Clémence Ledoux

The Family of Messengers of Mary, Immaculate Queen was born thanks to people close to Clémence Ledoux, who were aware of the importance of Marian devotion for the Christian life.

They included Mother Gabriel Gallagher (Assistant General of the Sisters of Cluny from 1947 until her death in 1961), Father Claude Masurel (1914-1999) and Father Jean Courtial, SJM.

Coming from different backgrounds, they have laid the foundations of this spiritual family, which includes lay people, priests and religious from all over the world.

Some of them accompanied the beginnings of the Fraternity, when some people called to the consecrated life began to live a community life in Bois le Roi.

Today the Fraternity has about twenty members and many friends.

Clémence Ledoux was born in Halluin, in the North of France, in 1888. First a worker, then a nun for several years, she was forced by the ecclesiastical authorities to leave religious life and settled in Paris, then in Bois le Roi, near Fontainebleau.

At Bois le Roi, Clémence led an ordinary life. She was known for her concern for others and her zeal in making the Virgin Mary known, whom she liked to invoke under the title of Immaculate Queen of the Universe, and to have her enthroned in the homes.

The impetus given by Pope Pius XII to the Marian cult was in the same direction. For example, returning from the ceremonies of the proclamation of the Royalty of Mary in Rome, Cardinal Gerlier, Archbishop of Lyon, presided in person over one of the first enthronements.

Several people testified that through contact with Clémence Ledoux they had rediscovered the desire to pray to the Virgin Mary and to take her into their homes as their Mother and Queen.

Clémence Ledoux died in Bois le Roi in 1966.

The first period of Clémence Ledoux's life has long been poorly known due to a lack of access to reliable historical sources. In 2012, we had access to these archives: their study is underway and will lead to a reliable knowledge of what happened then.