Saint Emily de Rodat
Saint Emily de Rodat (born September 6, 1787 AD in Druelle, near Rodez, Aveyron, France; died September 19, 1852 AD in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron, France) was a French religious foundress who established the Congregation of the Holy Family of Villefranche to educate poor children. Despite severe health struggles throughout her life, she opened dozens of schools and orphanages in southern France. She was beatified in 1940 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950. Her feast day is September 19.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Emily de Rodat
| Saint Emily de Rodat | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 19 |
| Profession | Religious foundress; educator; servant of the poor |
| Rel. Affiliation | Congregation of the Holy Family of Villefranche (foundress) |
| Patronage | Educators; the poor; orphans; France; Aveyron; those suffering spiritual aridity |
| Attributes | Religious habit; school children; book; cross |
| Birthplace | Druelle, near Rodez, Aveyron, France |
| Death Place | Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died at Villefranche after a life marked by serious illness |
| Primary Shrine | Motherhouse of the Holy Family Congregation, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron — her tomb and primary place of veneration |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Emily de Rodat was born in 1787 in the village of Druelle near Rodez, in the Aveyron département of southern France. She spent her formative years at a boarding school run by religious women in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, where she felt drawn to the religious life. Several attempts to enter established congregations failed due to poor health or uncertainty about her vocation.
In 1815, she opened a small free school for poor children in a room at the convent where she was staying. This unpretentious beginning was the origin of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Villefranche. Several companions joined her, and the congregation grew rapidly. By the time of her death, over 40 houses had been opened — schools, orphanages, and homes for the elderly — across the Aveyron region and beyond.
Throughout her life Emily suffered extraordinary physical ailments: cancers, nervous disorders, and above all, severe spiritual aridity — periods of feeling completely abandoned by God, which she endured with heroic patience. She wrote candidly about these trials, and her spiritual letters reveal a deeply contemplative soul beneath the active foundress.
She died on September 19, 1852, at Villefranche-de-Rouergue. She was beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1940 and canonized by him in 1950.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Druelle, near Rodez, Aveyron, France
Death location: Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron, France
Notable location: The city where she founded her congregation, opened her first free school for the poor, and where she died; the motherhouse of the Holy Family congregation is here (Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron, France)
Notable location: Her birthplace, near Rodez; she grew up in the Aveyron region (Druelle, Aveyron, France)
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Emily de Rodat have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| St. Emily de Rodat (†1852)- September 19th ✠ | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- Motherhouse of the Holy Family Congregation, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron — her tomb.
Feast day
September 19
Veneration
Saint Emily de Rodat is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with an Optional Memorial on September 19.
Prayers
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Intercessory
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