The Reign of Terror over, Mother St John Fontbonne and her Sister were released from prison. They lived their Religious Life quietly at home and carried on their apostolate as far as possible. The Fontbonne sisters were not the only surviving Sisters of St Joseph. By 1815, those Sisters who had remained in Le Puy had regained possession of the original house. 

There were now about 52 communities in Le Puy Diocese. Cardinal Fesch of Lyons asked Mother St John to re-establish the Sisters of St Joseph in Lyon Diocese, where there were already women grouped together, ready and willing to serve the poor.  Mother St John worked with these women to form the Sisters of St Joseph of Lyon.   

From Lyon, the Congregation spread to many other parts of Europe, to America, Canada and eventually to Africa.