribed priest, celebrating Mass in secret. While in Spain, he even learned lace making to secure travel documents. After returning to France, he worked in Chavagnes-en-Paillers and later La Rochelle, where he held leadership roles within the diocese and managed a seminary.
Veneration
The process for his beatification began in the nineteenth century. After his life was evaluated for heroic virtue, Pope Benedict XVI declared him venerable in 2012. His feast day is observed on 12 February. He is honored within the Catholic Church for his dedication to the sacraments and his role in founding religious orders.