Having lost her mother at a young age, Louise was raised by a step-mother who did not welcome her. She was sent to the Dominican monastery where she received an excellent education. Although she desired a religious life early on, she married Antoine Le Gras, secretary to the Queen. They had a son, Michel, but their happiness was saddened by Antoine's long illness and eventual death in 1625. Widowed and facing personal struggles, Louise sought spiritual guidance from the renowned St. Vincent de Paul. He recognized her intelligence, compassion, and organizational skills, and soon, she was deeply involved in his work with the Confraternities of Charity, a group of aristocratic women serving the poor. However, Louise observed that these ladies often struggled with the demanding physical work required to truly help the needy. This insight sparked a revolutionary idea in Louise: to establish a community of women who would not be cloistered nuns, but rather active servants of the poor, living among them and directly addressing their needs. In 1633, with St. Vincent de Paul, she co-founded the Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. They served the poor and dedicated themselves to working in hospitals, orphanages, schools, and even on battlefields. Louise personally trained these women, many from humble backgrounds, to become skilled caregivers and educators, instilling in them the importance of both practical service and a deep spiritual life rooted in seeing Christ in the poor. She was canonized in 1934 and is recognized as the patron saint of social workers.