In 1836 six Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon set sail from Le Havre, France for the St. Louis Diocese in the United States. Sisters Fébronie and Delphine Fontbonne, Marguerite-Félicité Bouté, Fébronie Chapellon, St. Protaise Deboille and Philomène Vilaine were the first missionaries to North America.
We mark this day in remembrance that our Canadian communities are rooted in this history. It is said that when Mother St. John Fontbonne became the first superior after the French Revolution, the birth of new CSJ communities proliferated “like a swarm of bees”.
For an interesting commentary we invite you to view:
This video was made by Mount Saint Mary’s University - History of the Sisters of St. Joseph - Mother St. John, Part II. The story of being missioned to America begins at 4:32.
Photo from: About Us - Sisters of St. Joseph (brentwoodcsj.org)
