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St. Emily de Vialar

St. Emily de Vialar

St. Emily de Vialar

Feastday: June 17

St. Emily de Vialar, Virgin, Foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph "of the Apparition"

Anne Marguerite Adelaide Emily de Vialar was the eldest child and only daughter of Baron James Augustine de Vialar and his wife Antoinette, daughter of that Baron de Portal who was physician-in-ordinary to Louis XVIII and Charles X of France. She was born at Gaillac in Languedoc in 1797. At the age of fifteen she was removed from school in Paris to be companion to her father, now a widower, at Gaillac; but unhappily, differences arose between them because of Emily's refusal to consider a suitable marriage.

For fifteen years, Emily was the good angel of Gaillac, devoting herself to the care of children neglected by their parents and to the help of the poor generally. In 1832, her maternal grandfather died, leaving her a share of his estate which was a quite considerable fortune. She bought a large house at Gaillac and took possession of it with three companions. Others joined them and three months later, the archbishop authorized the Abbe to clothe twelve postulants with the religious habit. They called themselves the Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition. Their work was to be the care of the needy, especially the sick, and the education of children. In 1835, she made her profession with seventeen other sisters, and received formal approval for the rule of the Congregation.

The foundress, in the course of twenty-two years, saw her Congregation grow from one to some forty houses, many of which she had founded in person. The physical energy and achievements of St. Emily de Vialar are the more remarkable in that from her youth she was troubled by hernia, contracted characteristically in doing a deed of charity. From 1850 this became more and more serious, and it hastened her end, which came on August 24, 1856. The burden of her last testament to her daughters was "Love one another". Her canonization took place in 1951; her feast is June 17th.

 

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1 - 20 of 60 Comments

  1. Lauren :)
    6 months ago

    She is an amaizing saint and Emily is deffinently my confirmation name! :)

  2. Susan
    10 months ago

    This site is my favorite. I was educated by Sisters of St. Joseph in Michigan in the 60's, and am thankful everyday for their good example. They truly were a group of educated, liberated women. I've often said, they were truly the first women's libbers, they just went about their fine work and education quietly. I did not know about their origins until now. Glad to read more about them.

  3. Mona
    11 months ago

    Please Saint Emily de Vialar, please pray for Jacob that he finds the right path and for his parents that they find the strenght and wisdom to guide him, Thank you.

  4. Joseph Mathew
    11 months ago

    Thanks for your intercession, St. Emily; I am now fully recovered from hernia after the second operation and am physically well and fit. Please continue to pray for us.

  5. Saralinda
    11 months ago

    Her congregation was "Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition." Okay, what was the appariton to which this names refers?

  6. Bridget
    11 months ago

    I find this site an inspiration and very informative, please keep up the good work.

    Thank you for giving me more information on our Saints.

  7. emily omondi
    1 year ago

    woou my name is emily am a sister. st emily pray for me.i never knew that iwas also a st thank you.

  8. Kalanzi Emily
    1 year ago

    Dear St Emily,
    I have grown spiritually due to your intercession. May your prayers help me in my studies completion Jan 2012 reg no. 205022181 Makerere University, and all my hearts desires....Amen

  9. Emily
    1 year ago

    i love this website

  10. Georgia
    1 year ago

    I think this site is very helpful for when I do my school work. THANK YOU

  11. annkara
    1 year ago

    dear st Emily i adore you are just like me want to help the sick and the poor just like you im glade my teacher pick you as my saint for a project.

  12. Emily
    1 year ago

    Dear St. Emily reading your biography helped me a lot. I have to write a paragraph about you for my confirmation and I hope that when the day of my confirmation comes I hope you are there with me giving me the blessing of confirmation. Also when the day of my 15 comes help my parents realize that the only thing I want for my 15 is their love and support throughout my life. Also give me the strength, and brains so that i can finish high school and enter the world of college. Im not a very religious person but this article made me realize that even though you had hernia you still worked and worked and worked and dealed with it. And also please bless my family and friends that I love very much, and also my puppy Coco.

  13. Constancia Calunsod
    1 year ago

    Dear St.Emily, please pray for me everyday. My daughter is suffering from thyroid cancer, please pray for her too. Thank you very much

  14. Joseph Mathew
    1 year ago

    Dear St. Emily, Please intercede for me, because I am sufferring from the same disease that you had! I had been operated once, but it has recurred. Pleas pray for me for the next surgery, to be carried out shortly.

  15. Rev. Meg
    1 year ago

    There is a St. Joseph's hospital near my home, and right next to it is the convent where the Sisters of St. Joseph live. I live next door to Holy Family Cathedral and School, so the Sisters are a familiar, lovely and welcome sight in the neighborhood. Our block is truly blessed!

  16. Raymond
    1 year ago

    It is a wonderful service that is going on here. Thank you at Catholic.org for making it possible for us to have a minute to walk with the saints each day as we read about thier lives daily and say short prayers with them.
    Saint Emily, I thank God for your life of service, both here and in Heaven and I pray please help me out of the darkness that I am in today , so that I can see light in my life. Amen

  17. A man
    2 years ago

    dear st emily i wish there was a pichture it would make this stupid project more cool because i dont want to do a stupid project because im not catholic so dont take it personaly but are you the si of womans rights ? why waist your time woman will always be at the bottom and us guys will be on the top .well i am glade i said that sorry but thats the truth now you the people who aprove it please put this on because not every on is catholic and there should be a united thing about st emily. oh yes i almost forgot why is st emily not maried thats stupid if she realy is the saint of womans rights sheshould of changed that roul.:(
    A-MAN OUT PEACE

  18. sarah
    2 years ago

    dear st emily,
    i was forced agenst my will to go to a historica far yesterday and it was not fun
    bye bye

  19. sarah
    2 years ago

    dear st emily this web site is awesooooooooooooooooooooooooooome
    and coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

  20. kellie
    2 years ago

    dear st. emily,
    there is a guy who is telling me i cant play soccer because im a girl and i finde that afencive because u can play soccer just as good as they play soccer but they wont let me prove it . can you help me figer out how i can prove that a girl can do anything a guy can do.
    please i love to play soccer please help
    thanks bye


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