A look at Saint Julie Billiart: A Trailblazer for Women's Education and Empowerment

Saint Julie Billiart was a French Roman Catholic nun who founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. She is the patron saint of the sick and the disabled and is also known as the patron saint of educators and teachers

Julie Billiart was born on July 12th, 1751, in Cuvilly, France, to a wealthy family. She was the fifth of seven children and was known for her piety from a young age. A mysterious illness overtook her when she was about 30. Witnessing an attempt to wound or even kill her father, Julie was paralyzed and became a complete invalid. Despite her disability, she remained devout and began to teach catechism to children in her home.

Around 1803, Billiart and a French nun named Françoise Blin de Bourdon established the Sisters of Notre Dame in Amiens, France, where they and other nuns dedicated themselves to the care and education of young girls. Julie's vision was to empower women through education and to instill in them a love of God. Shortly after this, she was healed of her paralysis and went on to found schools and homes for poor girls in France and Belgium. Around this time, she became a nun at the Visitation Convent in Amiens, France.

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur quickly spread throughout Europe and eventually to the United States, where they established schools and missions in Ohio, Kentucky, and beyond. Julie's emphasis on education for girls was groundbreaking at the time, and her work paved the way for greater opportunities for women in the Church and society. 

Saint Julie Billiart died on April 8th, 1816, at the age of 64. She was canonized by Pope Paul VI on June 22nd, 1969. Her feast day is celebrated on April 8th. 

Saint Julie Billiart had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and believed in the importance of praying for the conversion of sinners. She also had a close relationship with Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, the founder of the Good Shepherd Sisters.

Saint Julie's legacy lives on through the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who continue to work for the education and empowerment of women around the world.