SND Article

The foundresses of the Sisters of Notre Dame were Francoise Blin de Bourdon and Julie Billiart. Even though they many have come from two different social classes they both shared the love for helping people. Francoise came for a family of aristocrats and lived on estates with her grandparents. She was privilege with able to have a high education. When she was young she would come home and help her grandmother when she went to the village to help other families that were not as wealth as they were. Her grandmother would be remedies for those who were sick and food. Francoise then learned the importance of good nutrition. After Francoise reached her twenties she realized that she did not want to marry since during that time she is seeing he sibling getting married and moving away from home. Instead she decides that she wants to preserve her virginity. At St. Ursula, where she went to school, De Merici’s revolutionary vision was to allow the nuns to have a life and choose to keep their virginity and not have to be locked away. He wanted to allow them to have the freedom to explore life and enjoy it. I felt like this was very important and in the right step for change. This is the first time there is a thought to allow nuns to have that type of freedom. Later in her life she continues with helping others especially those who are of old age like her grandparents and parents. Unfortunately in her 20s or 30s she and part of her family was in prisoned.

            Unlike Francoise, Julie Billiart did not grow up in an aristocratic family, instead she was considered as a third estate. She was able to have some educations because her father owned a store and farm land. As a result she would then take time to help others like Francoise, but she should teach other students and educate them. She felt that it was important to give them an equal opportunity. Julie was able to go to school until her father’s shop was broken into and all of the valuable goods were stolen. As a result unfortunately Julie would then have to end her schooling and go and work on the farm. Yet she still found the time in order to teach those who were younger and did not have the opportunity to go to school like she did. In her twenties she was stresses and came down with a disease. She would probably be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately at that time doctors would cure others by using leaches and as a result she became paralyzed from the waist down. Yet that still did not stop her from making a different.

            It wasn’t until 1794 when both Francoise and Julie met. After Francoise was released from prison she came and lived at her brothers. She then took Julie in her care at that time while renting out rooms. As a pair they were inspired to co-find the new order of the Sisters of Notre Dame. This is because of their passion to help others that were less fortunate as they were.