When the French Revolution broke out, Julie’s reputation for holiness made her the
focal point of the revolutionists’ wrath. She fled to Compiegne where, in a vision,
God showed Julie her future work, the foundation of a religious Congregation marked by the
Cross. In spite of persecution and personal suffering, Julie retained her unshakeable
confidence in the good God.
After several years of exile in Compiegne,
a friend brought her to Amiens, where she lived in a small room in the town house of the
Viscount Blin de Bourdon. It was here that she met the Viscount’s sister, Françoise
Blin de Bourdon. The friendship of these two
women, so different in backgrounds, but so united in prayer and in their desire to serve
God and the poor, led to the establishment of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre
Dame de Namur.
On February 2, 1804, Julie Billiart and Françoise Blin de Bourdon vowed themselves to
God as Sisters of Notre Dame and promised to devote themselves to the education of young
girls, especially the poor, and to the formation of teachers. After Julie’s
miraculous cure a few months later, she worked tirelessly for her good God’s glory
and for the poor. She spent the next 12 years training her young Sisters both as religious
and as educators.
Misunderstandings with the Bishop of Amiens over the type of government Julie
envisioned, forced her new congregation to leave France in 1809. Her welcome by the Bishop
of Namur in Belgium ensured that the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur could continue their
work of education in their founding spirit. During Julie’s lifetime, eight new
foundations were begun in various towns; the one in Namur became known as the Motherhouse.
 |
| The Sisters of Notre
Dame open a free school for little girls. |
"Oh, how good is the good God." This well-known expression came from the
heart of Julie Billiart’s experience.
Julie Billiart died on April 8, 1816, only 12 years after the founding of her religious
community. She was canonized on June 22, 1969. The Church celebrates her feast day on May
13.
Fields of sunflowers are a common sight in France and Belgium, as
they were in Julie’s lifetime. She often spoke of the sunflower straining to follow
the sun as it moved in the sky. Julie saw this as a metaphor for the soul. The soul
focuses — if we let it — and follows the directions of God, as God moves across
our lives.
In
Her Own Words
"The good God is
very good! It does us good to leave everything in His hands."
"All that is undertaken at His
divine will and marked by the sign of the Cross succeeds."
We must always have recourse to the Blessed Virgin in all our wants,
both spiritual and temporal."
"You will not doubt this: friendship in God lasts
forever."
"Whatever we are doing, we should often ask ourselves: 'How
would Jesus have done this?'"
"The good God will send His holy angel, as to Tobit, to show us
the way, without our having anything to fear."
"The beauties of nature must lift your soul to your Creator.
You will look upon them spread before you like an open book."
"I ask the good God to give you patience with your children;
all will go well in time."
"Never let the peace of your heart be disturbed by anything in
the world."
"Time is like loose change. It is given to us here below to buy
the real things of eternity."
"In whatever way God comes to us, He must always be
welcome."
Days
of Special Prayer
| February
2 |
Foundation Day for
the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (1804) |
| April
8 |
Death of St. Julie
(1816) |
| May
13 |
Feast of St. Julie |
| June
22 |
Canonization Day
(1969) |
| July
12 |
St. Julie's Birthday
(1751) |
Books about St. Julie Billiart and
the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur:
Julie Billiart: Woman of Courage, Roseanne Murphy, SNDdeN.
This biography of St. Julie, foundress of
the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, gives insight into the spirituality which gave birth
to the Congregation.
