Foundress of the Order of St., Joseph of Cluny
Anne Marie Javouhey, 1779 – 1851
Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey dedicated her congregation to St. Joseph when she founded the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny in 1806, at Chalon-sur-Saone, France.
She was a remarkable woman with ideas well ahead of her time. All through her life, she lived her faith through concrete actions focused on the needs of people around her. These actions centred on three main areas:
- Looking after the educational needs of children;
- A strong desire to help people of all races and in particular to fight the evil of slavery;
- A devotion to helping those who were suffering – either through sickness or poverty.
She believed that the call of God was for all people regardless of race. She worked tirelessly spreading the Gospel, establishing schools and general healthcare. Anne Marie Javouhey worked towards the emancipation of slaves, resettling many with land and houses of their own in the town of Mana which she and her Sisters founded in French Guiana.
The Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny continue her work by devoting their lives to the service of God through education and nursing on five continents.