Who Is Saint Julie?

St. Julie Billiart is the foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. She was born to a poor family on 12 July 1751 in Cuvilly, a small village in France.

Julie lived at the time of the French Revolution and experienced great pain and persecution. At the age of twenty three years she became paralysed. In spite of great difficulties Julie continued to show, by her smile, courage and joy.

Many young Kenyan women are attracted to St. Julie by her courage, joy, simplicity of heart and great hope as expressed in one of her many sayings: “In periods of darkness we can only wait for the sun to reappear.”

Julie was miraculously cured of her paralysis in June 1804. With joy she continued to welcome other women to join her family. She worked with great energy to establish several houses of Sisters of Notre Dame before her death in April 1816.