A Woman of Valour: The Biography of Marie-Louise Bouchard Labelle (Our Lives: Diary, Memoir, and Letters)

The biography of Marie-Louise Bouchard Labelle tells the story of a young Canadian woman from a humble background at the turn of the twentieth century. She discovered love with the priest of her village. After three children and 15 years of happy life together, her husband returned to the priesthood, just before the Great Depression.--Tr?panier narrates this brave woman's struggle to raise their children alone, bringing up questions about the mandatory celibacy of Catholic priests and the status of women in the Catholic Church. --Claire Trepanier lives in Ottawa. She is retired from a career in international development and has co-authored and co-hosted a TV series.--"This is the biography of an extraordinary woman who had the courage to fully embrace her love for a priest, knowing all the consequences." -Laurier L. LaPierre - "A Woman of Valour is the biography of Marie-Louise Bouchard Labelle, a French-Canadian woman who found love with a priest thirty-three years her senior. Against all social convention, they lived, produced three children, and built a life together after fleeing their village. However, after several years together, Bouchard's husband ultimately chose to return to the priesthood, abandoning his family as a result. Through interviews and documentation, Claire Trépanier tells Bouchard's story of survival while highlighting the history of women's stature in Canada, and raising a question about the celibacy of Catholic priests."--Publisher's description "A Woman of Valour is the biography of Marie-Louise Bouchard Labelle, a French-Canadian woman who found love with a priest thirty-three years her senior. Against all social convention, they lived, produced three children, and built a life together after fleeing their village." "However, after several years together, Bouchard's husband ultimately chose to return to the priesthood, abandoning his family as a result. Through interviews and documentation, Claire Trepanier tells Bouchard's story of survival while highlighting the history of women's stature in Canada, and raising a question about the celibacy of Catholic priests."--BOOK JACKET