Sr. Xaverin, Marie Louise Habets
Marie Louise Habets [1905-1986]
In the film The Nun's Story, Audrey Hepburn's character, Sr. Luke was based upon Marie Louise Habets. It is one of my favorite films of all time. I was searching a bit of trivia* on the story and came across details on the life of Marie Louise Habets, whose name in religion was actually Sr. Xaverine. She had been a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, entering in Ghent. At the time the nuns were 'enclosed' or semi-cloistered, as shown in the film. The book by Kathryn Hulme and the film follow Marie Louise Habets' experience closely and accurately portrays religious life as it was at the time. Her post-convent life is also rather interesting. I especially enjoyed the photos I came across.
Marie Louise as a nurse
after leaving the convent.
She became attached to the Belgian army which in turn served with the British forces. She aided the wounded and dying when the first V-bombs were fired at Antwerp by the Germans. Scarcely had the tide of the German advance in the Battle of the Bulge been blunted and turned than she was nursing the American wounded who held Bastogne and survived. - The Boston Globe, 1957
Kathryn Hulme and Marie Louise met during the war
and became lifelong partners. Both remained Roman Catholics.
A brief note on their life may be found here.
Author Kathryn Hulme and former nun Marie Louise Habets,
pictured in 1956. Chez Moune nightclub.
The bar photo surprised me, I'm not sure what the occasion was. Nevertheless, as noted on the Wikipedia page:
Anyone who, inspired by the integrity, rebelliousness and self-assertion of Gabrielle van der Mal, goes to the Hulme papers looking for signs of Habets as a religious or sexual revolutionary, will search in vain. Comments attributed to her in interviews show her as socially conservative (though tolerant) and a staunch admirer of nuns, her one regret being that she herself was not strong enough to remain one. If she and Hulme had any criticisms of the Catholic Church or convents, they kept them out of their archive. If they were aware of or interested in women’s liberation or lesbian/gay liberation, they show no sign of it, though clearly they lived openly as a couple, and were acknowledged as such by friends and business associates. Numerous letters to Kathryn Hulme, from friends and business associates alike, contained among the Kathryn Hulme papers, include greetings to Habets, enquiries about her health and activities, plans for social events in which she is to be involved as Hulme’s partner - the normal stuff of communication among friends who are relaxed about each other‘s status. A handwritten note from Habets to Hulme dated 3 November 1975, begins "darling" and ends "I love you. Warmest kisses." - Source
Audrey as Sr. Luke
*So. What piece of trivia was I looking for? I couldn't recall if her number/habit number in the convent was #1072 or #1078. Although I'm fairly certain she inherited Sr. Polycarp's number - correct me if I'm wrong. Needless to say, I didn't find what I was looking for.
Sr. Luke's number was 1072. "The filament of number 1072 stretched far beyond the kneeling figures, beyond the sanctified grounds of the mother house..." It was the number of Sr. Marie-Polycarpe.
ReplyDeleteYes! Thanks Angela! I thought you would know.
ReplyDeleteTrivia:
ReplyDeleteWhen I was editing the Loyola Classics series, I very much wanted to get A Nun's Story, which had not been in print in English for a long time. It took me ages to track down the rights, partly because of a language barrier and partly because of European vacation habits. When I did , I found that Hulme had willed the rights to Habets, of course, and she in turn had willed the rights to the last few nuns of their convent, as a group. At that point....I gave up.....
Thanks Amy - I saw that the rights were in some sort of Limbo now - which is why Hulme's other books have not been published as well. I think there is one based upon their friendship - that could be interesting to read, considering how out in the open everything has become today.
DeleteWas an audio book ever made please? It is a wonderful movie. I'd love to read Hulme's other books. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLook a Lion in the Eye is a nonfiction account of the 2 women's trip back to Africa.
ReplyDeleteLook a Lion in the Eye is a nonfiction book about the 2 women's return to visit Africa.
ReplyDeleteI just watched this beautiful movie for the (maybe) seventh time and I have to share a scene in the film that played out in my own life. I entered the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul when I was 39 yrs old. Unfortunately, at around 9 months in the novitiate (called Seminary there) I needed back surgery, and post-surgery, it was "suggested" that I take time out to heal. Well, when I went to the Provincial Superior, we had a chat and she pushed an envelope toward me which contained my entrance fee (like the dowry). I said I wouldn't take it as they had paid for my upkeep, surgery, etc. Then she said "You have to take it". [Flashback to Nun's Story...weird.] She did remind me that I would need to buy clothes, and I picked it up. My main difference with the movie was that I wanted to STAY.
ReplyDeleteWhat the movie showed me was how difficult a life nun's live. They constantly have to question their own motives. I have much respect for them.
ReplyDelete