Anne-Marie Javouhey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedAnne-Marie Javouhey SJC |
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A holy card of Blessed Anne-Marie
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| Liberator of the Slaves | |
| Born | 10 November 1779 Jallanges, Côte-d'Or, France |
| Died | 15 July 1851 (aged 71) Paris, France |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 15 October 1950 by Pope Pius XII |
| Feast | 15 July |
Anne-Marie Javouhey (born November 10, 1779, died July 15, 1851) was a brave French nun. She started a group of sisters called the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny. People remember her as the Liberator of the Slaves because she helped many enslaved people become free. She also helped build the town of Mana, French Guiana. The Roman Catholic Church honors her as a blessed person.
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Early Life and Dreams
Anne-Marie was born in Chamblanc, France. She was one of ten children in a wealthy farming family. During her teenage years, she helped hide priests. This was during the French Revolution, when priests were in danger.
When she was 19, Anne-Marie made a special promise to God. But she could not become a nun right away. The government had closed down convents and churches.
In 1800, she joined a group called the Daughters of Charity. Around this time, she had a vision. She saw Teresa of Avila giving her children from many different races. At first, she didn't understand what this vision meant.
Anne-Marie didn't stay at the convent. In 1801, she opened a school for poor children. It was a difficult time, and the school didn't do very well.
Starting a New Community
Later, three of Anne-Marie's sisters joined her. Together, they opened a new school and an orphanage. Their father helped them with money.
In 1805, Anne-Marie officially started the Sisters of St. Joseph. Her goal was to educate children. She also wanted to help people suffering after the French Revolution.
To get children to come to her school, she even played football with them! She got permission to use an old building. There, she taught young girls and trained them for jobs.
In 1810, the building became a prison for Spanish soldiers. The sisters bravely helped care for the sick in the prison hospital. Anne-Marie herself got very ill but recovered.
In 1812, Anne-Marie bought a new building for her sisters. This became their main home until 1849. She also opened workshops and a home for women whose husbands had died in the war.
Missions Around the World
Anne-Marie's work soon spread beyond France. In 1817, she was asked to open a school on Île Bourbon (now Réunion Island). This island is in the Indian Ocean.
In 1819, her sisters started missions in Saint-Louis, Senegal and Gorée, Senegal. They worked to make hospitals better there. She tried to create a Christian village for African people, but an illness spread, and it didn't work out.
By 1822, the sisters were also in Guyana and Guadeloupe.
The British government asked her to go to Gambia. There, she helped about 400 enslaved people who had been taken from ships. She worked very hard to help people during an illness.
She then went to Sierra Leone. Again, she focused on caring for the sick. After three months, she got very sick with yellow fever. She recovered but was too weak to stay. She had to return to France.
Back in France, Anne-Marie sent her sister Rosalie to take charge of the mission on Réunion Island.
Helping in French Guiana
The French government asked Anne-Marie to help start a new colony. This was in the South American country of French Guiana. She got full approval for her plans.
Anne-Marie traveled with 36 nuns and 50 other people. They tried to build a settlement called New Angoulême. After five years, it wasn't successful, and she returned to France.
In 1828, she went back to French Guiana. The French government asked her to help prepare enslaved African people for freedom. The settlement she helped build was called Mana. It became very successful.
Some people living nearby became jealous. There was even a plan to harm her. But the person who was supposed to do it couldn't bring himself to hurt her.
When the enslaved people in Mana were finally freed, it happened peacefully. There were no problems, unlike in other places. By 1841, 400 enslaved people had gained their freedom thanks to her efforts.
Later Years and Legacy
Anne-Marie returned to France in 1843. She faced some challenges, including opposition from some church leaders.
During the French Revolution of 1848, Anne-Marie organized her sisters. They formed a kind of ambulance team to care for wounded people.
She and her order continued to open new mission houses. They started places all over the world. This included India, Tahiti, Madagascar, and more than 30 new places in France.
She passed away in Paris in 1851. The process to declare her a saint began in 1908. She was declared "Blessed" on October 15, 1950.
Today, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny are still active. There are nearly 3,000 sisters serving in over 60 countries. These include the United States, Canada, India, and Ireland.
