St Emilie de Vialar FOUNDRESS OF THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH OF THE APPARITION

St Emilie founded her Congregation in Gaillac, France on Christmas Day 1832. It was a missionary congregation and the Sisters were to provide free education, relief to the poor, care for the sick and those in need.

With the directions, “Go with what you have and will receive, do all the good you can,” St Emilie sent four sisters to Fremantle on the barque the Lady Amherst in 1855.

The four Sisters were:

• Mother Julie Cabagniol (25)

• Sister Lucie Fieuzet (44)

• Sister Zoe de Chamouin (19)

• Sister Elilie Petit (19)

In July 1855 these Sisters opened their first school in Fremantle followed by another in Albany in 1878. Between 1855 and 1989 the Sisters of St Joseph of the Appa-