John Eudes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintJohn Eudes CIM |
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Portrait of Saint John Eudes – 1673.
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| Born | 14 November 1601 Ri, Normandy, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 19 August 1680 (aged 78) Caen, Normandy, Kingdom of France |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 25 April 1909, Saint Peter's Basilica, Kingdom of Italy by Pope Pius X |
| Canonized | 31 May 1925, Saint Peter's Basilica, Kingdom of Italy by Pope Pius XI |
| Feast | 19 August |
| Attributes |
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| Patronage |
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Saint John Eudes (born Jean Eudes; November 14, 1601 – August 19, 1680) was a French Catholic priest. He started two important religious groups: the Order of Our Lady of Charity in 1641 and the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, also called The Eudists, in 1643.
Before starting his own groups, he was part of the Oratory of Jesus. John Eudes was very dedicated to promoting the "Sacred Hearts" of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. He even wrote special prayers and Masses for these devotions.
He traveled all over France, including Paris and Versailles, to preach. People knew him as a great speaker and a good listener in confession. He also wrote many books about the Sacred Hearts, even when some people disagreed with his ideas. John Eudes was made a saint in 1925. Now, some people are asking for him to be named a "Doctor of the Church".
Contents
Life of Saint John Eudes
Early Life and Education
Jean Eudes was born on November 14, 1601, on a farm in Ri, France. His father, Isaac Eudes, was a surgeon. Jean had four sisters and two brothers. One of his brothers, François Eudes de Mézeray, became a famous historian.
When Jean was 11, he received his First Communion. At 14, he made a promise to remain chaste, meaning he would not marry. He studied with the Jesuits in Caen.
In 1623, he decided to join a religious group called the Oratorians. His teachers, Pierre de Bérulle and Charles de Condren, greatly influenced him. They taught him to focus on Jesus Christ in his spiritual life.
Becoming a Priest
John Eudes became a priest on December 20, 1625. He celebrated his first Mass on Christmas Day. Soon after, he became very sick and stayed in bed until 1626.
During serious plagues in 1627 and 1631, he bravely helped sick people in his area. He gave them comfort and made sure the dead were buried properly. To avoid spreading the sickness, he lived in a large barrel in a field.
In 1633, he began traveling to different towns to preach. These trips were called "parish missions." He gave over a hundred missions across France. People like Jean-Jacques Olier called him "the wonder of his age."
John Eudes was known as a powerful preacher and confessor. His missions often lasted for weeks or even months. He preached in big cities like Paris and Versailles. He even preached for Queen Anne of Austria.
He also cared deeply about improving priests. He believed that seminaries, where priests are trained, needed to be better. He started several seminaries, including one in Rennes.
Starting New Religious Groups
John Eudes met Madeleine Lamy, who cared for women who had been in difficult situations. She asked him to help these women. Three nuns from another order helped him for a short time. In 1644, a house was opened in Caen for these women. More women joined them, and in 1651, the local Bishop approved the group. This group became the Order of Our Lady of Charity.
Later, in 1829, another nun named Mary Euphrasia Pelletier started a new group from this order. It was called the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.
With support from important leaders like Cardinal Richelieu, John Eudes left the Oratorians. He wanted to start a new group to train priests and lead parish missions. This group, called the Eudists, began in Caen on March 25, 1643.
John Eudes also started the Society of the Most Admirable Mother. This group was for people who wanted to live a more religious life but not as priests or nuns. Famous members included Jeanne Jugan.
John Eudes was inspired by other spiritual teachers. He deeply believed in the "Sacred Hearts" of Jesus and Mary. He wrote special prayers and a Mass for these devotions. These prayers later spread throughout the Catholic Church. Because of his work, Pope Leo XIII called him the "Author of the Liturgical Worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Holy Heart of Mary."
He dedicated chapels in his seminaries to the Sacred Heart. The feast day for the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God was first celebrated on February 8, 1648. The feast day for the Sacred Heart of Jesus was first celebrated on October 20, 1672. He also wrote many rosaries and prayers for the Sacred Hearts. His book Le Cœur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu was the first book ever written about devotion to the Sacred Hearts.
Death
John Eudes passed away in Caen on August 19, 1680. He had written his last will in 1671 when his health began to decline. His remains were moved two times after his death, the last time in 1884.
John Eudes' Spirituality
John Eudes taught that Jesus Christ should always be the center of our spiritual life. This was the most important part of his teaching on devotion to the Sacred Heart.
Becoming a Saint
The process to make John Eudes a saint began in 1868. In 1874, Pope Pius IX officially started the process and called him a "Servant of God." This is the first step to becoming a saint.
Later, in 1903, Pope Leo XIII said that John Eudes had lived a life of great goodness. He then called him "Venerable," which is the next step.
Pope Pius X approved two miracles that people said happened because of John Eudes' prayers. Because of these miracles, John Eudes was "beatified" (declared "Blessed") on April 25, 1909. This ceremony took place in Saint Peter's Basilica.
After two more miracles were approved, Pope Pius XI made John Eudes a saint on May 31, 1925.
Pope Benedict XVI spoke about John Eudes in 2009. He called him a "tireless apostle of the devotion of the Sacred Hearts." He said John Eudes was a great example for priests. The Pope also praised his strong desire to train priests and spread the love for Christ's Heart and Mary's Heart.
There is a statue of John Eudes in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. It was made by Silvio Silva in 1932 and is on the right side of the main area.
Becoming a Doctor of the Church
A "Doctor of the Church" is a special title given to saints who have made important contributions to Catholic teaching. People first suggested that John Eudes be named a Doctor of the Church around World War II. However, the war and other events delayed this idea.
Both the Eudists and the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd have asked for their founder, Saint John Eudes, to receive this title. Many countries, including France, Mexico, and Colombia, have supported this idea.
In 2016, leaders from the Eudists met with Pope Francis to discuss the possibility. Those working on the process gathered evidence and writings by John Eudes. This information was put into a special document called a Positio. This document was given to the Church in 2017 for them to review.
Works by John Eudes
John Eudes wrote many books. Some of his most important works include:
- La Vie et le Royaume de Jésus (The Life and Kingdom of Jesus – 1637)
- Le contrat de l'homme avec Dieu par le Saint Baptême (Contract of Man with God Through Holy Baptism – 1654)
- Le Bon Confesseur (The Good Confessor – 1666)
- Le Cœur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu (the first book ever written on the devotion to the Sacred Hearts)
See also
In Spanish: Juan Eudes para niños
- Consecration and entrustment to Mary
- Saint John Eudes, patron saint archive
