St. Julie Billiart
1751–1816
Feast: April 8
St. Julie Billiart came to her religious vocation late in life, at the age of 51. The fifth of seven children, as a child she developed a great love for Jesus in the Eucharist. At 16, she began to teach to help support her family. However, due to a murder attempt on her father, she was plunged into very poor health for 30 years, during 22 of which she was completely paralyzed. She offered all her sufferings to God. During the French Revolution, she opened her home as a hiding place for priests. She also received a vision of the crucified Christ, surrounded by a large group of women dressed in habits. An inner voice told her that she would begin a religious institute for the Christian education of young girls. She co-founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1803. In 1804, she was miraculously cured and could walk again. She died peacefully in 1816 at the age of 64.
-Catholic News Agency
Northwest Catholic - April 2019