Faithful Companions of Jesus in Ireland

Who We Do




		This name is the power behind the way we try to live: Being a companion of Jesus to each other, To the people whom we meet And with whom we work.

Our Society was founded in 1820 by a young French widow, Marie Madeleine D'Houet who was born into a noble French family in 1871. She survived the terrors of the French revolution of 1798, was married, widowed and became a mother (several months after her husband’s tragic death). She founded the FCJ Society in 1820 in Amiens, France and today we live and work in 15 countries of the world and are involved in a range of apostolic activities, working in collaboration with other women and men. Who we are is expressed in how we are companions of Jesus with the people who are part of our lives.

A more detailed account of our beginnings as a Society can be accessed on our International Website by clicking on the logo at the right.

Our name was one of the most important things to Marie Madeleine
and she fought hard to keep it.

Ignatian Spirituality was central and she had to struggle to win acceptance
for the Society to follow the Ignatian Constitutions.

For more information on Ignatian Spirituality click at the right.

Our own Celtic spirituality is imbued with a deep sense of the presence of God. The Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh captures this when he sees God in the “bits and pieces of everyday” and “down in the swamps and marshes”. So, too, Marie Madeleine was drawn to the hope that we might “Find God in all things and be messengers to others of his saving word”. Our spirituality as companions of Jesus is founded on the belief “that Jesus is alive and lives among us”.

FCJs have been synonymous with education.
Originally, in 1843, we were invited, from France,
to come to Ireland to open schools and provide opportunities for learning for young girls.
Today, our concept of education has evolved and is broader.
We are now involved in a diversity of ministries as we seek to respond
to the many urgent needs of Irish people today.

You will find further details of this on our “What We Do” page.

In 1994 the sisters were asked to reflect on ways in which their spirit (charism) of
companionship could be depicted in a visual form. Many ideas were shared and, as a result,
one of our sisters, Helen Roberts fcJ, an artist from Bunclody, Co.Wexford undertook to
translate the fruit of the Society's communal reflection into a painting.

This very beautiful art form is rich in its expression of who we are.

To see this in more detail click

More recently in 2000, drawing on the contemporary reflections of the sisters and on their lived experience, Helen Roberts celebrated the Millennium with another painting illustrating who we are as FCJs in Ireland today.

To see this in more detail and with a commentary click

To mark the Millennium we also commissioned a painting on the life and work of FCJs in Ireland from 1843 to 2000. The artists were Theresa Hegarty, staff member in Laurel Hill Colaiste FCJ, Limerick and Ursula O’ Meara, staff member in Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJ, Limerick.

To see this in more detail click

Both paintings reflect the Celtic influence on our spirituality as Irish FCJs.

While the essence is unchanging, the expression of who we are changes as we continue to discern what being a faithful companion of Jesus means in today's world. To do this we come together every five years at a General Chapter to reflect on the needs of the world we live in and to see how we can respond.

The spirit and inspiration that motivated Marie Madeleine D'Houet to found the Society in 1820 also motivate us today.

Because of our name we have a great desire to share this spirit with others so that its beauty and richness may reach the lives of many more people

Because of our name we are impelled to reach out to all people, particularly to those who are suffering most, with love and faithfulness, with solidarity compassion and companionship.

Because of our name we try to live in reverent responsible relationships with all of creation, respecting peoples of different races cultures and beliefs. We cherish our internationality in unity and diversity. Living in a plurality of cultures we strive to express the sacredness and interconnectedness of our world.

Because of our name we acknowledge the cost of staying faithful to the values of Christ and try to accept the consequences of this in our lives.

Because of our name we try to remain faithful to the Church in its struggles. We encourage all women and men to claim their rightful place as members of the Church of Christ.

Because of our name we stay faithful to the Christian values that inspire and motivate us in this the third Millennium.