Woven Together in God’s Goodness: 175 Years in California
July 7, 2026
“Have a heart as wide as the world.”
—St. Julie Billiart
top left: From the beginning, students of many backgrounds were welcomed into the Notre Dame community. top right: An image of the Indefatigable center: Notre Dame College, San José, founded in 1851, became a cornerstone for women’s education in California.
The story of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur of Notre Dame de Namur in California unfolds like a tapestry — each thread a story of courage, faith and unwavering trust in God’s goodness.
The weaving began in revolution-torn France, where Julie Billiart and Françoise Blin de Bourdon imagined something radical: that the education of girls could transform the world. In 1804, amid uncertainty and hardship, they founded the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, trusting that God’s goodness would carry their mission farther than they could see.
Julie’s vision was both simple and bold: “God let me know that we will carry the light of the gospels to all nations. We are not to be limited to one diocese or country.” She told her Sisters, “Have a heart as wide as the world.” Though she never traveled to California, the threads she established would stretch across oceans and generations.
Also see: 175 Years in California
Newly built Notre Dame school on Dolores Street in San Francisco was dynamited during the 1906 earthquake to stop the spreading fires.
New Threads on the Frontier
In 1843, six Sisters left Belgium aboard the Indefatigable, beginning a long and difficult journey to Astoria, Oregon. There, they opened schools and orphanages, weaving the first threads of the mission into the Pacific frontier.
Historic events soon pulled those threads south. The Oregon mission’s needs decreased after the 1848 discovery of gold in California uprooted families and then typhoid further devastated the region. In 1851, Sisters arrived in San José at the invitation of Archbishop Joseph Alemany, agreeing to begin again in unfamiliar territory.
With little more than faith and determination, they gathered support and built a school from salvaged materials—a home, a classroom and a kitchen fashioned from what was available. On Aug. 4, 1851, Notre Dame College opened its doors.
From the beginning, the Sisters wove inclusion into their mission. Girls of many backgrounds — Mexican, Irish, French Canadian and Native American — were welcomed at a time when such openness was rare. The Sisters lived simply, learning new languages, adapting to new cultures and expanding opportunities for young women.
Each student became a vital thread in a growing fabric of education and belonging. No one was turned away.
Newly built Notre Dame school on Dolores Street in San Francisco was dynamited during the 1906 earthquake to stop the spreading fires.
Strengthened Through Challenge and Change
As the work expanded, the tapestry grew stronger. In 1868, the school became the College of Notre Dame, the first college for women in California. Additional threads were added as Sisters from Guatemala joined the mission, bringing cultural and linguistic gifts that enriched the community.
By the early 20th century, Notre Dame schools stretched across California. Growth brought challenges. In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake tore through the region, threatening to unravel years of work. In a difficult but necessary decision, the Sisters destroyed part of their own buildings to stop the spread of fire.
In the aftermath, Sister Mary Bernardine sent a message that would echo through the years: “The Sisters, the children, all safe. God is good. Buildings can be rebuilt.”
True to her word, classes resumed in makeshift spaces, and within two years, the schools rose again—the tapestry not broken, but rewoven, stronger than before.
Sisters Susan Olson and Marie Veronica Wagner, SNDdeN at the Pajaro Valley Shelter; Sister Caroline Sanchez, SNDdeN helps women learn computer skills; Sister Judy Flahavan, SNDdeN with students while principal at Nativity School in San José.
Early 20th Century and Vatican II
New patterns continued to emerge. In 1923, the College moved to Belmont, later becoming Notre Dame de Namur University. Ministries expanded across California, including schools, retreat centers and outreach programs that met the needs of a changing world.
In the decades following World War II, the tapestry widened further. But the 1960s brought a deeper transformation. The Second Vatican Council called religious communities to respond anew to the needs of the time.
For the Sisters, this meant weaving their mission into new places, especially among those experiencing poverty and marginalization. The tapestry grew in San Francisco’s Hunter’s Point, where the Sisters lived and worked alongside community members and expanded educational opportunities for children. During the 1980s, they helped establish Pajaro Valley Shelter Services, offering safety and support to women and children, work that continues today.
A Living Tapestry
The mission extended beyond California as well, reaching across the United States and around the world—from Alaska and Hawaii to Africa and Latin America—each new ministry another thread in a global tapestry of care and justice.
Over time, new hands joined the weaving. Lay colleagues, educators, Associates and partners became essential to the mission, carrying forward the spirit of Notre Dame in schools and ministries. The Hallmarks of a Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community continue to guide this shared work, giving voice to a story still unfolding.
Today, the tapestry is vast and vibrant. The Sisters sponsor and serve in ministries across the United States and in 15 countries over five continents. Their mission lives not only in Sisters, but in students, educators and communities shaped by their vision.
One hundred seventy-five years after those first threads were laid in San José, the tapestry continues to strengthen and grow. Each generation adds its own beautiful color and diverse texture through acts of courage, compassion and faith—all woven together in God’s goodness.
