Euphrasie Barbier, known in religious life as Marie du Coeur de Jesus, was born on the 4th of January 1829, in Caen, France. The family had a strong faith and her parents instilled into their young family the values of honesty and hard work.When Euphrasie was a young adult the church in France was strong and vibrant with many new congregations being founded to work in France with the growing numbers of poor people or to work overseas in the colonies of the different European imperial powers. At this time Euphrasie was inspired by a Bishop preaching on his experiences in the mission fields. She yearned to be a foreign missionary.
In December 1861 Euphrasie Barbier founded a new congregation, Institute de Notre Dame des Missions, in Lyon, with the express, but not exclusive, aim of working in the foreign missions. The first foreign missionaries, all French, left France in late October 1864 for New Zealand where within the year they were busy teaching children of the European settlers and young Maori girls. Life was not easy for the young foundress. In spite of difficulties the congregation flourished and allowed the establishment of new foundations.
Small and slight, but with boundless energy, Euphrasie was familiarly known as “the little Mother”. Despite her health having been undermined by privations and illness, she had great enthusiasm for life. She made regular but arduous trips to the communities she had established in France, England, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand and Asia.
