Early Life and Formation
- Birth and Family: John Eudes was born on November 14, 1601, in the small village of Ri, Normandy, France. His parents, Isaac and Martha Eudes, were devout Catholics, instilling in him a strong faith and a deep love for God from an early age.
- Early Education: Eudes was educated by the Jesuits in Caen, where he excelled in his studies and demonstrated a profound spiritual maturity. He was drawn to the religious life, feeling a strong call to serve God through the priesthood.
- Joining the Oratory: In 1623, at the age of 22, Eudes joined the Congregation of the Oratory of France, founded by Cardinal Pierre de BΓ©rulle. The Oratory was dedicated to the reform of the clergy and the spiritual renewal of the Church, aligning perfectly with Eudes' own aspirations.
Priestly Ministry and Missionary Work
- Ordination and Early Ministry: John Eudes was ordained a priest in 1625. He soon became known for his passionate preaching and missionary zeal. Eudes devoted himself to missions, traveling across France to preach retreats and missions aimed at reviving the faith of the people.
- Care for the Sick: During the plague outbreaks in Normandy in 1627 and 1631, Eudes showed extraordinary courage and compassion by ministering to the sick. He lived in a large cask in the fields to avoid infecting others and tirelessly provided spiritual and physical care to the afflicted.
Founding of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (Eudists)
- Vision for Priesthood Formation: Eudes was deeply concerned about the state of the clergy in France, which he saw as in need of reform and renewal. To address this, he founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudists) in 1643. The Eudists focused on the formation of priests and the preaching of missions, aiming to cultivate a devout and well-educated clergy capable of leading the faithful with integrity and spiritual depth.
- Expansion of the Eudists: The Eudists quickly grew, establishing seminaries and schools across France. The order became instrumental in the education and spiritual formation of priests, leaving a lasting impact on the French Church.
Devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- Pioneer of Devotion: Saint John Eudes is often credited as the founder of the modern devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He was one of the first to promote this devotion, seeing the Sacred Hearts as the perfect expression of God's love and mercy.
- Liturgical Contributions: Eudes composed the first liturgical office and Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His writings emphasized the importance of devotion to the Sacred Hearts as a means of fostering a deeper relationship with God, inspiring believers to live lives of holiness and love.
- Promotion of Marian Devotion: In addition to his work on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Eudes was a strong advocate for devotion to the Heart of Mary. He viewed Mary as the model of Christian love and purity, encouraging the faithful to imitate her virtues and seek her intercession.
Founding the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge
- Care for Women in Need: In 1641, before founding the Eudists, Eudes established the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge. This religious community was dedicated to helping women and girls in difficult circumstances, particularly those who had fallen into prostitution or were victims of abuse.
- Legacy of Charity: The Order of Our Lady of Charity provided a safe haven for these women, offering them spiritual guidance, education, and the opportunity to start anew. The order's mission of compassion and care for the marginalized continues to this day.
Legacy and Canonization
- Spiritual Impact: Saint John Eudes' life and work left a profound mark on the Church, particularly in the areas of priestly formation and devotion to the Sacred Hearts. His writings, missions, and the religious communities he founded have continued to inspire generations of Catholics.
- Canonization: John Eudes was canonized on May 31, 1925, by Pope Pius XI. His feast day is celebrated on August 19, the anniversary of his death. He is remembered as a tireless servant of God, a pioneer of devotion to the Sacred Hearts, and a compassionate advocate for the poor and marginalized.
Saint John Eudes' life was marked by a deep love for God and a tireless commitment to the spiritual renewal of the Church. Through his founding of the Eudists, his promotion of the Sacred Hearts devotion, and his care for those in need, Eudes left an enduring legacy that continues to influence and inspire the Catholic Church today. His life serves as a powerful example of faith in action, dedicated to bringing the love and mercy of God to all.
While Saint John Eudes is most renowned for his spiritual contributions, particularly his devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, there are also accounts of miracles associated with his life and intercession. These miracles played a role in his canonization process, reflecting the Church's recognition of his sanctity.
Miracles During His Lifetime
Healing of the Sick: Saint John Eudes was known for his deep compassion and care for the sick, especially during the plague outbreaks in Normandy. While ministering to the sick, there were reports of miraculous healings attributed to his prayers. People believed that his intercession brought about these cures, which further strengthened his reputation as a holy man.
Protection from Plague: During the 1631 plague in Normandy, Eudes dedicated himself to caring for the victims, living in isolation to prevent spreading the disease. It is said that through his prayers and the special blessings he imparted, several individuals were miraculously spared from the plague, which was seen as a sign of divine favor.
Miracles After His Death
Healing of Sister Marie-Thérèse of the Child Jesus: One of the miracles that led to John Eudes' beatification was the healing of Sister Marie-Thérèse of the Child Jesus, a nun who was gravely ill. In 1897, the nun was suffering from an incurable illness and was bedridden. After invoking the intercession of John Eudes and applying a relic of the saint, she experienced a sudden and complete recovery, which was deemed inexplicable by medical science.
Healing of Father Pierre HΓ©bert: Another miracle occurred in 1908 involving Father Pierre HΓ©bert, a member of the Eudist congregation. He had been suffering from a severe intestinal ailment that doctors had deemed incurable. After praying to John Eudes and using a relic, Father HΓ©bert was miraculously healed. This healing was also investigated and confirmed by the Church as part of the canonization process.
Canonization Miracles
- Official Recognition by the Church: The miracles mentioned above, particularly the healing of Sister Marie-Thérèse and Father Pierre Hébert, were thoroughly investigated by Church authorities. These miracles, deemed scientifically inexplicable, were significant in the cause for John Eudes' canonization. The Church recognized them as divine confirmation of his sanctity and intercessory power.
Saint John Eudes was canonized on May 31, 1925, by Pope Pius XI, largely due to these miraculous healings, which were seen as signs of his continued intercession from heaven. These miracles highlight not only his holiness but also the enduring power of his prayers, offering comfort and healing to those who seek his intercession.
A Lenten Prayer of St. John Eudes
“O Lord, You have created me for Yourself, to love You and to enjoy You, infinite Good, ineffable Beauty; do not permit me to lose sight of this sublime end toward which I must tend; do not permit me to wander among the wretched satisfactions that vain, feeble creatures can offer me.
Marian Prayer of St. John Eudes
O Blessed Virgin,
Mother of my God and Saviour,
I honour and revere you
in the first moment of your life.
I honour and revere
the dispositions of your holy soul,
an all that took place in you at that time.
You began immediately,
O holy Virgin,
to love and glorify God most perfectly,
and from that first moment
to the last of your life,
you did ever love and glorify him more and more.
As for me, in spite of all the years
I have been in this world,
I have not yet begun to love
and serve him as I should.
O Mother of mercy,
beg your divine Son to have mercy on me.
Atone for my failings,
offering Him on my behalf
all the love and glory you ever gave Him,
to satisfy for my neglect
in loving and glorifying Him.
Grant that I may share
in your surpassing love for him,
and in the fidelity of that great eternal love.
Pray for me,
that He may give me the grace to begin,
at least now,
to love Him perfectly,
and that all that shall take place
during this year,
and all my life,
may be consecrated to His glory and your honour.
O angels, and saints of Jesus Christ,
pray for me,
that our loving Saviour may give me new grace
and new love for him,
to devote this year and my whole life,
purely and solely to the service of His glory and love.
Prayer to Saint John Eudes
O God, Who, to rightly promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, hast wonderfully inflamed blessed John Thy confessor, and through him hast willed to assemble new families in Thy Church; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may both venerate his pious merits and be edified by the examples of his virtues. Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son Our Lord Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Oh, how good and delightful it is to dwell in the Heart of Jesus!
Thy Heart, O good Jesus, is a precious treasure, a precious pearl
which we have found by digging the field of Thy Body.
Who will cast aside this pearl? Nay, rather I will give all I have,
I will exchange all my thoughts and desires and purchase it.
I will cast all my care on the Heart of the Lord Jesus and He will
provide for me without fail. I will adore in this temple,
this Holy of Holies, this Ark of the Testament, and I will praise the name
of the Lord, saying with David, "I have found my heart that I may pray
to my God. And I have found the heart of my King, my Brother, my Friend,
the benign Jesus, and why shall I not adore?" Assuredly I shall pray.
For His Heart is mine. I will say it boldly, for Christ is my Head,
is not what belongs to my Head mine? Therefore as the eyes of my corporal
head are truly my eyes, so is my spiritual heart my heart.
Therefore, it is well with me: truly I have but one Heart with Jesus
and what wonder that there should be but one heart with the multitude of believers.