Today, April 8, is the commemoration of Saint Julie Billiart.
Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame.
In 1751, Jean-Francois and Marie-Louise-Antoinette became parents to Julie. The child, at age seven, knew the catechism by heart. At 14, Julie made a private vow of chastity and devoted herself to caring and teaching the poor.
When she was 22, Julie witnessed the shocking murder of her father. The trauma was such that it rendered her paralyzed for 30 years. She offered her sufferings to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the sins against the Eucharist.
During the French Revolution, her friends decided to organize the work Julie started. Around this time, Julie had a vision of the religious congregation she would establish and even the sisters, whom she would meet years later, who would join the congregation. Julie was miraculously healed of her paralysis and set about founding the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame, dedicated to the Christian education of girls.
Julie was blessed with many mystical gifts, including visions and prophecy. Through her prayers she was able to miraculously multiply food and heal 23 of her sisters.
When Julie died at age 64 in 1816 in Belgium, the Institute had 15 convents.
Pope St. Pius X beatified Julie in 1906. Pope St. Paul VI canonized her in 1969.