Faithful Companions of Jesus
Encyclopedia
The Faithful Companions of Jesus Sisters (FCJ Sisters) was founded in Amiens
in France
in 1820 by Marie Madeleine de Bonnault d'Hoüet
. They are a Christian religious order
of the Roman Catholic Church
in direct service to the Pope
.
, Asia
, Australia
and Europe
.
was soon at capacity, so land was purchased in Kew
. They built a new convent
and boarding school
which marked the establishment of Genazzano FCJ College
. In 1900 the Sisters set up a school in Benalla called FCJ College
and in 1968 founded Stella Maris Convent and boarding school in Frankston, Victoria
. The Stella Maris Convent and Vaucluse College FCJ
have since closed.
Today, FCJ communities exist around the country.
In 2002 the Sisters joined with those in Indonesia
and the Philippines
to form a new province—the Province of Asia-Australia. New foundations are to be established elsewhere in South East Asia.
and sister, before voluntarily leaving at the age of 30. Vaucluse College FCJ
, Genazzano FCJ College
and Benalla are all mentioned in the book. This period coincided with Vatican II, which resulted in a number of strict rules being relaxed.
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1820 by Marie Madeleine de Bonnault d'Hoüet
Madeleine d'Houet
Venerable Madeleine d'Houet, , inspired by zeal for God and Ignatian spirituality founded the religious order of Sisters known as Faithful Companions of Jesus....
. They are a Christian religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in direct service to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
Service
The FCJ sisters are an international order that can be found in the AmericasAmericas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
In Australia
The FCJ sisters first arrived in Australia in 1882 and soon founded a school in Richmond, an inner suburb in Melbourne. Vaucluse College FCJVaucluse College FCJ
Vaucluse College FCJ was founded in 1882 by the Faithful Companions of Jesus. The school was originally known as Mount St Joseph College and later was changed to Vaucluse College FCJ. The main buildings of the college including the convent were designed by the architect GW Vanheems and constructed...
was soon at capacity, so land was purchased in Kew
Kew, New South Wales
Kew, New South Wales is a small town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council local government area. Kew is one of the communities that make up the Camden Haven district of Port Macquarie-Hastings....
. They built a new convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
which marked the establishment of Genazzano FCJ College
Genazzano FCJ College
Genazzano FCJ College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school for girls, located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
. In 1900 the Sisters set up a school in Benalla called FCJ College
FCJ College Benalla
FCJ College Benalla is a Catholic college based in Benalla, Victoria, Australia. It caters for Year 7 to VCE. It services nearly 500 students.-Sport:The school has been a member of the Catholic All Schools Sports Association since 1999.-New buildings:...
and in 1968 founded Stella Maris Convent and boarding school in Frankston, Victoria
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
. The Stella Maris Convent and Vaucluse College FCJ
Vaucluse College FCJ
Vaucluse College FCJ was founded in 1882 by the Faithful Companions of Jesus. The school was originally known as Mount St Joseph College and later was changed to Vaucluse College FCJ. The main buildings of the college including the convent were designed by the architect GW Vanheems and constructed...
have since closed.
Today, FCJ communities exist around the country.
In 2002 the Sisters joined with those in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
to form a new province—the Province of Asia-Australia. New foundations are to be established elsewhere in South East Asia.
In literature
An interesting perspective on the FCJ sisters is given in God's Callgirl, the autobiography of Carla van Raay (Australia, 2004) in which the author describes joining the order at the age of 18 in 1956, and her subsequent 12 years as a noviceNovice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
and sister, before voluntarily leaving at the age of 30. Vaucluse College FCJ
Vaucluse College FCJ
Vaucluse College FCJ was founded in 1882 by the Faithful Companions of Jesus. The school was originally known as Mount St Joseph College and later was changed to Vaucluse College FCJ. The main buildings of the college including the convent were designed by the architect GW Vanheems and constructed...
, Genazzano FCJ College
Genazzano FCJ College
Genazzano FCJ College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school for girls, located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
and Benalla are all mentioned in the book. This period coincided with Vatican II, which resulted in a number of strict rules being relaxed.