Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche

The Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche (French: Sœurs de la Sainte-Famille de Villefranche; Latin: Congregatio Sororum a Sacra Familia; abbreviation: S.F.), also called the Sisters of Villefranche, is a religious institute of pontifical right whose members profess public vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and follow the evangelical way of life in common. The congregation was founded in 1815 by Émilie de Rodat in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in southern France. Rodat established several schools and provided free education for girls, eventually expanding to other types of ministries, including visiting prisoners, caring for the ill and establishing hospitals, founding rescue homes for prostitutes, and establishing cloistered communities. By the time Rodat died in 1852, there were 38 houses, 25 cloistered communities, and 32 schools with over 5,000 students sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche in several countries. As of 1999, there were 520 Sisters of the Holy Family of Villefranche worldwide. In 2016, the congregation celebrated the bicentennial anniversary of its founding.

The Sisters of Villefranche are currently involved in evangelization, religious education, the education of children, working with young people and adults, nursing and the care of the elderly, working with "the poor and underprivileged",^[1] social work, spiritual direction and counseling, chaplaincy work in schools, hospitals, and prisons, parish ministry, and projects "for the advancement of women".^[1] They elect a General Council every five years, consisting of five nuns representing eight geographic areas. In 1993, they opened their ministries to the laity, forming groups in England, Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Spain, France, and Lebanon.