 |
|
|
  |
||
  |
||
|
St John Eudes (1601 - 1680)
Also in 1641 John Eudes, responding to a challenge to do something practical for homeless women, initiated a refuge in Caen. At first he resisted forming a religious institute and relied on the support of a group of Visitandines. Eventually a new institute was established known as Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge. This congregation was officially approved by Rome in 1666. John Eudes endowed this congregation with solid constitutions and it was the only contemporary religious group to survive the French Revolution. It was to Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge in Tours that Rose Virginie (later St Mary Euphrasia) Pelletier was attracted. Her origins in this congregation provided a solid basis for the development of the new congregation, Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.
John Eudes' life was not without struggles. He was ostracised by his Oratorian brethren when he left them to found the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. At one time the Bishop of Bayeux forbade him to say mass at Caen. One of his worst trial was to fall into disgrace with the king, being unjustly accused of pledging unconditional obedience to the pope, contrary to the king's rights. He was accused of heresy by the Abbe d'Aunay. Throughout these trials he kept profound peace and always forgave his persecutors. John Eudes continued preaching as long as his health permitted. He spoke in the open air to a huge crowd at age 74. His last years were spent writing and he died on 19th August 1680. John Eudes was canonized on 31st May, 1925.
Mercy - one of many prayers composed by St John Eudes
Return to Our Story
|
||
 |
||
      |
||
      |
||
John
Eudes was born on 14th November 1601, of a peasant family
at Ri, near Argentan in Normandy, France. Isaac Eudes, the father, had
some education and had even considered the priesthood. He combined his
skills on the land with the skills of a surgeon. Martha, his mother,
shared her husband's uncompromising faith. John had two brothers, one
of whom was an historian, Francois Eudes of Mezeray. John was taught
Latin by a neighbouring priest and in 1615 he entered the Jesuit College
of Caen. He did very well there at his classical studies which he prolonged
by several years of theology. John however was not attracted so much
to the Jesuits as to a new society of priests, founded in 1611, the
congregation of the Oratory. Overcoming his father's opposition he finally
joined the Oratorians in 1623 and was ordained priest in December, 1625.
In his early years as a priest he worked heroically among plague victims,
first in Argentan and later in Caen. From 1632 onwards, he devoted nearly
all his activity to missions preached by the Oratorians. For 45 years
he gave 2 or 3 missions of 4-8 weeks each year. He was for numerous
people a spiritual master. He founded a society a widows, a type of
secular institute. From 1641 John Eudes focused attention on the formation
of priests, many of whom had little formal preparation for priesthood.
This involvement led to him founding the Congregation of Jesus and Mary
(Eudists) in 1643 whose aim was first the formation of priests, then
any apostolic activity particular to the missions of the country.
John
Eudes had great devotion to the hearts of Jesus and Mary and wrote extensively
on these themes. His complete works, edited in 1905-1911 number twelve
volumes. Pope Pius X proclaimed him "father, doctor and apostle
of the liturgical cult of the Sacred Heart". He belongs to the
French School of spirituality, characterised by its contemplation of
Christ in the mystery of his Incarnation.