Saint Leonie Aviat 1844-1914

By Pgannon

  • Born

    Leonie was born September 16, 1844, in Sezanne, France.

  • Takes vows to God

    Five years later on October 11, 1871, she professed first vows in the new congregation she co-founded with Father Brisson called the Oblate Sisters of Saint Francis de Sales.

  • Death

    She died on January 10, 1914, six years after the death of Father Brisson.

  • Feast day

    Saint Leonie Aviat was canonized in 2001 and is the most recently canonized member of the Salesian family. Her feast day is on January 10th.

  • Schools

    As the congregation grew, they opened more boarding schools. These schools became places where young women working in factories learned the optimistic yet practical spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales.

  • School her oblate sisters created

    Today her Oblate Sisters operate the following schools: Mount Aviat Academy in Childs Maryland, Saint Bernadette School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania and Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Some Salesianum students attended Mount Aviat Academy in Maryland.