Joseph Gérard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BlessedJoseph Gérard O.M.I. |
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| Born | 12 March 1831 Bouxières-aux-Chênes, Meurthe-et-Moselle, July Monarchy |
| Died | 29 May 1914 (aged 83) Roma, Maseru, Lesotho |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 15 September 1988, Maseru, Lesotho by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | 29 May |
| Attributes | Priest's attire |
| Patronage | Missionaries |
Joseph Gérard (born March 12, 1831 – died May 29, 1914) was a French Catholic priest. He was part of a group called the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Joseph Gérard worked as a missionary among the Basotho people in Lesotho. He also worked in the Free State province of South Africa.
His hard work helped the Catholic Church grow a lot in Lesotho. People knew and respected him for his dedication. He continued his missionary work almost until his death, just before World War I. He was declared "Blessed" in Lesotho on September 15, 1988.
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Joseph Gérard's Early Life
Joseph Gérard was born in Bouxières-aux-Chênes, France, on March 12, 1831. He was the oldest of five children. His parents, Jean Gérard and Ursule Stofflet, raised him on their farm. His family was very religious.
He received his First Communion on February 2, 1842. He was also confirmed on March 24, 1844.
Becoming a Missionary
Joseph Gérard studied to become a priest with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He joined their order on May 9, 1851. This was the start of his training period, called the novitiate.
He first studied at a small seminary in Pont-à-Mousson. Then, he moved to Nancy for more religious studies. He continued his studies in Marseille and later finished them in South Africa. Joseph Gérard was not the best student in academics. However, he was very good at learning new languages. This skill helped him greatly in his mission work. He learned both the Zulu and Sesotho languages.
In 1853, Joseph Gérard moved to South Africa. He never returned to his home country of France. He made his final promises to the order on May 10, 1852.
Starting His Mission in Africa
The founder of the Oblates, Eugène de Mazenod, made Joseph Gérard a deacon. On April 3, 1853, he was sent to Natal in South Africa. He left France on May 10, 1853, after saying goodbye to his family. He arrived in Natal on January 21, 1854.
Joseph Gérard became a priest in Pietermaritzburg on February 19, 1854. Bishop Allard performed his ordination. He first started working with the Zulus in the Natal area. But he did not see much success there at first.
Working in Lesotho
In January 1862, Joseph Gérard joined Bishop Marie-Jean-François Allard. They wanted to start the first Catholic mission in Lesotho. Before this, only a Protestant group had a church there. This group was started by a French movement.
Joseph Gérard asked the Basotho King Moshoeshoe I for permission. The King agreed. So, they founded the "Motse-oa-'M'a-Jesu" mission. This means "Village of the Mother of Jesus." It was about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Thaba Bosiu, where Roma is today.
Challenges and Successes
King Moshoeshoe respected Joseph Gérard very much. This was because Gérard stayed in Lesotho during the Free State–Basotho War. It is said that Joseph Gérard encouraged the King to ask for help from the British at the end of the war.
King Moshoeshoe also allowed the Christian leaders to dedicate Lesotho to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This happened on August 15, 1865. Even with this support, Joseph Gérard's work grew slowly. By the end of 1879, there were about 700 Catholics in Lesotho.
In 1875, he started another mission called Saint Monica. This mission was in the Leribe District in northern Lesotho. From there, he helped Basotho people in Lesotho and those in the nearby Orange Free State. In 1898, he returned to the Roma mission. He continued his work there for the rest of his life.
Joseph Gérard passed away in mid-1914. He had been in poor health for about a month before his death.
Becoming Blessed
The process to declare Joseph Gérard "Blessed" began on March 1, 1955. Pope Pius XII gave him the title of "Servant of God." Later, Pope Paul VI recognized his "heroic virtue" and named him "Venerable" on November 13, 1976.
A miracle was needed for him to be declared "Blessed." This miracle was investigated and approved by the church. Pope John Paul II officially approved this miracle on June 1, 1987. He then declared Joseph Gérard "Blessed" on September 15, 1988. This special event happened during the Pope's visit to Lesotho.
