Saint Julie Billiart, Our Spiritual Mother

Our religious Congregation, the Sisters of Notre Dame, was founded by Hilligonde Wolbring and Elisabeth Kühling. These two teachers needed to be formed in the vows and lifestyle of religious sisters before they could begin their own community. Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the order founded by Saint Julie Billiart, came from Amersfoort to instruct the two teachers in the way of religious life. Five years later the foundation in Coesfeld, Germany became an independent congregation. But the ties to the Sisters from Amersfoort remain strong. We call Saint Julie our “spiritual mother.” Her most famous quotation is often on our own lips: “How good God is!” And we continue to practice Julie’s admonition: “Let us do all we can to make the good God known and loved by all who surround us.”