Louis-Zéphirin Moreau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blessed Louis-Zéphirin Moreau |
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| Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe | |
c. 1900.
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Saint-Hyacinthe |
| See | Saint-Hyacinthe |
| Appointed | 19 November 1875 |
| Predecessor | Charles La Rocque |
| Successor | Maxime Decelles |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 19 December 1846 |
| Consecration | 16 January 1876 by Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Louis-Zéphirin Moreau |
| Born | 1 April 1824 Bécancour, Lower Canada |
| Died | 24 May 1901 (aged 77) Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada |
| Buried | Cathedral of Saint-Hyacinthe-le-Confesseur, Saint Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada |
| Previous post | Vicar General of Saint-Hyacinthe (1869–75) |
| Motto | Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat ("Can do all things in Christ who strengthens me") |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 24 May |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 10 May 1987 Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
| Attributes | Episcopal attire |
| Patronage |
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Louis-Zéphirin Moreau (born April 1, 1824 – died May 24, 1901) was an important leader in the Roman Catholic Church in Canada. He served as the fourth Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe from 1875 until he passed away in 1901. He also helped start two groups of religious sisters: the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Hyacinthe (with Élisabeth Bergeron) and the Sisters of Sainte Martha.
Louis-Zéphirin was a very weak child because he was born early. This meant he couldn't help his parents with their farm work. Instead, he focused on his studies. Even though he often got sick, which slowed down his learning, he kept working towards becoming a priest. A kind bishop, Jean-Charles Prince, saw his potential and helped him. Louis-Zéphirin later worked as an assistant to several bishops and then as a main administrator for his diocese.
As a bishop, he made his diocese stronger and started many new churches. He was known for being very religious and dedicated to helping others, which showed in the two religious groups he founded. Louis-Zéphirin Moreau was recognized as a "Blessed" person by the Catholic Church in 1987.
Contents
Life Story
Early Life and Education
Louis-Zéphirin Moreau was born in Bécancour, Canada, on April 1, 1824. He was the fifth of thirteen children born to farmers Louis-Zéphirin Moreau and Marie–Marguerite Champoux. Eleven of his siblings lived to be adults. He was baptized shortly after his birth.
Because he was born early, Louis-Zéphirin was often sick as a child. His parents thought he wasn't strong enough for farm work. Their local priest, Charles Dion, suggested that Louis-Zéphirin could study instead. So, his parents sent him to learn Latin from a teacher in his hometown.
Becoming a Priest
In 1839, Louis-Zéphirin began studying to become a priest at the Séminaire de Nicolet. He studied there until 1844. In 1844, he met the Archbishop of Québec, Joseph Signay, who was visiting Nicolet. The Archbishop was impressed with Louis-Zéphirin and accepted him as a candidate for the priesthood.
He started his theology studies in the autumn of 1844. However, in November 1845, he had to slow down his studies because he felt very tired and unwell. His health didn't get much better. In September 1846, the Archbishop of Québec even told him to go home and give up on becoming a priest because of his health. But Father Dion and his teachers encouraged him to go to Montreal with their recommendation letters. He also met with the Bishop of Montreal, Ignace Bourget, who was leaving for Europe. Bishop Bourget placed Louis-Zéphirin in the care of his assistant, Bishop Jean-Charles Prince.
Bishop Prince allowed Louis-Zéphirin to live in the bishop's house to finish his studies and watched over his progress. Bishop Prince gave him different levels of church duties: minor orders in October 1846, then the subdiaconate on December 6, and the diaconate on December 13. A week later, on December 19, Bishop Prince ordained him as a priest. This happened after an exam showed he understood enough theology. Even after becoming a priest, he continued to study for five more months.
When Bishop Bourget returned in 1847, Louis-Zéphirin became the main assistant for church ceremonies at the cathedral. He also worked in the diocese's main office and served as a chaplain (a priest who serves a specific group) for a convent of nuns. In December 1847, he became a chaplain for the cathedral, where he preached once a week and heard confessions. He worked closely with Bishop Bourget, whose deep prayer life influenced him. In 1852, he agreed to be an adviser to Bishop Prince, who was chosen to lead a new diocese.
Helping the Bishops
Louis-Zéphirin Moreau continued to serve Bishop Prince's successors, Joseph La Rocque and Charles La Rocque. He even managed the diocese when there was no bishop in charge, like in 1860, between 1865 and 1866, and in 1875. He also managed things when the bishop was away in 1862 and 1870. Bishop Charles La Rocque trusted Louis-Zéphirin with the daily running of the diocese, especially because the previous bishop had left the finances in poor condition.
From 1853 to 1858, he was a chaplain for a boarding school run by the Congregation of Notre-Dame. From 1859 to 1866, he was a chaplain for the nuns at the Hôtel-Dieu. He also served the Soeurs de la Présentation de Marie from 1867 to 1869. In 1869, he was made a vicar general, which meant he was a chief administrator for Bishop La Rocque. In 1874, he started the Union Saint-Joseph, a group to help protect workers from accidents or unfair treatment.
When Bishop La Rocque died in 1875, many people and priests suggested Louis-Zéphirin Moreau should become the next bishop. However, Bishop La Rocque had once told Archbishop Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau that Louis-Zéphirin had some weaknesses in managing things. He had suggested someone else. But other bishops disagreed and put Louis-Zéphirin at the top of their list of candidates. As vicar general, Louis-Zéphirin sent a letter to church officials in Rome to start the process of finding a new bishop. On October 22, he received a letter saying that the Pope had chosen him to be the next bishop.
Becoming Bishop
Church officials in Rome approved Louis-Zéphirin Moreau's appointment on September 21, 1875. Pope Pius IX officially named him bishop in a special document called a papal bull on November 19. He was officially made a bishop on January 16, 1876. The Archbishop of Québec led the ceremony, with Bishops Louis-François Richer dit Laflèche and Édouard-Charles Fabre helping.
As bishop, Louis-Zéphirin Moreau set up a special court for marriage cases. In 1877, he founded the Soeurs de Saint-Joseph, and later, in 1883, the Sisters of Sainte Martha. He also held yearly spiritual retreats in his diocese and went on to establish thirteen new parishes (local church communities). Towards the end of his life, he let his assistant, Maxime Decelles (who became his coadjutor in 1893), handle the daily administration and tiring visits.
Louis-Zéphirin Moreau received the Anointing of the Sick and the Viaticum (special prayers and communion for the dying) before he passed away on May 24, 1901, at 5:00 pm. His body was buried inside the cathedral of his diocese.
Beatification Process
The process to declare Louis-Zéphirin Moreau a "Blessed" person began in his diocese. An investigation started in 1929 and finished in 1934. This investigation collected statements from witnesses and documents to show how holy the late bishop was. Church experts later reviewed his spiritual writings on January 12, 1950, and confirmed they were in line with Catholic teachings.
The official start of his cause for sainthood happened under Pope Pius XII on June 21, 1952. From then on, he was called a Servant of God. After this, another investigation took place from 1953 to 1955 to gather more information about him. The Congregation for Rites in Rome confirmed on January 31, 1959, that both investigations followed all the rules.
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints and their advisers met on October 6, 1970, and approved his cause. The cardinals and bishops in the Congregation also approved it on October 31, 1972. Louis-Zéphirin Moreau was given the title of Venerable on May 10, 1973, after Pope Paul VI confirmed that the late bishop had lived a life of heroic virtue (meaning he lived a very holy life).
For Louis-Zéphirin Moreau to be declared "Blessed," the Pope needed to confirm a healing that was considered a miracle – something that science or medicine could not explain. The case chosen as his miracle was investigated in Sault Sainte Marie in 1983. This investigation was approved by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on July 13, 1984. Medical experts met on January 22, 1986, and confirmed there was no medical or scientific explanation for the healing. A few months later, on June 13, theologians confirmed that the healing happened after people prayed for Louis-Zéphirin Moreau's help. Just a few weeks later, on July 8, 1986, the members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints confirmed that the case was indeed a miracle. They then sent it to the Pope for his final approval.
Pope John Paul II gave his approval on November 10, 1986. The Pope approved the complete and quick healing of eight-year-old Colleen Margaritae O'Brien, who had suffered from cancer in June 1978. She was in remission but still undergoing treatment when the healing occurred. Pope John Paul II officially declared Louis-Zéphirin Moreau "Blessed" on May 10, 1987.
