We celebrate with joy and gratitude the birthday of our Founder (1793 - 1861)
October is a month of great joy because we celebrate the birth day of our dear Founder, Pierre Bienvenu Noailles, and it is an appropriate time to recall with gratitude the important events of his life: He was born in Bordeaux on 27 October 1793, at the height of the French Revolution. As a young man, he was
optimistic, enthusiastic, and passionate; he was also a dreamer. Having tried various occupations, he entered the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in 1816 and was ordained a priest three years later on 5 June 1819.
In 1820 he founded the Association of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, whose members, lay or religious, are called to imitate the virtues of the Holy Family of Nazareth in all their activities. The Association spread and Father Noailles founded various branches in response to different needs. At his death in 1861, he left a large and structured Association. Today, the Holy Family is established in Europe, Africa, Asia and America, and counts among its members: Associates - lay and priests, as well as consecrated secular, contemplative and apostolic women; we affectionately call it ‘the PBN Family’.
Thus the “Good Father’s dream” was fulfilled: ‘He saw the Association as a gigantic tree, with flowers and fruits of all seasons, birds of all colours and countries, each with its particular song, but with one voice proclaiming ‘Glory to GOD ALONE in Jesus Christ through Mary and St. Joseph!’, highlighting in this way our openness to INTERCULTURALITY as an integral part of our being Holy Family from its inception; he has left us a legacy and a task to embrace this ‘beautiful diversity as richness’ so that we can live our charism of Communion.
The image of the tree that our Good Father describes to us refers us to another very current theme that touches life itself, ‘Ecological Harmony’ which he so much admired and deeply desired for his beloved Family. It includes learning the art of living in harmony with all created beings. With profound gratitude, we thank God for the gift of his life for our Spiritual Family and for the whole of humanity.
Sister Rubeni Pejerrey Campodónico
Perú