Maria-Eugene of the Child Jesus

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Father Maria-Eugen of the Child Jesus Grialou OCD

Maria-Eugene of the Child Jesus (French Marie-Eugène de l'Enfant-Jésus ) OCD (born December 2, 1894 in Gua near Aubin , France as Henri Grialou ; † March 27, 1967 in Venasque , France) was a Roman Catholic Order priest in the order of the Discalced Carmelites . He was a spiritual writer and founder of the secular institute Notre-Dame de Vie . He was beatified on November 19, 2016. His feast day in the liturgy is February 4th.

Life

Marie-Eugène de l'Enfant Jésus was born on December 2, 1894 as Henri Grialou in the small town of Gua near Aubin in the French department of Aveyron. His parents were Auguste Grialou and Marie Miral, who had four other children. His father Auguste died when Henri was just nine years old.

Under the influence of his family and the Christian School Brothers , he had an early desire to become a priest. At the age of 13 he read the first texts by and about Therese von Lisieux . All his life he was intensely concerned with this Carmelite saint. Since his mother could not afford the money to study, he first had to do a locksmith apprenticeship. But his mother was finally able to finance his studies. On October 2, 1911, Henri was able to enter the Rodez seminary .

During the First World War , young Henri had to go to the front. After the war, however, he was able to return to the seminary in Rodez and complete his studies there. During his studies he read the biography of St. John of the Cross , which impressed him very much. After his ordination on February 4, 1922, Henri entered the novitiate of the Carmelites in Avon near Paris. There he chose the religious name Marie-Eugène de l'Enfant-Jésus when he made his first profession on March 11, 1923 .

The spirituality of Carmel and the love for the Blessed Mother Mary shaped the young religious. After his profession, Father Maria-Eugen stood up for the church and his order. He was soon given important offices, first as prior, provincial and visitor to the female Carmelite monasteries in France and later as vicar general of the order in Rome. He also endeavored to make Carmel spirituality and internal prayer accessible to lay people. Out of this motivation he later wrote the book I want to see God , a standard work on the Carmel spirituality to this day.

Together with Marie Pila and two other women, Father Maria-Eugen founded the secular institute Notre-Dame de Vie (Our Lady of Life) in Venasque in 1932 , which was canonically established in 1948. In 1957, Father Maria-Eugen established a German branch of the institute in Weisendorf near Erlangen. In 1961, Father Maria-Eugen was released from his office in Rome and was allowed to settle in Venasque and continue to devote himself to his institute. In the following years he had to struggle with health problems again and again, but these did not prevent him from accepting the office of provincial in his order again and making various trips to Canada and Asia. On March 27, 1967, Easter Monday, Father Maria-Eugen died of a lung disease in Venasque.

  • Notre-Dame de Vie Institute in Venasque

  • Notre-Dame de Vie institute church

  • Grave of Blessed Fr. Maria-Eugen in the Notre-Dame de Vie church

beatification

The beatification process for Father Maria-Eugene of the Child Jesus was opened in 1985 in the Diocese of Avignon. In December 2011, Pope Benedict XVI awarded him the heroic degree of virtue and the title of Venerable Servant of God . On March 3, 2016, Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing a miracle through the intercession of Father Maria-Eugen. On November 19, 2016, the beatification took place in Avignon by Cardinal Angelo Amato , Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints .

The reliquary with the remains is in the Notre-Dame de Vie church of the Institute in Venasque.

Remembrance day

The liturgical day of remembrance is February 4th, the day of his priestly ordination, as the day of his death falls during Lent.

Works

literature

  • Guy Gucher: P. Maria-Eugen from the Child Jesus - Henri Grialou: Life and Work . Verlag Christliche Innerlichkeit, Linz, 2016.

Web links


personal data
SURNAME Maria-Eugene of the Child Jesus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Grialou, Henri; Grialou, Marie-Eugène de l'Enfant-Jésus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman Catholic religious priest, Blessed
DATE OF BIRTH December 2, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH Aubin (Aveyron)
DATE OF DEATH March 27, 1967
Place of death Venasque