Alodie "Élodie" PARADIS (1840-1912)

Alodie Virginie PARADIS

was born 1840-05-12 in L’Acadie, which was then part of the Montréal diocese. It later became part of Saint-Jean County, QC. The 3^rd child of 6 of Joseph PARADIS & Émilie GRÉGOIRE, in the family she was called Élodie.
In 1846, she was sent to the Boarding School of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame in LaPrairie, Qc.
In February 1854, she became a postulant in the convent of the Marianite Sisters in Saint-Laurent, a suburb of the city of Montréal, on the island of Montréal, QC. In 1857-08-22, she pronounced her first vows and took the name of Sister Léonie.
Up till 1862, she taught in the Montréal area. She was then sent to St-Vincent-de-Paul Orphanage in New York. In 1870, She transferred to the American branch of the community of the Sisters of Holy Cross in INDIANA where she taught French & embroidery to the students of St. Marie Academy. Twelve years in the U.S. permitted her to learn the English language. In 1874, she was sent to Memramcook, NB as directrice of a group of young female domestics working at St. Joseph College. At this point, many young girls joined Sr. Léonie in her work; therefore, in 1880, during the General Chapter of the Father of the Holy Cross, who were in charge of the College, dubbed the group of young women domestics as the "Petites Soeurs de la Sainte-Famille." These women took private vows & performed domestic duties in the Colleges run by the Fathers of the Holy Cross. The small community did not have Canonical approval at that time. Then, Msgr. Paul LAROCQUE, bishop of Sherbrooke, QC, asked Sr. Léonie & the “Little Sisters” to staff the seminary and the bishop's house. It was at this point that Sr. Léonie transferred the Mother House and Novitiate from New Brunswick to Sherbrooke. In 1896, the Petites Soeurs de la Sainte-Famille received diocesan approval. Sr. Léonie was still a member of the community of the Sisters of the Holy Cross; but, in 1905, Pope Pius X relieved her of her obligations to that community and allowed her to wear the habit of the community which she had founded in NB, the Petites Soeurs de la Sainte-Famille. At the time of Mother Léonie's death (1912-05-03) in Sherbrooke, QC, there were 600 sisters, who worked in 38 houses.

PARADIS
(1)
Jacques PARADIS
Marguerite PESLÉ/PELLÉ
Chartres, Perche (Orne), FRANCE
(2)
Pierre PARADIS
Barbe GUYON
Marriage contract
1632-02-11
before Notary Mathurin ROUSSEL
Chartres, Perche (Orne), FRANCE
(3)
Pierre PARADIS
Jeanne MILLOIR
Marriage contract
1674-08-23
before Notary VaCHON
Beauport, QC
(4)
Joseph PARADIS
Geneviève CAUCHON
1712-04-05
Château-Richer, Montmorency County, QC
(5)
Pierre PARADIS
Ursule CANTIN
1744-09-28
St-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Montmorency County, QC
(6)
Jean-Baptiste PARADIS
Marueguerite GUÉRIN
1781-08-20
LaPrairie, Laprairie County, QC
(7)
Jean-Baptiste PARADIS
Isabelle ROY
1804-11-26
L'Acadie, St-Jean County, QC
(8)
Joseph PARADIS
Émilie GRÉGOIRE
1837-10-03
L'Acadie, St-Jean County, QC

For more information about
Alodie Virginie PARADIS
AKA
Mother Léonie PARADIS,
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