Louis-Joseph Francois

The life and career of Louis-Joseph Francois is recounted. The article describes his many pamphlets against the oath required of the clergy during the French Revolution. These pamphlets were extremely influential and appeared in numerous editions. In September 1792, Francois was a victim of the massacre of priests in Saint-Firmin (better known as the College des Bons-Enfants), in part because of his writings. The massacre is also described

Humanness in a Saint

In order not to lose sight of the man behind the saint, illustrations of Vincent de Paul’s human qualities are provided with his own words. Most highlight his realism. He recognized that people sometimes joined the Congregation from self-interest. He knew who was not suited to be a confrere. Although devoted to the poor, he also set limits on charity where they were warranted. He understood that the Double Family needed to be self-supporting to succeed, and therefore had certain financial requirements of those who wished to join it. Other examples of his pragmatism are offered

The Cause for the Canonization of John Gabriel Perboyre

This article gives the chronology of John Gabriel Perboyre’s cause for canonization. John Gabriel was executed in 1840 and was beatified in 1889. The decree for his canonization came in 1995. The reason for this delay had to do with the miracles attributed to him, two nineteenth-century cures of Daughters of Charity. Two miracles were necessary for canonization until 1983, when only one was needed. There had been some doubt about whether the sisters’ illnesses were organic or whether they had a hysterical cause, in which case a cure would be natural, not miraculous. The cure of Sister Gabrielle Isore was better documented, so the process continued with that basis in 1993. Her diagnosis and the circumstances of the cure are explained in detail

John Gabriel Perboyre

Realistic accounts of John Gabriel Perboyre’s life and martyrdom are lacking, so this article supplies one. It compares information from different sources, including Perboyre’s own letters to his family; some are quoted and the rest are summarized. These offer insight into his personal qualities and relationships. The article covers his youth, his career in the Congregation, the development of his vocation for the China mission, his travels and efforts in China, and his ideas for the direction of the mission there. It also gives details of his betrayal, suffering, and death, correcting widespread misapprehensions in the process

A Fresh Look at Francis Clet

Francis Clet’s biographers often let his martyrdom overshadow or distort his humanity by endowing his life with the heroism seen at the end of it. Thomas Davitt quotes extensively from Clet’s letters to give a factual account of his life, which includes his personal characteristics, his preparations for the China mission, and the problems he faced there. The circumstances of his sentencing and imprisonment are given, along with his own perspective on them. Also included are Clet’s observations of how the practice of religion and the treatment of prisoners in China differ from France

The Cause for the Canonization of John Gabriel Perboyre, C.M.

This article gives the chronology of John Gabriel Perboyre’s cause for canonization. John Gabriel was executed in 1840 and was beatified in 1889. The decree for his canonization came in 1995. The reason for this delay had to do with the miracles attributed to him, two nineteenth-century cures of Daughters of Charity. Two miracles were necessary for canonization until 1983, when only one was needed. There had been some doubt about whether the sisters’ illnesses were organic or whether they had a hysterical cause, in which case a cure would be natural, not miraculous. The cure of Sister Gabrielle Isore was better documented, so the process continued with that basis in 1993. Her diagnosis and the circumstances of the cure are explained in detail

Repetitions of Prayer in Saint Lazare

What we know of Repetitions of Prayer at Saint-Lazare offers insight into daily life there. We also learn more about Vincent de Paul’s leadership of the community and how he dealt with confreres’ faults. His solutions were not always perfect, but they show an aspect of his humanity that is sometimes overshadowed by his sainthood