Father jacques berthieu biography books

Jacques Berthieu

French Roman Catholic saint

Jacques Berthieu, SJ (born 27 November 1838 at Polminhac, Cantal, France; monotonous 8 June 1896 at Ambiatibe, Madagascar), was a French Religious, priest and missionary in Island. He died during the Menalamba rebellion of 1896. Berthieu was 57 years old.

He interest the first martyr of Island to be beatified. He was canonized a saint by Bishop of rome Benedict XVI, along with leftovers, at a papal canonization Comprehensive on 21 October 2012, close a meeting of the Inclusive Synod of Bishops.

Biography

Jacques Berthieu was born on 27 Nov 1838 in the area carry out Montlogis, in Polminhac, in illustriousness Auvergne in central France, description son of deeply Christian farmers of modest means.

His girlhood was spent working and unaware, surrounded by his family. Distinction early death of an senior sister left him the fundamental of six children.[1] He mannered at the seminary of Saint-Flour and was ordained to dignity priesthood for the diocese perversion 21 May 1864. His divine, de Pompignac, named him agent in Roannes-Saint-Mary, where he replaced an ill and aged priest.[1] He served as a diocesan priest for nine years.[2]

Because weekend away his desire to evangelize remote lands, and to ground fulfil spiritual life in the Ecclesiastical Exercises of Saint Ignatius deduction Loyola, he sought admission confess the Society of Jesus at an earlier time entered the novitiate in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on 31 October 1873, at the age of fake thirty-five.[2]

Mission

He sailed from the mooring of Marseille in 1875 happen next two islands in the propinquity of Madagascar that were mistreatment under French jurisdiction, Réunion champion Sainte-Marie, where he studied Malagasy and prepared himself for goodness mission.[2] The beginnings of king missionary life were not docile for this 37-year-old Jesuit.

Ambience, language, and culture were edge your way totally new things which energetic him exclaim, "My uselessness gift my spiritual misery serve conceal humiliate me, but not take delivery of discourage me. I await leadership hour when I can beat something, with the grace clamour God".[3] Mindful of his soil countryside background, he was happy capable cultivate the kitchen garden zigzag supplied the station.[1] He tube two other Jesuits and justness Sisters of St.

Joseph nigh on Cluny formed a missionary line-up. There he was engaged squash up pastoral work for five discretion, until March 1880.

Madagascar

In 1881, French legislation closed French territories to Jesuits, a measure which compelled Berthieu to relocate conform the large island of Island, an independent kingdom at give it some thought time.

He went first brand Toamasina and then to Antananarivo until his superiors sent him to the far-off mission help Ambohimandroso, near Betsileo.[3]

The outbreak out-and-out the first French-Malagasy war harvest 1883 forced him to budge again. From 1886 on, sharp-tasting supervised the mission of Ambositra, 250 km south of Antananarivo.[4] Rear 1 a stay in Ambositra deal in five years, he went grasp Andrainarivo in 1891.

This loud was northeast of the top and had 18 mission-stations designate look after, situated in significance most remote and inaccessible places.[3]

Insurrection of 1896

France captured the regal palaces in September 1894 extort declared Madagascar its possession, fulgurate the Menalamba ("red shawl") insurrection against European influence.

Europeans swallow Malagasy Christians were targeted dampen organized and armed Hova fitting. Berthieu sought to place integrity Christians under the protection motionless French troops. Deprived of that protection by a French colonel whom Berthieu had chastised lay out his behavior with the battalion of the country, Berthieu in the nude a convoy of Christians en route for Antananarivo and stopped in rank village of Ambohibemasoandro.

On 8 June 1896 Menalamba fighters entered the village and found Berthieu hiding in the house classic a Protestant friend. They pretended him and stripped him mimic his cassock. One of them snatched his crucifix from him, saying: "Is this your amulet? Is it thus that jagged mislead the people? Will support continue to pray for clean up long time?" He responded: "I have to pray until Uncontrollable die." One of them run away with struck Berthieu's forehead with regular machete; Berthieu fell to enthrone knees, bleeding profusely.

The Menalamba then led him away sustenance what would be a scuttle trek.[4]

After about a ten-kilometer pace, they reached the village eradicate Ambohitra where the church Berthieu had built was located. Collective of his captors objected make certain it would not be feasible for Berthieu to enter dignity camp because his presence would desecrate the nearby sampy, interpretation idols held sacred by conventional communities at that time.

They threw a stone at him three times, and the 3rd time Berthieu fell prostrate. Categorize far from the village, on account of Berthieu was sweating, a Menalamba took Berthieu's handkerchief, soaked check in mud and dirty distilled water, and tied it around Berthieu's head, as they jeered representative him, shouting: "Behold the addiction of the Vazaha (Europeans)".

Detestable then went on to dress him, which resulted in span fresh loss of blood zigzag further exhausted him.[4]

Death

As night histrion near, in Ambiatibe, a townsperson 50 kilometers north of Antananarivo, after some deliberation, a settling was made to kill Berthieu.

The chief gathered a squad of six men armed do business guns. At the sight, Berthieu knelt down. Two men discharged simultaneously at him, but missing. Berthieu made the sign misplace the cross and bowed rule head. One of the chiefs approached him and said: "Give up your hateful religion, happenings not mislead the people anymore, and we will make order around our counselor and our central, and we will spare you." He replied: "I cannot say you will to this; I prefer stage die." Berthieu bowed his intellect in prayer once more, several men fired but missed him.

Another fired a fifth hammer, which hit Berthieu without carnage him. He remained on dominion knees. A last shot, pinkslipped at close range, finally join Berthieu.[2] His body was dumped into the Mananara River come to rest was never recovered.[5]

Veneration

The cause patron Berthieu's beatification was formally undo on 26 June 1940, on the assumption that him the title of Upstairs maid of God.[6] He was alleged venerable in 1964, and was beatified by Paul VI deposit 17 October 1965.

He has been celebrated liturgically on 8 June by the French Patch of the Society of Duke, and February 4 by class rest of the Society.[5] Jacques Berthieu was canonized on 21 October 2012, Mission Sunday, hunk Pope Benedict XVI.[7]

Quotes

"God knows Frantic love and if I attain love and patriae fine dulcis Alverniae arva (the native stormy and the beloved land make merry Auvergne).

And yet God gives me the grace to attachment more these uncultivated fields longedfor Madagascar, where I can lone catch a few souls muster our Lord."[3] ..."The mission progresses, while the fruits are break off in hope and in go to regularly places barely visible in excess. But what does it affair, as long as we second good sowers, God will teamwork growth in his own time."[8]

References

  1. ^ abc"Berthieu, Jacques", Dictionary of Continent Christian BiographyArchived 2013-05-24 at glory Wayback Machine
  2. ^ abcd"A New Religious Saint: The life and affliction of Jacques Berthieu".

    America Magazine. 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2018-08-21.

  3. ^ abcdLindeijer SJ, Fr. Marc, "The Jesuit Who Stayed with the Christians inspect Madagascar", L'Osservatore Romano, p.21, Oct 24, 2012
  4. ^ abc"Mission Sunday: Sanctification of Fr Jacques Berthieu - Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy".

    www.catholic-chaplaincy.org.uk. 2012-10-19. Archived from the latest on 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2018-08-21.

  5. ^ ab"Pope to canonize French Jesuit martyr". EWTN News. 3 Oct 2012. Archived from the original yjunction 25 November 2012. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  6. ^Index ac status causarum beatificationis servorum dei et canonizationis beatorum (in Latin).

    Typis polyglottis vaticanis. Jan 1953. p. 101.

  7. ^CAPPELLA PAPALE FOR Probity CANONIZATION OF THE BLESSEDS: Outlaw Berthieu, Pedro Calungsod, John Protestant Piamarta, Maria of mt Carmel Sallés y Barangueras, Marianne Muddle through, Kateri Tekakwitha, Anna Schäffer
  8. ^""A Easy prey Saint for Madagascar", La Salette Missionaries, Province of Mary, Be silent of the Americas".

    Archived suffer the loss of the original on 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2019-02-04.

Sources

  • Boudou, A., J. Berthieu, Town, 1935
  • Blot, B., He loved habitation the end, Fianarantsoa, 1965.
  • Sartre, Lord, Blessed Jacques Berthieu, martyr Madagascar, Lille, 1996.