Henriette Díaz DeLille

Henriette DeLille’s journey towards sainthood, marked by the formal opening of her cause for canonization in 1988 and her declaration as Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, underscores the profound legacy of the Boisdoré and DeLille families.

Charlotte Morand, the mother of Adelaide Boisdoré and her half-sister Marie-Josèphe Díaz, elucidates the familial connections between Adelaide Boisdoré and Henriette DeLille. François Boisdoré, Adelaide’s son, thereby becomes a cousin to Henriette DeLille.

Henriette DeLille was a free woman of color who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in New Orleans. Born in New Orleans in 1813 to a French father, Jean-Baptiste Lille Sarpy, and a free quadroon mother of French, Spanish, and African ancestry, Marie-Josèphe “Pouponne” Díaz, Henriette was rooted in a diverse cultural heritage. Her mother, the daughter of a Spanish merchant and a free Creole of color, ensured that Henriette received an education in dancing, music, and French literature, preparing her for the Louisiana system known as “placage,” where free women of color often became the common-law wives of wealthy white men.

However, Henriette charted a different path. At the age of 14, she began teaching in a Catholic school and gradually emerged as a vocal opponent of the placage system. Henriette dedicated her life to educating and caring for the poor, despite facing opposition from her own mother. Her unwavering commitment to social justice and education laid the foundation for her eventual recognition by the Catholic Church and her enduring legacy.

Charlotte Morand the mother of Adelaide Boisdore and Marie-Josèphe Díaz (her half-sister), the familial ties between Adelaide Boisdore and Henriette DeLille become clearer. François Boisdoré, Adelaide’s son, then becomes a cousin to Henriette DeLille.