The congregation grew and spread
throughout the surrounding country. The vision was being realised, the
Little Design was growing and the seed was taking root By the 1770’s
approximately 150 communities were in existence. This continued until the
outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789. This disaster not only prevented
expansion but the convents were closed and the Sisters dispersed. This time
in our history is dark and costly. Five Sisters were martyred:
Sister Jeanne Marie Aubert, Sr
Marie-Anne Garneir
(20th June 1794).
Sister Ste Croix Vincent, Sr
Madeleine Senovert Sr Toussaint Dumolin
(5th August 1794).
Many other Sisters were imprisoned.
Amongst these was Mother St John Fontbonne who together with her companions
was sentenced to execution in Le Puy on 27th July 1794. They were
saved by the fall of Robespierre. Mother St John regretted being deprived of
martyrdom but this great woman was to be so instrumental in the future life
of the Sisters of St Joseph.
She returned home and after some
years was sent for by Cardinal Fesch who had a great desire to refound the
Sisters of St Joseph. He entrusted a group of Black Daughters to Mother St
John appointing her to form them as Sisters of St Joseph. She guided these
women according to the Constitutions and the spirit of Fr Medaille and on
the 14th of July 1808 the group was officially constituted as a
community of St Joseph. Mother St John stands out in our history as that
woman of courage, zeal and compassion who re-founded the Sisters of St
Joseph for us and to whom we look with such admiration and affection.
As numbers increased, communities
were established and the need for a Motherhouse for this growing
congregation was seen. Lyon became the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St
Joseph.
The expansion which the
congregation had known in its early years in Le Puy soon began to be
repeated all around the centre at Lyon. Vocations flourished and requests
for new houses were coming from near and far.
