History of Ribeauville

Mother Bernarda's spiritual home

The spiritual father of the Sisters of Divine Providence is the Priest Jean-Martin Moye (1730 – 1793)

Moye sent the first five women into the villages to teach. They had no special education and no guarantee for financial support. In this way they had to express in the concrete situation their trust in God. Moye called them: "Daughters of Divine Providence".

They lived without a fixed income and were prepared anytime to move to another place. On days when they had no lessons to give, they worked in the fields. They did not form a settled community. They had no convents, no Motherhouse, no enclosure, no religious dress, no rule, no vows.

This movement was actually against the thoughts of enlightenment prevalent at the time. To put one's trust completely into the Will of Divine Providence was something that shocked many farmers, the clergy and people of higher society. But Moye did not give up.

Moye's association grew very fast. After 12 years there were almost 60 sisters of Divine Providence active in 40 schools. In spite of some adaptations their radical life-style had not changed much.

After the French Revolution the two priest brothers Bruno and Ignace Mertian undertook a reform. In 1824 the sisters received the approbation of their rule.

The novices, and so Mother Bernarda, were instructed in the spirit of the Sisters of Divine Providence and learned to know that rule. What she learned here was taught 100 years later still in the noviciate in Menzingen: "faithfulness in small things can be an expression of our love for God and neighbour".

The expression frequently used was: "dedication to the work of Christian Education in the spirit of faith".

Ignace Mertian said in 1843 that the noviciate had two functions: preparation for the religious life and preparation for professional life. The noviciate was a kind of teachers' training college.