A Woman of Valour: The Biography of Marie-Louise Bouchard Labelle

The biography of Marie-Louise Bouchard Labelle tells of a youngCanadian woman from a humble background at the turn of the twentiethcentury. She discovers love with the priest of her village, a manthirty-three years her elder. After three children and fifteen years ofa happy life together, her spouse returns to the priesthood, justbefore the Great Depression. Trepanier narrates this brave woman'sstruggle to raise their children alone as a widow, andraises questions about the mandatory celibacy of Catholic priests andthe status of women in the Catholic Church.