Cuvilly

Today, our journey took us to Cuvilly, France, the birthplace of St. Julie Billiart. Little did we know what a tremendously powerful impact the visit would have on all of us. We entered Cuvilly, a very small farming community of approximately 550 residents, in the morning and were warmly greeted by a resident, who also happened to be a relative of St. Julie. After guiding us to the Heritage Center, where St. Julie's birthplace is located, we were greeted by Sister Georgette and Sister Albertine. They provided our group with a wonderful tour of the home that was built on the original site of St. Julie's home, destroyed many years ago.
We spent several hours learning about the struggles St. Julie encountered as she tried to do the work of God. Sister Ann Julie, the Dean of Villa Julie College from 1955 through 1964, spoke of Julie's physical limitations and dangers she faced during the time of the French Revolution. Sister Agnes Curran, who joined Sister Ann Julie on this journey, spoke of how the order started by St. Julie over 200 years ago, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, continues to do the work of God all over the world.
After leaving the Heritage Center, we spent time in the Church of Saint Eloise, built in 1636 in the town of Cuvilly. Sister Ann Julie led us in a prayer in the Church's chapel, where St. Julie prayed each time she visited the church.
We were joined for lunch in Cuvilly by the town's Mayor, who thanked President Manning for the history book and Villa Julie College hat presented to him on behalf of the College.
As we left the small town where we spent a most memorable day, many of us reflected on how the faith of a young peasant woman named Julie Billiart, from this tiny community in the northern part of France, is the reason Villa Julie College exists today.