France

France – the cradle of our Congregation – is one of the oldest countries in Europe. Washed by the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and by the Mediterranean Sea in the south, the three other sides of the ‘Hexagon’ have borders with Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium.
Euphrasie Barbier was born in Caen in the north of France in 1829, and founded her Congregation of religious missionaries on 25 December 1861, in Lyon on the hill of Fourvière. Up until 1901 all the Sisters who entered the novitiate in France were sent to the overseas missions or to Armentières in the north of France.

In 1901, as a consequence of the government laws for associations which impacted on all religious congregations at that time, all of our Sisters emigrated to Switzerland, Belgium, Canada or England; only in 1924 did some Sisters return to Lyon. In 1933 a Province was established for Europe , and the provincialate and novitiate re-opened in Lyon.

Presently, sisters are involved in teaching catechism in schools, , health ministry which include care of the elderly sisters in the province and also they run a house of prayer and hospitality. There is work with a Vietnamese community and pastoral involvement in different ways. The province is support sisters who come for French studies in preparation of going for mission in Senegal. The sisters also work with associates.

Our province logo highlights the missionary spirit of our province. The flame of zeal enlightens the world, and the links of our Sisters are around the world.

Our schools:

Ecole de Notre Dame des Missions
4 rue du Président kennedy et 96 rue de Paris
94220 Charenton le pont
www.notredamedesmissions.fr

Cours de Notre Dame des Missions
673 Rue Docteur Barrois
83000 Toulon
www.ndm83.net