Beatification Day

 Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey 

October 15, 1950 

Painting capturing St. Teresa’s Vision of the Children of many Races

On October 15, 1950, Anne Marie Javouhey, Founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, was beatified in Rome, by Pope Pius XII.  This feast of  St. Teresa of Avila was chosen for Anne Marie’s Beatification Day as St. Teresa revealed to Anne Marie in a vision, children of all races that God was entrusting to Anne Marie and the Congregation she would found in 1807.

St. Teresa is said to have appeared to the young Anne Marie, a postulant at the Convent of Charity in Besançon, during a time when Anne Marie was struggling to know God’s Will for her. St. Teresa appeared to her and showed her many children of diverse races saying, “These are the children God is giving you.”  She told Anne Marie that she was to found a new congregation that would care for these children. The Church celebrates the feast of St. Teresa on October 15th. St. Teresa teaches us to seek God in all things and to unite contemplation and action.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny are an international missionary and apostolic religious congregation of 2,600 Cluny Sisters in 57 countries across 5 continents, working in education, health care, evangelization and social action.  

Early in the life of the new congregation, St. Teresa of Avila was named one of our Patrons. On her feast day, October 15th we honor St. Teresa and we renew our missionary discipleship to ‘go wherever there is good to be done’.  We place great emphasis on our availability - to go wherever there is need; on contemplatives in action - in service of Jesus’ Mission; on discerning the Will of God -  reading the signs of our times today.

Today, we especially remember and give thanks for the Beatification of Anne Marie Javouhey and we pray that all our Cluny Patron Saints, Sisters, Affiliates, Associates and those we serve and collaborate in mission, to intercede for us and join us throughout this special year of prayer for the canonization of this great missionary woman.

Prayer for the Canonization

of

Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey

Lord our God,

You enabled Blessed Anne Marie

to consecrate herself to the carrying out

of Your Holy Will in all things and to

be ever attentive to Your calls as

manifested through the poorest of her

brothers and sisters.

Grant that we, in the Church of our day,

may zealously continue the work

you confided to her.

Through her intercession hear the

prayers we address to You….

In Your goodness grant us the favor of

her canonization for Your glory and to

promote Your reign of love, justice,

and peace.   Amen.