Claude de la Colombière

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. Claude de la Colombière

Claude de la Colombière (born February 2, 1641 in southern France, † February 15, 1682 in Paray-le-Monial ) was a French Jesuit and is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church .

Life

Claude de la Colombière was born on February 2, 1641 in the south of France and attended the school in Lyon run by the Jesuits . In 1658 he entered the Society of Jesus in Avignon . After the novitiate he stayed in Avignon for another year to complete his philosophy studies, after which he taught at the grammar school there until 1666. He was then sent to Paris to study theology and ordained a priest on April 6, 1669. The following year he returned to Lyon to teach rhetoric for three years . Afterwards he was a preacher in the Jesuit church attached to the college.

After completing his Terziats he became in 1675 the first Superior of the new Jesuit in Paray-le-Monial . In this place there was also a nunnery of the Order of Visitation , in which the holy mystic Margareta Maria Alacoque (French: Marguerite Marie Alacoque) was revealed by God the secrets of his Sacred Heart. She suffered greatly from the fact that her visions were misunderstood in the order, and during this time she received an assurance from God that he would send her "his faithful servant and perfect friend" who would not only understand her but also guide her spiritually. Father La Colombière visited the monastery a few days after his arrival in Paray, in February 1675, and Sr. Alacoque opened her heart to him and told him about her apparitions. He confirmed that these revelations were really from God.

In June 1675, Marguerite Marie Alacoque had an apparition at which God instructed her to see to it that the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was introduced on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi and also to induce Father La Colombière to do everything possible to raise the heart Spreading worship of Jesus . La Colombière stayed in Paray-le-Monial only until 1676, when he was sent to London as a preacher to the Duchess of York . Although England was Anglican, King Charles II had allowed his brother, the Duke of York , who had converted to Catholicism , to set up his own chapel in the palace of St. James, the chaplain of which had to come from outside England. Father La Colombière also inspired the Catholic Duchess to adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and so she was the first member of a royal family that Pope Innocent XII. asked for an official Sacred Heart holiday to be introduced.

But the royal goodwill could not protect the Jesuits from treason: In November 1678, a Frenchman who wanted to earn a reward accused him of a plot against the king and parliament . He was imprisoned and released a month later through the mediation of the French ambassador, but his health was already in poor health.

He returned to Lyon in France and became the spiritual guide of the young Jesuits at the school where he had taught at the time. He continued to preach on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and when his health did not improve, his superiors sent him again to Paray-le-Monial in 1681, where he died on February 15, 1682.

Eight years after him, Marguerite Marie Alacoque, who was later canonized as well, died there: Their common concern of a Sacred Heart Festival gradually became a reality, and in 1856 it was introduced for the entire Latin Church. The image of the flaming heart with a cross and a crown of thorns follows a vision by Marguerite Marie Alacoque.

Claude La Colombière was born in 1929 by Pope Pius XI. Beatified and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992 . His feast day is February 15th.

Works

  • Claude de la Colombière: Réfléction 39: St. John, the friend of Jesus Christ. In: Éscrits Spirituels, introduction et notes par André Ravier , Paris, 2nd edition. 1982, pp. 484-488; translated and quoted in: Andreas Schmidt: Is there friendship? Adamas Verlag, Cologne 2012, ISBN 9783937626192 , pp. 94–98.

Web links


personal data
SURNAME Colombière, Claude de la
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French Catholic clergyman
DATE OF BIRTH February 2, 1641
PLACE OF BIRTH South France
DATE OF DEATH February 15, 1682
Place of death Paray-le-Monial