⛪ Saint of the Day : February 15
⛪ Other Names :
Claudius de la Columbiere
⛪ Born :
2 February 1641 at Saint-Symphorien d'Ozon,
RhΓ΄ne, France
⛪ Died :
15 February 1682 at Paray-le-Monial,
SaΓ΄ne-et-Loire, France of hemoptysis
(coughing up blood)
⛪ Canonized :
31 May 1992 by Pope John Paul II in Rome, Italy
⛪ Patronage :
• Toy makers • Turners
The Jesuit Priest St. Claude de la ColombiΓ¨re was the first to believe in the mystical revelations of the Sacred Heart given to St. Margaret Mary in Paray le Monial Convent, France. Thanks to his support, St. Margaret Mary’s superior also believed, and propagation of the devotion to the Sacred heart was started.
St. Claude not only believed, but dedicated his life to propagate the devotion, always spiritually united to St. Margaret Mary and trusting her discernment.
He was a holy and wise priest who knew how to discern well the authentic divine intervention in St. Margaret Mary’s soul. Even though at this time, many people, theologians and religious thought of her to be mad and despised her.
Glory for Our God :
A contemporary artist of St. Claude’s time painted a picture of him when he was about 35 - 41 years old: his face was long, his eyes were small and brilliant, he had a very penetrating gaze, wide forehead, a well proportioned mouth, and a pointed chin. It is mentioned that when Claude entered the Company of Jesus he was robust, joyful in character, with elevated ideas, prudent and very pleasing. What religious life did was fully develop his natural gifts.
In his natural intelligence he was accustomed to sincere and penetrating judgments. Claude loved the arts and maintained correspondence with Oliverio Patru, member of the French Academy of Arts, who praised very much his writings. All these natural gifts would have been worth little in the work of souls if he had not united them to the interior spirit of a religious thirsting for the glory of God.
The fountain of his interior life was union with God in prayer, fully giving himself. He habitually reached the way of referring everything to God. Human respect and worldly motives did not exist for him. This extraordinary detachment of the world was his principal characteristic.
His birth and life :
St. Claude was born in 1641 in Saint-Symphorien d’Ozon, near Lyon. His family was well-known, pious and had a good social status. We have no special data about his life before entering the Jesuit School of Lyon. Even though religious life was not appealing to him, he managed to conquer this and was immediately admitted to the Company of Jesus.
He did his novitiate in Avignon, and after two years transferred to the school of that city to complete his philosophical studies. Upon finishing his studies he was sent to teach grammar and humanities from 1661-1666. Since 1659, the city of Avignon had experienced terrible conflicts between the nobility and the people. In 1662, the famous encounter between the Pontifical Guards and the group of French Ambassadors took place. Because of this incident Louis XIV sent his troops and occupied Avignon which belonged to Papal territories. This, however, did not interfere with his school work. The Calvinists’ increased presence only lead to more zeal from the Jesuits, who then consecrated themselves even more to their apostolic ministry in the city and the nearby districts.
When peace was established in Avignon the canonization of St. Francis de Sales was celebrated. A great liturgical celebration took place in the oldest convent of the Visitation Order. At this great occasion St. Claude demonstrated for the first time his gifts as a preacher. Although he was not a priest yet, he was one of those elected to preach the eulogy of the Holy Bishop in the convent Church.
The text he chose was: “From strength softness has gushed forth” (Judges 14:14). His sermon was magnificent. In the meantime Claude’s superiors decided to send him to finish his theological studies in Paris, the center of the French intellects. In Paris he was given the task and honor of watching over the education of two children of the famous Colberts. What probably happened was that Colbert discovered the intellectual capability of Claude and chose him for this important task, even though Colbert was not a personal friend of the Jesuits.
The relations between the saint and this distinguished family terminated poorly. A humorous phrase used by Claude in one of his writings was made known to the minister, who felt offended by it and asked the superiors of the Company of Jesus to remove him and send him back to his province. This did not occur until 1670.
Proclamation of the Word of God and Exaltation of the Sacred Heart :
In 1673, the young priest was named preacher of the Avignon School. His sermons, on which he worked intensely, were real models because of the solid doctrine and the beauty of the language. The saint seemed to have preached the same sermons in England. He preached in the chapel of the Duchess of York, Maria de Modena, who became Queen when Jacob II inherited the throne. She is responsible for the publication of these sermons.
During his stay in Paris the saint studied Jansenism with all its half truths and slander. He combated this heresy from the pulpit, animated by the love of the Sacred Heart and the greatest devotion against Jansenism. At the end of 1674, Father La Chaize, rector of the saint received the order from the general of the Company of Jesus to admit him to solemn profession after a month of “Spiritual Exercises.” He consecrated himself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The saint added to the solemn vows of profession the vow of absolute fidelity to the rules of the Company of Jesus down to the smallest details. According to his diary, he had lived for some time this perfect fidelity and wanted to consecrate his conduct under a vow in order to make it more lasting. At 33 years of age, the same age when Christ died, he was inspired with great desire to die completely to this world and to self. He wrote in his diary: “I believe, Lord, it is time for me to live in You, and only for You, at my age You died for me in particular.”
Chosen by and for the Sacred Heart of Jesus :
Two months after his solemn profession in February 1675, Claude was named Superior of the Paray-le-Monial School. It was an exceptional honor to entrust the government of a house to a recently ordained priest; but on the other hand, the small community of Paray consisted of only 4 or 5 priests, an insignificant amount for the great gifts Claude had.
This was all a part of the designs of God so that he may contact a soul needing his help: Margaret Mary Alacoque. This religious was in a troubled period of her life with much suffering due to the extraordinary revelations given by the Sacred Heart of Jesus which became clearer and more intimate every day.
Following the indications of her superior, Mother Saumaise, Margaret Mary had confided her experience to a learned priest who lacked knowledge on mysticism. The priest thought that Margaret Mary was a victim of the devil’s deception. This confused St. Margaret Mary even more.
Moved by Margaret’s prayer, God sent her his faithful servant and perfect friend, Claude de la ColombiΓ¨re.
Father La ColombiΓ¨re one day went to preach to the Visitation community. While he was speaking, Margaret wrote, “I heard in my heart these words: He is the one I sent you.” Since the first time that Margaret went to confession with Father La ColombiΓ¨re, he treated her as if he was aware of all that was occurring. The saint felt a tremendous repugnance to opening her heart and did not do so even though she was convinced God’s will was that she confess with Fr. La ColombiΓ¨re. In the following confession, Father La ColombiΓ¨re told her he was very happy to know that he was the motive behind her self-denial. Margaret Mary said: “Immediately, without hurting me, he discovered the good and the bad in my heart. It consoled me very much and he exhorted me not to be afraid of God’s ways as long as I remain obedient to my superiors, renewing my offering totally to God, so He can treat me as He pleases. Father Claude showed me to appreciate God’s gifts and to receive them with faith and humility.” This was the great service of Father Claude de la ColombiΓ¨re to Margaret Mary. On the other hand, the saint worked tirelessly, promoting the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He saw in this devotion the greatest remedy against Jansenism.
Testimony before persecution :
The saint did not spent much time in Paray. His following occupation was very different. By recommendation of Father La Chaize, who was confessor of Louis XIV, his superiors sent him to London as preacher to Maria Beatriz d’ Este, Duchess of York. The saint preached in England with his example and words. Love of the Sacred Heart was his favorite theme. The process of beatification spoke of his apostolate in England and the numerous Protestants he converted. The position of Catholics in this country was very difficult because of the hostility against them. A movement was formed in court to exclude the Duke of York from the succession to the crown because he converted to Catholicism. He was substituted by the Prince of Orange.
The imprudence of Titus Oates and his followers invented a story about a “conspiracy of the Papists,” in which Father La ColombiΓ¨re was included with the rest of the Catholics. The conspiracy’s object, according to the slanderers, was to assassinate King Charles II and the destruction of the Church of England. Claude was accused of exercising his priestly ministry and of converting many Protestants. He was imprisoned, and by intervention of Louis XIV his life was prevented from martyrdom.
The saint was simply taken into exile in England. The prison had taken an effect on his weak health. Upon his return to France in 1679, the saint was terminally ill, even though at times he recovered a little and exercised his priestly ministry. A kidney disease left him restless. His superiors sent him to Lyon and Paray thinking he would recover his health. During one of his visits to Paray, Margaret Mary told him that he will die in this city.
Father Claude arrived at Paray in April 1681, as recommended by the doctors, to recover his health. During this time there were communications between Father Claude and Sister Margaret Mary, sharing the ardor of their souls and apostolic projects in favor of the Sacred Heart.
Father Claude’s illness worsened. He though of moving somewhere with a different climate, but St. Margaret Mary advised him that he should stay in Paray if it did not cause a disobedience. She sent him this message: “He has told me that He wants the sacrifice of your life here.” Such an affirmation eliminated all plans to travel.
Death and glory :
After giving a marvelous example of humility and patience, Claude de La Colombière gave his soul to God in the afternoon of February 15th, 1682. The following day, St. Margaret Mary received an announcement from heaven that Claude was already in the glory of God and did not need any prayers.
A very devout person wrote the following on Claude de La ColombiΓ¨re: “May your affliction cease. Invoke him. Don’t fear; he has more power now than ever before to help us.”
Father La Colombière was beatified in 1929 and Pope John Paul II declared him a saint in 1992. The Universal Church celebrates his feast day on February 15th.
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Prayers
Act of Confidence in God
Saint Claude de la Colombière
My God, I’m so persuaded that You watch over all who hope in You and nothing can be lacking to those who await from You all things, that I have determined to live from now on without any concern, letting go and giving You all of my anxieties. I will sleep and rest in peace because You, O Lord, and only You, have secured my hope.
Men can deprive me of possessions and reputation; illnesses can take away my strength and means to serve You; I myself can lose Your grace because of sin; but I will not lose my hope; I will conserve it until the last instant of my life and all the efforts from demons trying to take it away from me will be useless. I will sleep and rest in peace.
May others expect happiness in their richness and talents; some may lean on the innocence of their lives, or the rigor of their penitence, or above all on the amount of their good works, or the fervor of their prayers. As for myself Lord, all my confidence is my confidence itself. Because You Lord, only You have secured my hope.
No one has been deceived by this confidence. No one who has waited in the Lord has been frustrated in their confidence.
Therefore, I am sure that I will be eternally happy because I firmly hope to be; and because You, Oh, My God, are in Whom I expect all. In You I hope Lord, and never will I be confused.
I know very well . . . too well that I am fragile and inconstant, I know well the power of temptations against the most firm virtue; I have seen thestars fall from heaven and columns from the firmament; but none of this can frighten me. As long as I maintain firm my hope, I will be conserved from all calamities; and I am sure to hope always, because I hope the same in this unchanging hope.
In conclusion, I am sure that I cannot hope in excess in You and that I will receive all that I would have hoped for in You. Therefore, I know You will sustain me on the most rapid and slippery slopes, that You will strengthen me against the assaults and make my weakness triumph over the most tremendous enemies.
I hope You will always love me and I will love you without interruption; to take once and for all my hope as far as it can reach. I hope in You and only in You! Oh, My Creator! In time and for all eternity. Amen.
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