Born on July 22, 1647, Margaret Mary lost her father as a child when she was eight years old. In preparation to receive her First Communion she boarded at Poor Clare's monastery. After her spiritual experience of living with the Sisters and receiving First Communion, Margaret Mary felt she could no longer “enjoy the small pleasures of life.” The nuns left an impression on her: she wanted to be like them – like Saints!

But Margaret Mary’s poor health kept her from staying with the Clarist nuns; removed from the monastery she returned home. Consecrating herself to the Virgin Mary, Margaret Mary heard the words, “I am surprised, my daughter, that you serve me so negligently.”  

God had prepared Margaret Mary at a young age through suffering. In the vulnerable condition that she and her mother experienced after her mother “gave up all authority in their home,” and became “captives” of those to whom the authority had been transferred. Mother and daughter depended on the goodness and respect of others in the family. Instead, Margaret Mary felt she and her mother were reduced to a state of “captivity.”

Margaret Mary’s childhood and youth prepared her not only for the religious rigors of the Sisters of the Visitation cloister, but the message Jesus was preparing Margaret Mary to receive. Suffering serves a purpose; suffering chisels the person to serve in God’s mission in saving souls and building sanctity. Margaret Mary understood that the years she suffered at home were an instrument for God to carry out His Divine Will. Suffering always serves a purpose when one is united with the Will of God.

During this time of suffering Margaret Mary’s found refuge and comfort in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar. As the situation at home worsened, kneeling before the Crucified Christ offered Margaret Mary great strength. She understood that Christ was to be her absolute Master of her heart, and that her life was to conform to the sufferings of Christ. At this time, Christ made Himself present to Margaret Mary as the Ecce Homo or Jesus carrying His Cross or in the form of a Crucifix.

As Sister Margaret Mary approached her investiture, she realised that her desire for austerity was not in conformity with the requests of her Mother Superior. Sister Margaret Mary was caught between what she understood Christ was asking of her, and her Mother Superior who wanted her to follow the Obedience of the Visitation Rule. With St. Francis de Sales’ intervention, Sister Margaret Mary understood that “obedience” and not austerity was the Rule to be followed, “What is this my daughter, dost thou think to please God in surpassing the limits of obedience, which is the principle and support of this Congregation and not austerities?”

St. Margaret Mary received the Sisters of the Visitation habit on August 25th, 1671.