Prayers, umbrellas and purpose: The story behind Marie Madeleine
Sponsored by Marie Madeleine
For Monika Guiberteau, the journey to launching Marie Madeleine wasn’t a carefully planned business strategy, but a profound calling rooted in faith. A Baton Rouge native with a background in dance and performance, she never imagined she would one day become an entrepreneur.
In January 2024, Monika embarked on her first pilgrimage to Medjugorje, a Catholic pilgrimage destination since the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to six visionaries in 1981 and continues to this day to appear to some of them daily. During this spiritual journey, she felt a strong calling to create what she calls a “rosary house,” an online Catholic supply store designed to help people deepen their faith.
Marie Madeleine isn’t just another online shop. It’s a carefully curated collection of Catholic supplies that reflects Monika’s mission to assist people in nurturing their spiritual lives. The store offers several collections: the Rosary House (featuring rosaries and prayer booklets), Holy Gifts (including Baptismal and First Communion gifts), a unique Children’s Collection and Greeting Cards with artwork inspired from Monika’s Medjugorje trip and painted by artist Kellyn Queyrouze.
Perhaps the most distinctive product is her line of holy image umbrellas. These black umbrellas feature interior designs of Jesus, Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph. More than just rain protection, they’re symbolic reminders of faith, with inscriptions like “By Thy Holy Cross, Thou Hast Redeemed the World.”
“I wanted to create something that keeps our eyes on Jesus,” Monika explains. “These umbrellas are an experience, a sentimental gift that serves as a reminder of one’s devotion.”
Her children’s products are equally thoughtful. The Mary Magnet Play Set allows children to dress a magnetic Mary figure, fostering early devotion. Her prayer booklets – one for adults and another for young Catholics – are small enough to carry anywhere but contain prayers for every life moment.
Despite having no prior business experience, it was Mother Mary who gave Monika the courage and the grace to start her business and embrace the challenges. She worked with a design company in Austin to bring her vision of the holy image umbrellas to life and learned marketing strategies through determination and community support.
Her faith remains the cornerstone of her business. She starts her pop-up events with a Rosary and continues to draw inspiration from her daily prayer routine and adoration visits. “I live for Jesus,” she says. “He’s my King and Savior.”
Rooted deeply in Baton Rouge’s close-knit Catholic community, Monika sees Marie Madeleine as more than a business – it’s a ministry. Her goal is simple: help people deepen their faith, their prayer life and most importantly to encourage parents to plant the seed of faith in their children’s little hands and hearts. This is why Monika made sure Marie Madeleine was for both children and adults.
As she continues to grow her business, Monika remains guided by the principles that started her journey – faith, hope and an unwavering commitment to her spiritual calling. To learn more about Marie Madeleine, visit shopmariemadeleine.com.
