At the age of seventeen, Marie-Louise Trichet (Marie-Louise de Jésus) met Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort who had just been appointed chaplain of the hospital of Poitiers. His reputation as a preacher and confessor was already widespread among the youth of this region of Poitiers.

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Marie-Louise offered her services spontaneously to the hospital: she devoted most of her time to the poor and the sick. But then Louis-Marie de Montfort asked her to come and "live" there with the poor. Marie-Louise responded with a total agreement to this call. She put on the religious habit on February 02, 1703. Marie-Louise would fulfil, in the most perfect manner possible, her humble duty as a nurse. She continued her services at the hospital, even after Louis-Marie de Montfort left the hospital of Poitiers.

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It was the beginning of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom. In 1714, Catherine Brunet joined the Congregation. In 1715, the first community was founded at La Rochelle (Charente) with two new members: Marie Régnier and Marie Valleau. In 1716, Louis-Marie de Montfort expired prematurely at the age of forty-three. 

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For forty-three years, Marie-Louise de Jésus, alone, would form her companions, direct and develop the foundations which multiplied: small charitable schools; visits and nursing care to the sick; giving food to beggars; administration of the great maritime hospitals of France. The poor people of the Hospital of Niort (Deux-Sèvres - France) called her "the good Mother Jesus". Her life's program was very simple: "I must love God hidden in my neighbour"

 

Today more than 2,500 Daughters of Wisdom continue the spiritual adventure of the search for the Wisdom so much desired by Montfort, and work to reveal the love of God to a wounded humanity.