In honour of the 200th anniversary of the birth of their foundress, Eulalie Durocher, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary are preparing some grand celebrations to mark this event in the fall.
Born in Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Eulalie Durocher a warm-hearted, intelligent woman of action, was deeply moved by the poor quality of religious education, and the lack of schools, especially for girls who lived in countryside.
In 1843, under the guidance of Bishop Ignace Bourget, Eulalie Durocher, her good friend Mélodie Dufresne and well-known teacher, Henriette Céré, founded the Congregation of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) in Longueuil, Quebec.
This Congregation is devoted to the education of youth. At the time of Mother Marie-Rose’s premature death in 1849, four educational institutions had already been established: Longueuil, Beloeil, Saint-Timothée and Saint-Lin.
After her death, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary continued to establish and administer numerous public and private institutions.
Today, the religious community numbers 1100 Sisters and 600 Associates in Canada, the United states, Africa (Lesotho,) Brazil and Peru. They work in the areas of education, social justice, full development of the human person, the promotion of the arts and pastoral ministries. They are also involved in various international organizations.
The following special activities will be taking place:
In order to commemorate this important event, the Congregation requested that Canada Post issue a commemorative stamp depicting Eulalie Durocher. These stamps can be used for regular mail.
For further details regarding the various festivities or to discover the story of this educator among us: