Julie Billiart:
Woman of Our Lady
The constitutions continue Julie’s attitude to Our Lady in their provision for a Marian way
of life. There is no specific section of the text dedicated to Mary but, … the theme of Mary is
woven into the text as an essential strand. It is with Mary before us that we understand call and
consecration (cf. Luke 1:26-38), contemplation in active service (Luke 1:39, 56), meeting the needs of our
world with practical sensitivity (John 2:3), the demands of faith and of on-going formation in the
Lord (Mark 3:31-35, Luke 11:28), the beatitudes of suffering and of justice (Matt 5:5-6), prayer in community (Acts 1:14) and alone (Luke 2:19), and our sharing in Christ’s mission for the transformation of
the world (Acts 1:8). This is the congregation’s way of saying that Mary threads through our lives
as a constant presence and source of strength in the following of Jesus her Son, and in making
known that goodness of God which was her own song in the Magnificat, Julie’s last audible
prayer.
We are named for Mary and we are called by her name in this sense. We share Our
Lady’s name, not as a label attached from outside, or as a convenient form of identification
which could just as easily be something else, but as a public affirmation of what we are and are
trying to become. ‘Sisters of Notre Dame’ expresses who we are: women of faith and love
whose programme of life is to receive and give Jesus as Mary does. It is to be Mary in our
times: like her, contemplative, prophetic, apostolic witnesses in action to God who is good. For
this living presence at the heart of our life and work, and it is in the full context of her name and
presence that we commit ourselves with Julie to grow ‘in the spirit of Mary, the virtue of Mary,
the strength and power of Mary.
Our identification with Mary in the following of her Son is particularly stressed where Our
Lady is the paradigm both of our inner life and our apostolic action. ‘Like Mary whose name we
bear, we are called to hear the word of God and keep it’. Bearing Mary’s name and identified
with her, particularly in that spiritual motherhood which we share with her and in the discipleship
in which we follow her, we are called to listen as she did, to receive the word of God in poverty
and love as she did, to keep it in our hearts faithfully as she did, and to give it to others as she
did without distortion, reduction or any intrusion of ourselves. This is the work of the prophet.
Mary is queen of prophets because she did it pre-eminently. It is she who teaches us to listen,
to read the signs of the times in the light of the Holy Spirit who filled her at the annunciation and
at Pentecost, and who enables us to act in ways inspired by God’s love and justice. In a word,
she shows us from within what our apostolic spirituality is all about.
Mary Linscott: This Excellent Heritage, p. 89-90
My dear good daughter, I have just had the thought that we are beginning to be the sisters of
our Lady: crosses are no longer lacking; they are coming from everywhere now.
L106 -- To Mere St Joseph, February 10, 1809
Let her work at making her novices grow up, for in the century we live in we must be very daring
Sisters of Notre Dame.
L231 -- To Mere St Joseph, November 29, 1812
Without doubt we are to leave ourselves in the hands of the good God…. For good Sisters of
Notre Dame this is often through acts of humility. That will draw down the blessings of heaven
on your little house. It begins with the cross; that is a good sign.
L245 -- To Soeur Jeanne, February 16, 1813
Ah, what a great heart is needed to be a Sister of Notre Dame! How much good medicine must
be swallowed! There is nothing else that will fortify us to resist all the assaults of our enemy,
who is so jealous of the Sisters of Notre Dame. But only of those who are very courageous and
generous. I make this my one prayer for them all.
L250 -- To Mere St Joseph, March 15, 1813
I ask for you all the graces you need to become a good Sister of Notre Dame. I am confident
that you will work at it with all your heart. Acquire the solid virtues of our holy Institute: strong
charity, humility, patience, mortification. Without them we shall never do anything of value for
our salvation.
L301 -- January 7, 1814
Obedience above all; nobody can be a Sister of Notre Dame without this virtue. … I leave you
all in the sweet and loving Heart of our good Jesus, all together, all the dear society of poor
Sisters of Notre Dame.
L305 -- To Soeur Angele, January 18, 1814
The good God showed us clearly that Sisters of Notre Dame must take walks only in their own
places and find their only refuge in the adorable Heart of our good Jesus and in the heart of his
most blessed Mother.
L344 -- To Soeur Julienne, August 6, 1814
The blessed virgin is the protectress and model of the Sisters of Notre Dame. … if we content
ourselves with merely honouring the blessed virgin, without trying to imitate her, we make a
great mistake. We must try to be like her, particularly in her humility, obedience and charity.
Mary was the most privileged of all God's creatures, and at the same time the humblest.
Ashdown Themes – IV-1
We, who are the beloved daughters of our blessed Lady, who are her sisters - since we bear the
name Sisters of Notre Dame - we must not rest content with boasting of these prerogatives, but
must work to become like her to acquire a true and holy likeness to our loving mother…
Ashdown Themes – IV-2
With the help of our dear Lady we will follow our blessed Saviour in the company of Mary; with
her we shall be strong because we shall be lowly and trustful.
Ashdown Themes – IV-4
No Sister of Notre Dame must have a selfish heart - she must be large hearted and generous.
It is not for nothing that we have the blessed virgin Mary, our Lady, for both mother and sister.
She had a great and loving heart, and if we want to be her true daughters and worthy sisters,
we must dilate our souls and urge them to the sublime height aimed at in our holy Institute.
Ashdown Themes – IX-26
We are Sisters of our Lady, consequently we ought, after the example of the blessed Virgin, to
draw the good God into our hearts by the practice of perfect humility.
Ashdown Themes – XXVII-4
To acquire this spirit, my dear daughters, a narrow little heart will not suffice; a generous heart is
necessary. It is for this reason that we have the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady, for Mother and Sister.
She had a magnanimous heart. If we wish to be her true daughters, her worthy sisters, we must
enlarge our souls that they may not fall short of the high purpose of our Holy Institute.
Counsels of Perfection – p. 3
Celebrating N
tre Dame