Article and photos from Companion, Spring Term issue, the in house magazine of Gumley House School FCJ reproduced here with permission
Earlier this term, a group of staff travelled to Paris to visit the newly opened Lieu de Mémoire, the restored home of Marie Madeleine d’Houët, foundress of the Faithful Companions of Jesus. The visit, which will be offered soon to students from Gumley House, offered a rare opportunity to step directly into the history that shapes our school today, and to deepen our understanding of the woman whose courage, compassion, and vision continue to inspire FCJ communities across the world.
The first floor of the museum is dedicated to FCJ education and celebrates the global network of FCJ schools – from Europe and Asia to Australia and the Americas. Gumley House features proudly among them. Through interactive displays, archival photographs, and testimonies from students and sisters, the exhibition highlights the shared mission that unites all FCJ schools: to form young people who are confident, compassionate, and committed to making a difference. Seeing Gumley’s story placed alongside the work of FCJ sisters across continents was a powerful reminder that we belong to something much bigger than ourselves.
Upstairs, the museum leads visitors through the life of Marie Madeleine herself. Born in 1781, she lived through the turbulence of post‑Revolutionary France, experiencing profound personal loss before discerning a call to religious life. The exhibition traces her journey from her childhood in Châteauroux, through her marriage and widowhood, to the founding of the FCJ Society in 1820. It also explores her extensive travels – often undertaken in difficult conditions – as she established communities and schools across France, England, Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland.
Marie Madeleine‘s legacy – one of courage gentleness, and faithful companionship – continues to guide our mission at Gumley House today.
The visit concludes at the site of her death in Paris, a quiet and moving space that reflects the depth of her faith and resilience. For our staff, the experience was both informative and deeply moving. To walk through the rooms and churches where Marie Madeleine lived, prayed, and made decisions that would shape generations of young people was to encounter her not just as a historical figure, but as a woman of extraordinary conviction. Her legacy – one of courage gentleness, and faithful companionship – continues to guide our mission at Gumley House today.
