Chappuis, Maria Salesia, ven.
CHAPPUIS, MARIA SALESIA, VEN.
Visitation nun; b. Soyhières, France (now Switzerland), June 16, 1793; d. Troyes (Aube), France, Oct. 7,1875. Maria was the sixth of ten children of Catherine (Fleury) and Pierre Chappuis, a judge. After attending a school (1805–08) run by the visitation nuns at Fribourg, Switzerland, Marie entered this order in 1811 but soon left. She returned in 1814 and pronounced her first vows in 1816. Soon after this she was assigned to Metz to start a new Visitation convent, but ill health compelled her return to Fribourg. At Troyes she was chosen superior in 1826 and held this office for 11 terms. From 1838 to 1844 she was superior in Paris. In both Troyes and Paris she served also as mistress of novices. At Troyes she was associated with Louis brisson and collaborated with him in the foundation of the oblate sisters of st. francis de sales (1866) and the oblates of st. francis de sales (c. 1871). Her cause for beatification was introduced in 1897. Questions have since been raised concerning her spiritual doctrines, which did not, however, profess to inaugurate a new school.
Bibliography: l. brisson, Vie de la vénérée Mère de Sales Chappuis (Paris 1891). p. dufour, Dictionnaire de spiritualité ascétique et mystique. Doctrine et histoire, ed., m. viller et al. (Paris 1932) 2:496–498. h. waach, Marie de Sales (Kriens 1969).
[e. j. carney]