Spreading God’s Goodness Through Education
Founded, Date/Place: 1804, France.
Foundress St. Julie Billiart
Canonical Status: Pontifical, Order
Motto: How good is the Good God
Charism: To witness to God’s Goodness
Mission Statement: Sisters of Notre Dame, women with hearts as wide as the world, make known God’s goodness and love of the poor through a gospel way of life, community and prayer…
Purpose: Spreading God’s Goodness through Education
Sisters of Notre Dame De Namur Provincialate
P. O. Box 46, Kuje Abuja, 400001
Email: sndnigprovsec@gmail.com
Private: fidelia.chukwu@snden.org
Mobile: 08131905401, 08095772175
Formation House:
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
Postulate Formation House
P.O. Box 77, Fugar, Edo State, 312109
07012918179, 07084207053
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Novitiate
P.O. Box 4513, Kulende, Ilorin, Kwara State, 240001
070-13867088
Provincial Moderator: Sr. Fidelia Chukwu, SNDdeN
Our Apostolate
The Sisters Of Notre Dame De Namur
Is an international religious Congregation of about 1,700 sisters living and working in 17 countries on 5 continents. Our main focus and our strength throughout our history is education and teacher training at all levels. And our mission is to serve the poor in the most abandoned places. We were founded in Amiens, France, on 2nd February, 1804, by St. Julie Billiart and Francoise Blin de Bourdon Julie, an invalid, paralysed for 23 years before being miraculously cured during a novena to the Sacred Heart, and Francoise, a member of the nobility who was known at the court of the King of France, were called by God in post-revolutionary France to restore the Catholic faith, to educate girls, and to teach the poor what they needed to know for life. Julie named her Congregation Sisters of Notre Dame (Our Lady) because of her love for Mary, a woman of faith and humble servant of the Lord. In 1969 we had the great joy of celebrating the canonization of our Foundress. April 8, the day of her death, is the new feast day of Saint Julie Billiart in the worldwide liturgical calendar.
After some years, the Bishop of Amiens insisted that we be a diocesan Congregation subject to his authority. However, St. Julie had a vision in which it was clear that her Congregation was not made for one diocese only, but was to go throughout the world proclaiming the goodness of God. This continues to be our charism today. Our spirituality is apostolic in the tradition of St. Julie. Her unique experience of prayer and action enabled her to find God’s goodness everywhere – and in a special way among the poor. Like Mary, whose name we bear, we are called to hear the word of God and keep it. Our attentive listening shapes our contemplative outlook toward the whole of life. It enables us to act as witnesses to God’s love and goodness with those we serve. We give time each day to prayer in solitude and silence.
At the height of difficulties and misunderstandings in Amiens, the Bishop of Namur in Belgium warmly welcomed Julie and Francoise and their blossoming new Congregation to take up residence and minister in his diocese. The big move took place in 1807, and from that year we have been officially known as The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
Julie died in 1816 and Francoise in 1838. Soon two other Congregations–the Sisters of Our Lady (Amersfoort, Holland, 1835) and the Sisters of Notre Dame (Coesfeld, Germany, 1850) were founded according to their spirit. It was not long then before the original Congregation began to expand–to Europe, the United States, Japan, and Central and South America. Today we live and work in 17 countries throughout the world: Belgium, Brazil, France, Haiti, Italy, Japan, Nicaragua, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as 7 African countries. Our mission to Africa began in 1894 with the arrival of Belgian sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo. From there we have spread to Congo-Brazzaville, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
We came to Nigeria through the instrumentality of Bishop Williiam Mahony, SMA, in 1963. A year before, a Sister of Notre Dame from the British Province, was invited to Nigeria to give a specialised course in catechetics to teachers at the Sacred Heart Training College in Kaduna. He was so impressed with her that he told himself he must have these sisters in his diocese. He was then Prefect Apostolic of llorin Prefecture. On 4th January, 1963, three sisters left Liverpool by boat from the United Kingdom to begin their ministry at Notre Dame Girls’ secondary boarding school in Oro, arriving at the port in Lagos 17th January, 1963.
Three years later we came to the Benin Archdiocese in Edo State at the request of then Bishop Kelly, SMA. His Lordship was so eager to have our sisters working in his diocese that he traveled all the way to our Generalate in Rome to meet with our Superior General and would not leave until he had received a positive answer to his demand for Sisters of Notre Dame. A promise of personnel was given; and in August, 1966, the first Sisters of Notre Dame arrived followed soon by two others. As requested by Bishop Kelly, they took over the management of St. Angela’s Girls’ Secondary School in Uzairue and began to build Notre Dame Hospital with monies begged from their families and friends.
In 1981, in response to a request of the Nigerian Conference of Women Religious, Sisters of Notre Dame took up the responsibility of the newly launched National Renewal Centre at Iva
Valley, Enugu. That same year we began accepting Nigerian women into the Congregation and training them in various professional capacities. The Novitiate House was completed in 1985 in Ilorin, Kwara State, and the Postulate, which had begun in Agenebode, was moved to our newly built residence in Fugar, Auchi Diocese, in 1999.
Our Congregational Generalate is in Rome, while the administrative offices of Finance and Mission are in Ipswich, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Our International Congregation is divided into Provinces, of which Nigeria is one with its Provincial Headquarters in Kuje, Abuja. At present the Nigerian Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur consists of 111 professed Nigerian sisters, 2 expatriate sisters from 2 different countries, and 12 novices, and 10 postulants. We live in 18 communities and serve in 10 Catholic dioceses in 9 states in Nigeria, while 2 Nigerian sisters are currently living and working in South Africa. Our main apostolate throughout the Congregation is education at every level. In Nigeria we currently manage 7 primary, 7 secondary schools and 2 vocational institutes.
Our mission, given us by our Foundress, is to teach children what they need to know for life. In addition to our apostolate of education, we manage 3 medical institutions, work in Peace and Justice, communications, social work, retreats and spiritual direction, as well as pastoral ministry. But the ministry closest to our hearts is catechetics, bringing children as well as adults to come to know how good is the Good God (the motto of our foundress, St. Julie). In the Congregation at large, our ministries are varied and uncountable, but our current focus, as has been the case throughout our history, is to serve the poor in the most abandoned places, especially women and children. This continues to be our focus in Nigeria as well.
Sisters In Perpetual Vows
- Sr. Abarosah Jacinta
- Sr. Adama Esther
- Sr. Adeniran Juliana
- Sr. Adinnu, Veronica
- Sr. Ajaegbu Caroline
- Sr. Akhibi Martina
- Sr. Aliu Priscilla
- Sr. Anaele Lucy
- Sr. Andakuro Yerin
- Sr. Aneke Franca
- Sr. Anikwata Theresa
- Sr. Anokwulu Schola
- Sr. Anyabuike Teresa
- Sr. Apeakumhe Rebecca
- Sr. Aririatu Evelyn
- Sr. Atkinson Julie
- Sr. Asagh Evelyn
- Sr. Balogun Josephine
- Sr. Balogun Jumoke
- Sr. Chime Dorothy
- Sr. Iyiogwe Maria
- Sr. Izuchukwu Gertrude
- Sr. Chukwu Ifeoma
- Sr. Uzochukwu Rosemary
- Sr. Chukwu Fidelia
- Sr. Damissah Anthonia
- Sr. Dirisu Theresa
- Sr. Duru Bernadin
- Sr. Duru Franca
- Sr. Eboh Mary Bernadette
- Sr. Edekhe Catherine
- Sr. Egwuchukwu Virginia
- Sr. Enyi Agnes
- Sr. Ezeigwe Eucharia
- Sr Ehinlaye Josephine
- Sr. Eneh Edith
- Sr. Ezekwem Rita
- Sr. Ezeonu Amarachi
- Sr. Ezewuzie Obioma
- Sr. Ejiemenu Oluchi
- Sr. Fatoyinbo Veronica
- Sr. Ibekwe Apollonia
- Sr. Igbafe Evelyn
- Sr. Igbozulike Prisca
- Sr. Ignatius Rosita
- Sr. Igwe Theresa
- Sr. Iribhogbe Perpetua
- Sr. Uwakwe Ijeoma
- Sr. Igwudu Ngozi
- Sr. Madueke Eucharia
- Sr. Inusa Rachel
- Sr. Mokidi Julie
- Sr. Ndianefo Rose
- Sr. Nwaoha Esther
- Sr. Nwasunja Chidinma
- Sr. Nwodo Celestina
- Sr. Nwamara Kelechi
- Sr. Obiefule Rita
- Sr. Ogbeide Obehi
- Sr. Ogugua Chinwendu
- Sr. Okafor Gloria
- Sr. Ogbodo Felicia
- Sr. Okechukwu Chizoba
- Sr. Okeke Maureen
- Sr. Ohaeri Chinonyerem
- Sr. Okoebor Isi
- Sr. Okoligan Bernadette
- Sr. Okonroma Esther
- Sr. Okonofua Perpetua
- Sr. Okoye Eucharia
- Sr. Okoye Ijeoma
- Sr. Uwakwe Anthonia
- Sr. Okpala Ifeoma
- Sr. Oledinma Florence
- Sr. Onwumar Scholastica
- Sr. Onyekonwu Uche
- Sr. Onyenagubo Cordelia
- Sr. Oparah Jacinta
- Sr. Osigbo Jacinta
- Sr. Osueke Eugenia
- Sr. Onyebuchi Augustina
- Sr. Otono Charity
- Sr. Oviasogie Clare
- Sr. Sidi Christiana
- Sr. Sule Christiana
- Sr. Sullivan Annette
- Sr. Ubah Ifeoma
- Sr. Onah Nkechukwu
- Sr. Ugwu Martha
- Sr. Ugwuoke MaryPrecious
- Sr. Umeasiegbu Chidiebere
- Sr. Umeh Maria
- Sr. Umeh Monica
Sisters In Perpetual Vows
- Agbo Uche
- Amodu MaryAnn
- Aneke, Juliana
- Anyanwu Magella
- Oramah Lilian
- Tor Josephine
- Asogwa Chika
- Bako Saratu
- Egbhetse Patience
- Falola Theresa
- Osigwe Rita
- Ijeoma JaneFrances
- Nnadi Modesta
- Nnadi Virginia
- Nnamani Angela
- Pabor Nanadeinotuemi
- Ocheme Esther
- Ochi Chukwunelo
- Ojilimmobe Jacinta
- Okonkwo-Chukwu Chidera
- Paschal Veronica
Necrology
Sr. Catherine Amune 1999
Sr. Marie Julie Beveridge 1999
Sr. Josephine Etaifo 2000
Sr. Margaret Biekett 2001
Sr. Frances Ugbeni 2013