Mother Veronica, nee Sophie Leeves, was born in 1823 in a pious, cultured, English, Anglican family. She was gifted with singular talents of mind and heart which were nurtured by sound education and wide experience. In spite of her mother’s strong opposition, she embraced the Catholic faith in 1850. God took possession of her heart so powerfully that she first broke off her engagement to a Marine Officer, whom she loved, and then responded generously to the call to Religious life. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition in 1851, taking the name, Sister Mary Veronica of the Passion.

Mother Veronica was ardent and full of zeal to work for the mission in India, when she was sent to found a house of the Congregation at Calicut in 1862. She responded to an inner call and under the guidance of Father Marie Ephrem O.C.D., discovered her vocation to found a Third Order Regular of Active Carmelites to serve the need of faith formation through education of young girls of the West Coast of India. After receiving the required permission from Rome, Mother Veronica founded a Carmel for the Mission at Bayonne France on 16th July 1868...