Thévenet witnessed the horrors of the French Revolution – she saw two of her brothers executed – and went on to cater to the needs of children while using her congregation to provide local girls with a religious education.

The French Revolution saw the destruction of the old government and the formation of a new one that soon led to a violent massacre in her hometown in which two of her brothers were guillotined in public on 5 January 1794.

This was a charitable institution that sheltered orphans and the children of very poor families and provided room, board, religious instruction, and taught them a trade so that they could earn a living.

[5] Together with Coindre she formed a small group, the "Pious Union", an association for ladies and young women with the aim of working to raise and educate girls.

On 6 October 1818 the Association became the Religious of Jesus and Mary dedicated to educating girls;[6] the order was founded on the hill of Croix Rousse.

The miracle needed for sainthood was investigated and then validated in Rome on 15 March 1991 which allowed for a medical board to approve it on 30 January 1992 and theologians to do so as well on 22 May 1992; the C.C.S.