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Beginnings The first seeds of this tree were planted when, as curate in a parish in Bordeaux, Fr Noailles gathered around him a group of young people to whom he gave Religious instruction. They also helped him in his ministry to the poor, sick and deprived of the area. This group of young lay people became the nucleus of the Association he was to found. The 'Rule of Life', which he proposed to the members, already contained, in germ, the spirituality which would inspire his entire project. |
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Three girls from the group expressed the wish to consecrate themselves to God by means of the three vows of Obedience, Chastity and Poverty. So, on May 29 1820, the first community of Apostolic Religious Sisters of the Holy Family Association was born. But Fr Noailles did not simply have the inspiration of a consecrated life for a few individuals. His 'dream' was much wider. What he wanted was a 'family', a comprehensive group, open to all vocations, rather than a simple religious Congregation. |
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| The dream was gradually materialising. In order to respond, as far as possible, to the pressing needs of the day, Fr Noailles established a variety of works. The first house established by the three 'foundresses' was an orphanage for girls. Other forms of the apostolate followed in quick succession - teaching, nursing and various forms of involvement with the poor and needy. The last group to be formed was that of the 'Solitary Sisters' who were devoted to a life of prayer and sacrifice to implore God's blessing on the entire Association and in thanksgiving for the extraordinary Eucharistic blessing. |  Mother Emmanuel Bonnat with 2 orphan girls |
The Holy Family was now an extensive Association open to every vocation within the Church - a tree with multiple branches. It comprised
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At a time when the devastation and chaos which followed the French Revolution left people with little hope, Fr Noailles had the courage to offer a spiritual vision that would allow all the people of the world to live together as sisters and brothers. It was the vision of Jesus as he gathered his disciples at the Last Supper and prayed that "all might be one". It was the vision that inspired the First Christian families to put all they had in common, so that nobody would be in need. Fr Noailles explains his project: |
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| "Jesus came to gather together all people, of all ages, all conditions so as to make of them one single community. The Association is open to all who wish to work together for the glory of God, for their own sanctification and the salvation of their neighbour." |
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While the Holy Family would be at the service of a particular, local church, Fr Noailles did not want his work to be merely local. The Association was to be situated at the heart of the universal Church. At the time of our Founder's death in 1861, the Family or Association was already well established in France, Spain and Belgium. Shortly afterwards, foundations were made outside Europe, beginning with Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1862. It had a membership of about twenty thousand. The concept of an Association where Religious and Lay people would work together was something entirely new. Nevertheless, Fr Noailles persevered in his efforts to make his Association acceptable to both the ecclesiastical and civil society. He was often misunderstood, but such was the courage and genius of Fr Noailles that the obstacles he encountered in achieving his goal were grace-filled opportunities to find an alternative way forward. The vision was timely-inspired but timeless in its implications. Fr Noailles reminded the members of the Holy Family of the constant need to remain relevant:
So, today, it is the same all-inclusive dream of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles, which inspires the members to live their spirituality and charism (For charism click here: www.sfb.pcn.net/charism.htm ) in the context of the needs of the twenty-first century:
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