Saint Julia Billiart
Also known as
• Julia of Billiart
• Julie Billart
• Mary Rose Julia Billiart
Profile
Sixth of seven children of peasant farmers Jean-François Billiart and Marie-Louise-Antoinette Debraine. She was poorly educated, but knew her catechism by heart at age 7, and used to explain it to other children. At age 14 she took a private vow of chastity, and gave her life to serving and teaching the poor. At age 22, she was sitting next to her father when some one shot at him; the shock left her partially crippled for 22 years. During the French Revoluation, a group of her friends helped organize the work she'd started. Julia was miraculously healed of her paralysis on 1 June 1804, and resumed her work. Her organization became the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame (Institute of Notre Dame; Sisters of Notre Dame), dedicated to the Christian education of girls, formally established in Amiens, France, the first vows being made by Saint Julia and two others on 15 October 1804. By the time of her death the Institute had 15 convents.
Born
12 July 1751 at Cuvilly, diocese of Beauvais, department of Oise, Picardy, France asMary Rose Julia Billiart
Died
• 8 April 1816 at the Institute's motherhouse at Namur, Belgium of natural causes
• died while praying
Venerated
6 January 1903
Beatified
13 May 1906 by Pope Pius X
Canonized
22 June 1969 by Pope Paul VI
Patronage
• against poverty
• against bodily ills or sickness
• sick people
Readings
I ought to die of shame to think I have not already died of gratitude to my good God. - Saint Julie Billiart.
No comments:
Post a Comment