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Also known as: Julie
Billart; Mary Rose Julia Billiart; Julia of Billiart
Memorial: 8 April
Profile
Sixth of seven children of peasant farmers Jean-Frangois Billiart and
Marie-Louise-Antoinette Debraine. 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 Revolution, 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, formerly established in
Amiens in, 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 as Mary Rose Julia Billiart
Died: 8 April 1816 at the Institute's motherhouse at Namur, Belgium
of natural causes; died while praying
Beatified: 13 May 1906 by Pope Pius X
Canonized: 22 June 1969 by Pope Paul VI
Patronage: against poverty, bodily ills, impoverishment, poverty,
sick people, sickness
Readings
I ought to die of shame to think I have not already died of gratitude to
my good God.
- Saint Julie Billiart
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