Venerable Francis Libermann

Life story

He was born Jacob in April 1802 in Saverne, Alsace, into an Orthodox Jewish family; his father was the town's chief rabbi, and Jacob was trained to follow him. While studying at a Jewish school he lost his earlier faith and became an agnostic after reading Rousseau. His eldest brother became a Catholic first, and two more brothers followed. In Paris he met David Paul Drach, a Jewish convert, who helped him enter the Collège Stanislas. He was baptised at Christmas 1826 and took the name Francis Mary Paul; his father, as the story is told, mourned him as dead.

In October 1827 he entered the seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. On the eve of his subdiaconate he began to suffer epileptic seizures that lasted about five years, and he was cared for at the seminary of Issy. The illness delayed his ordination for nearly fifteen years. The seizures stopped in 1841, and he was ordained a priest that year. He then founded a new society to serve freed slaves in Réunion, Haiti and Mauritius.

In 1848, by decision of the Holy See, his society was merged into the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, which is why he is often called its second founder. From 1848 until his death he served as Superior General. He never travelled overseas himself, but he recruited and trained missionaries for Africa and wrote the Provisional Rule for his missionaries. Hundreds of his letters survive. He died in Paris on 2 February 1852, aged 49. His cause was opened on 1 June 1876, and the decree on his heroic virtue of 19 June 1910 gave him the title Venerable; he has not been beatified.

Works and witness

• Baptised at Christmas 1826 after growing up in a rabbi's household
• Ordained a priest in 1841 after nearly fifteen years' delay caused by epilepsy
• Founded a missionary society for freed slaves, merged with the Holy Spirit Fathers in 1848
• Superior General of the Holy Spirit Congregation from 1848 to 1852
• Wrote a Provisional Rule for his missionaries and left many letters

Saints from the same country

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis de Sales

References

• Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent): 'Venerable Francis Mary Paul Libermann', newadvent.org/cathen/09223a.htm
• CatholicSaints.Info: 'Venerable François-Marie-Paul Libermann' (heroic-virtue decree of 19 June 1910)
• Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans, US Province): 'Francis Libermann', spiritans.org/francis-libermann

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.