The Diocese of Winona-Rochester on Friday will celebrate the feast day of St. Julie Billiart, patron saint against poverty and disease who was so dedicated to teaching Catechism that she continued that after being bedridden with illness.

“From an early age she was interested in religion and in helping the poor and sick,” the diocese posted on its Facebook page. “When she was a teen, her family lost much of their money, and she spent the majority of her time helping on the farm. But, during the spare time she did have, she taught Catechism to young people and others laboring on the farm.”

St. Julie Billiart was born in France in 1751, according to Catholic Online. She was drawn from the start to both faith and education, playing "school" as a child before beginning to actually work as a teacher at the age of 16. 

When she was around the age of 30, Julie witnessed someone attempting to murder her father. This event sent her body into shock, and she became completely paralyzed, according to Franciscan Media. 

“Even so, Julie continued to teach Catechism from her bed, gave spiritual advice, and attracted many visitors who were curious about the faith,” the diocese posting said. 

When the French Revolution started in 1789, Julie was smuggled out of the city since she might have been targeted for harboring fugitive priests. Several years later, Julie met an aristocrat named Françoise Blin de Bourdon, and the women went on to found the Institute of Notre Dame. The year after the Institute opened its doors, the first Sisters of Notre Dame took their vows. Around the same time, Julie miraculously recovered from her illness, and she was able to walk for the first time in more than 20 years, Franciscan Media reports.

Pope Paul VI canonized Saint Julie Billiart in 1969, according to the Miraculous Medal Shrine.