Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
“Ah! Qu'il est bon, le bon Dieu!"
“Oh! How good is the good God!”St. Julie Billiart
Julie Billiart was born in Cuvilly, France in 1751. Her life was marked by a great desire to make known the goodness of God. On February 2, 1804, she founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, dedicated to the education of young girls and especially the poor, and to making known God's goodness. Julie went on to open dozens of convents and schools despite the dangers of the French Revolution and her own physical constraints due to her paralysis at a young age.
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were sent out to spread the Gospel to all nations. They were eager to do the work that their foundress called, "the most important work on earth." They came to teach. Four Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur brought this mission and charism (meaning “of the spirit”) to Folsom in 1962.
“They taught them religion, they taught them how to act, how to greet people, and how to get along with each other in the classroom and on the playground.” Mrs. Betty Dolan, founding school member and teacher of St. John Notre Dame