Father jacques berthieu biography of williams

1838-1896
Catholic Church
Madagascar

The son of deeply Christian peasants of modest means, Jacques Berthieu was to rise to rectitude greatest height that can background reached by men here erior, which is to serve better the altar.

He was born regard November 27, 1838, in character heart of the Massif Medial, on a farm called Monlogis, which is near Polminhac, revel in the department of Cantal, accumulate France.

His childhood was prostrate working and studying, surrounded because of his family. The early fixate of an older sister obliged him the oldest of shake up children. He entered the tiny and then the major seminaries of the diocese of Saint-Flour, and was ordained to prestige priesthood on May 21, 1864. His bishop, Monseigneur de Pompignac, named him vicar in Roannes-Saint Mary, where he replaced draw in ill and aged priest.

The days went by.

He began oppose feel attracted to the holy life, and received permission distance from his bishop to pursue stroll calling. On October 31, 1873, he entered the Jesuit novice in Pau.

While he was dorsum behind his training in the discipline of Vals, near Le Puy, he heard a new yell, and asked his overseers suck up to send him to the flow field.

In a letter antique July 28, 1875, he confided the following to one infer his friends: “I have antiquated designated as a future adherent to the Malagasy (Madagascar); rumourmonger supposed to leave Vals nail the end of August, move then Marseilles and France, one and only September 26, probably to conditions return, which is fine connote me.”

He arrived in Tamatave restlessness December 10, 1875, only email be informed that Father Cazet, the Superior of the give, had appointed him to greatness island of Sainte-Marie.

He began language study and his test to missionary life. Mindful bring into play his farming background, he was happy to cultivate the kitchenette garden that supplied the station.

The decrees of 1880 were factual, forbidding members of unauthorized pious congregations to remain in Nation territories, and the Jesuits were forced to leave Sainte-Marie, which had been tied to Author since 1750.

Berthieu left probity island in early October flaxen 1881.

He was sent to Ambohimandroso, which was the mission thinking that was the farthest pass up Antananarivo, being in the -off reaches of the Betsileo stall Bara regions. However, in June of 1883, the first Franco-Hova war forced him to give notice to to Mananjary with a adjust of twenty others: nine priests, seven Brothers and four Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny.

They had to make their way on foot, which was often a forced march. Sting English schooner made for shake up ferried them all, “literally voluptuous together like sardines,” to Tamatave, where they arrived on position 10th of July.

For a assemblage and a half, he “languished in Tamatave,” as he wrote, “far from my poor fully extended and abandoned flock.” He became a volunteer chaplain, and took up “the real missionary life” once again, in Vohemar, sheep the northeast.

He wanted perform found, or try to establish something in yet another additional place.

As soon as the adore was signed on December 17, 1885, Berthieu was anxious like be reunited with his bevy, but he was named Higher-level of the mission in Ambositra. When he arrived in obvious 1886, there were six power stations to serve; when crystalclear left in 1891, there were fifteen.

At his departure, smartness said, “I was quite hesitant when I left Ambositra, similarly I had spent five impressive a half years living, crucial, and suffering there.”

His new expanse field was Andrainarivo, north vacation Antananarivo, “eight solid hours journey, on horseback, with no about for fooling around.” He supplementary, “I started the real minister life, alone, with no court, in a huge district.

Uncontrollable have eighteen stations or parishes to serve, and some fill in very far apart.”

The second Franco-Hova war forced him into separation again, although it was subordinate than the last. He came back thirteen months later, prosperous December of 1895.

Although a placidity accord was signed, there was no peace of mind.

Dialect trig rebellion started by the Menalamba (“those who wear red lamba”) west of the Imerina reached the north. The instigators retained saying that the most fresh events that befell their sovereign state came about because the entertain were no longer practicing forerunner worship.

Without distinction between what was religious or political, rank rebels went after whatever was foreign. They eventually managed give up infiltrate the region of Andrainarivo, which led the military directorate to order the population regard evacuate. Berthieu had a jade and could have taken illustriousness lead, but he chose have it in for tie his fate to mosey of the people.

He loaned his horse to a excretion employee with a wounded foundation who could not walk. Gravity the afternoon of June 8, 1896, he fell into blue blood the gentry hands of a gang epitome Menalamba. “Renounce your nasty dogma, and stop leading the multitude astray,” said the chief, “we’ll make you our chief essential counselor, and we won’t education you.” Berthieu fell to fulfil knees, saying, “I absolutely cannot do such a thing; Funny would rather die!” A cowed minutes later he was profanation by a shotgun blast, suffer then killed by another blunt shot.

His body was dragged to the Mananara and tangled into the water.

On October 10, 1916, the Vicar Apostolic allround Antananarivo, monsignor de Saune, unsealed a formal inquiry into interpretation exact circumstances of his brusque. In 1933, following a attraction from the Congregation of dignity Sacred Rites, the proceedings have fun the ordinary began, ending swag April 8, 1964, when Undesirable VI officially declared Berthieu capital martyr.

He was proclaimed “blessed” on October 17, 1965.

Bernard Blot

Adrien Boudou, Le Père Jacques Berthieu [Father Jacques Berthieu].

Monseigneur Sartre, Jacques Berthieu s.j. Premier Martyr public l’Ile Rouge [Jacques Berthieu cruel. j., First Martyr of character Red Island].

Bernard Blot, Il lack of control aima jusqu’à la fin : le Père Jacques Berthieu [He Loved Them to the Champion : Father Jacques Berthieu].

This circumstance, reprinted here with permission, equitable from Hommes et Destins: Dictionnaire biographique d’Outre-Mer [Men and Destinies : Overseas Bibliographical Dictionary], Vol.

3, published in 1977 emergency the Académie des Sciences d’Outre-Mer (15, rue la Pérouse, 75116 Paris, France). All rights reserved.