The Réligieuses de Jésus Marie are governed by an administrative entity composed of a superior and councilors elected every 6 years.
The congregation of the Réligieuses de Jésus-Marie was founded in Lyon, France in 1818 by Saint Claudine Thévenet. Saint Claudine Thévenet devoted her life to pursuing the love of God and education young people, particularly the most unfortunate. In 1855, the congregation arrived in Canada as missionaries and established several schools in Quebec. The Réligieuses de Jésus-Marie expanded into the eastern United States in addition to some missions in the Maritimes and Western Canada but remained most prominent in Québec.
The Sisters were involved in assisting in the administration and management of schools in the Residential School System. The Sisters assisted the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the administration of Cross Lake Residential School beginning in 1948. The Sisters also managed the Notre Dame Hostel. The federal government assumed control of the residential school in 1969, but the Sisters remained at the Catholic Mission of Norway House until 1992.
During the 1990s, the public became more aware of the impacts of residential schools. This led to an increase in litigation against the Government of Canada, which culminated in the creation of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) in 2006. IRSSA outlined the process by which residential school litigation was carried out in addition to creating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). As part of their obligations under IRSSA, the Sisters have provided copies of all documentation relating to the Residential School System and the Church’s involvement.
[1800-01-01 - 2015-12-31]