Saint John Eudes, Saint of the day for 19 August

(November 14, 1601 - August 19, 1680)

The story of Saint John Eudes
How little do we know where God's grace will take us. Born on a farm in northern France, John died at age 79 in the next "county" or department. At that time, he was a religious, a parish missionary, founder of two religious communities and a great promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

John joined the religious community of the Oratorians and was ordained a priest at the age of 24. During the severe plagues in 1627 and 1631, he volunteered to care for those affected in his diocese. In order not to infect his brothers, during the plague he lived in a huge barrel in the middle of a field.

At the age of 32, John became a parish missionary. His gifts as a preacher and confessor earned him great popularity. He has preached over 100 parish missions, some lasting several weeks to several months.

In his concern for the spiritual betterment of the clergy, John realized that the greatest need was for seminaries. He had permission from his superior general, the bishop and even Cardinal Richelieu to begin this work, but the subsequent superior general disapproved. After prayer and counsel, John decided it was best to leave the religious community.

In the same year John founded a new community, ultimately called the Eudists - the Congregation of Jesus and Mary - dedicated to the formation of the clergy by conducting diocesan seminaries. The new enterprise, although approved by individual bishops, met immediate opposition, especially from the Jansenists and some of his former collaborators. John founded several seminaries in Normandy, but was unable to get approval from Rome, in part, it is said, because he did not use the more discreet approach.

In his parish missionary work, John was troubled by the plight of prostitutes trying to escape their miserable life. Temporary shelters were found, but the accommodations were not satisfactory. A certain Madeleine Lamy, who had taken care of many women, one day said to him: “Where are you going now? In some church, I suppose, where you will look at the pictures and consider yourself pious. And all the time what you really want from you is a decent home for these poor creatures. " The words and laughter of those present touched him deeply. The result was another new religious community, called the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge.

John Eudes is probably best known for the central theme of his writings: Jesus as the source of holiness; Mary as a model of Christian life. His devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart led Pope Pius XI to declare him the father of the liturgical cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Reflection
Holiness is sincere openness to God's love. It is visibly expressed in many ways, but the variety of expressions has a common quality: concern for the needs of others. In John's case, those in need were plague-stricken people, ordinary parishioners, those preparing for the priesthood, prostitutes and all Christians called to imitate the love of Jesus and his mother.