Maybe we have forgotten the true spirit of St. Julie Billiart. How often has our Mary Ellen embodied, embraced and graciously encouraged all to walk in the faith demonstrated by St. Julie.
"St. Julie's predominating trait in the spiritual order was her ardent charity, springing from a lively faith and manifesting itself in her thirst for suffering and her zeal for souls. Her whole soul was echoed in the simple and naove formula which was continually on her lips and pen: "Oh, qu'il est bon, le bon Dieu" (How good God is). She possessed all the qualities of a perfect superior, and inspired her subjects with filial confidence and tender affection.
The characteristic devotions of the Sisters of Notre Dame were established by the foundress, St. Julie Billiart, from the beginning. She was original in doing away with the time-honored distinction between choir sisters and lay sisters, but this perfect equality of rank did not in any way prevent her from putting each sister to the work for which her capacity and education fitted her."
Why was the spirit of Mary Ellen silenced within the walls of Notre Dame?
Quoted From the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.
Written by Sister of Notre Dame. Transcribed by H. Jon Thomas.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. Published 1910. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
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2 comments:
Thanks for the reminder. I have found myself over the years repeating "qu'il est bon, le bon Dieu" but haven't stopped to think why it had stuck in my head as important.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
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