A Life. Book about Amélie Ozanam
This is the portrait of the woman who walked with Frederick Ozanam and accompanied him
beyond his death
“My heart is big enough to love much”. This quote from Amélie Ozanam, née Soulacroix, could represent what her life was like, which is chronicled in this book written in collaboration by Matthieu Brejon de Lavergnée, historian and coordinator of the work, by Magdeleine Houssay, descendant of Frédéric and Amélie, by Father Leonard de Corbiac, editor of the correspondence between Amélie and Frédéric, and by Francisco Javier Chento, editor of Frédéric Ozanam’s work in Spanish.
Amélie is presented in the book as a woman full of life, cheerful, creative and charming, who married Frédéric Ozanam, the main founder of our beloved Society of Saint Vincent de Paul at 20 years old.
Amélie, with her tender and comforting love, her attention to others, her deep and generous faith and her interest in political, social and religious current affairs of her time had a profound influence on the character and thinking of her husband to whom she remained faithful until beyond his death.
This detailed biography is accompanied by a selection of Amélie’s letters, many of them unpublished, allowing us to discover a woman who expresses with simplicity and frankness her thoughts, the joys andsorrows of her daily life.
On August 14th, 2020, on the 200th anniversary of the birth of Amélie Ozanam, and in recognition of her figure and the importance of women in our Society, the Council General International proclaimed that this date would henceforth be the celebration of the International SSVP Women’s Day.
