Today, June 17, is the memorial of Saint Emilie de Vialar.
Foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition.
In 1797, Emilie was born to an aristocratic family. When Emilie was 15, her mother Antoinette died. She then took over the house until she turned 35. During those times, Emilie nurtured a life of deep prayer and devoted herself to celibacy. When her father Jacques learned she had a religious vocation, he opposed Emilie. Of course, she won him over in the end.
Upon receiving a large inheritance from her grandfather, Emilie and three other women founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition on Christmas Day in 1832; the Apparition refers to the appearance of Gabriel to Joseph, telling him to flee to Egypt.
Emilie dreamt of doing missionary work. That dream was answered in 1835 when they were asked to help the sick during a cholera epidemic in Algeria.
During the next few years Emilie established 14 new houses, traveled extensively, and sent missionaries anywhere that would accept them. These expenses affected their finances badly; soon, Emilie declared bankruptcy and the congregation’s reputation was tarnished. They got so poor that they ate in kitchens run by other congregations.
The foundress put all her trust in God. With the help of St. Eugene de Mazenod, she had a motherhouse built. Her congregation was back on track.
Emilie died of natural causes in 1856. Venerable Pope Pius XII beatified her in 1939 and then canonized her in 1951.