Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal

The Congrégation de Notre Dame (CND) is a religious community for women founded in 1658 in Ville Marie (Montreal), in the colony of New France, now part of Canada.

The Congrégation Notre-Dame was a women's religious order created in France by Pierre Fourier and Alix Le Clerc, committed to education.

[3] Following a spiritual experience in 1640 and a long search for a place within the more conventional contemplative, cloistered women's religious communities, Bourgeoys joined the externe Congregation at Troyes.

[4] By 1665, the congregation consisted of Bourgeoys and three other sisters living in Montreal; they taught in a stone building known as the "stable school", established in 1658.

As revealed by its architectural plans, the early convent was a private space, secluded from the public life of Montreal.

The convent was placed deeply within its own terrain, and its separation from public life was protected by the Hôtel Dieu and the walls that surrounded it.

[6] The sisters were provided protection and seclusion whilst surrounded by the colony's merchants and more rowdy inhabitants, such as soldiers and labourers.

In October 1662, Maisonneuve conceded land in Pointe-Saint-Charles to Bourgeoys in order to establish a farm that would feed the congregation and support its work.

[7] In 1668, Bourgeoys purchased the adjoining Maison Saint-Gabriel farm, which the sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame operated for nearly 300 years.

On the property, the sisters produced food and products to support the Congrégation de Notre-Dame, new settlers, and others in need.

[9] The congregation received civil recognition in 1671 from King Louis XIV[4] and was granted official status by the Catholic Church in 1698.

To ensure greater freedom of action for her congregation, Bourgeoys founded an uncloistered community, its members bound by simple vows.

Although the community had received the approbation of François de Laval, Bishop of Quebec, Bourgeoys wanted to have the character of non-enclosure and simple vows embodied in a rule.

[12] The constitution afforded the congregation the right to officially declare vows, necessary to gain legitimacy in the frontier society and grow as an organization.

Founded in 1713, Île Royale comprised French-occupied areas of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Concerned about the ethic and moral teaching of girls, Mézy and other local officials turned to Montreal's Congrégation Notre Dame.

Ile Royale was a poor religious community, low income, debt and budget issues were a consistent problem for the sisters of the Congrégation Notre-Dame well into 1753.

Consistent with the era, instruction in morality and Christian ethics remained more important than education in reading and writing.

[17] The education given to girls under the sisters of Congrégation Notre-Dame in Ile Royale was considered adequate by the standards of the era.

During the latter half of the nineteenth century, missions were established in various parishes of the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and in the United States.

As of 2018, ten sisters of the congregation Notre Dame still ministered in the Waterbury area, in parishes, schools, a prison, and a hospital.