Saint John Eudes 17C Frenchman

Saint John Eudes was born on November, 14 1601, and he died on August 19, 1680. He was a French Catholic priest and the founder of both the Order of Our Lady of Charity in 1641 and Congregation of Jesus and Mary, also known as the Eudists, in 1643.  Saint John Eudes was also a member of the Oratory of Jesus.  Eudes was the author of parts of the Liturgy for the Mass. The Masses Saint John Eudes compiled for both Sacred Hearts were both first celebrated during his lifetime. He preached missions across France, and was a prolific writer. Have you heard of him?

Saint John Eudes Biography

Saint John Eudes was born on November 14, 1601 on a farm, he had four sisters and two brothers. He studied under the Jesuits at Caen before he decided to join the Oratorians on March 25, 1623. His models in the spiritual life were Pierre de Bérulle (who welcomed him into the order) and the contemplative ascetic Charles de Condren.

As a student he became a member of the French school that promoted a Christ-centered approach to spiritual affairs. This was characterized by a strong sense of adoration, plus pursuit of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ which extended to the Holy Spirit. Bishop Jacques Camus de Pontcarré ordained Eudes to the subdiaconate on December 21, 1624.

Saint John Eudes was ordained to the priesthood on December 20, 1625 and he celebrated his first Mass at Christmas. Almost immediately after his ordination, he came down with an illness that kept him in bed until 1626. He was sent to Aubervilliers for his theological studies and returned to Séez in 1627. During severe plagues in 1627 and 1631, he volunteered to care for the stricken in his own diocese, administering the sacraments and ensuring the dead received a proper burial.

In 1633 Saint John Eudes began preaching at parish missions, eventually preaching at over a hundred missions throughout his own region. He was referred to, by those who heard him preach, as ‘the prodigy of his age.’ He became a noted preacher and confessor with a flair for evangelization and some of his missions  lasted from several weeks to several months; he preached three in Paris and one in Versailles. Eudes even preached once for Anne of Austria, though her son King Louis XIV suspected that Eudes was hostile towards his Gallican policies.

With the support of Cardinal Richelieu and a number of individual bishops, he severed his connection with the Oratorians to establish the Eudists for the education of priests and for parish missions. This congregation was founded at Caen on March 25, 1643. Eudes also founded the Society of the Most Admirable Mother which acted as a sort of Third Order.

Saint John Eudes was good at founding organizations. He founded one, called the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, to care for prostitutes who wanted to make amends. He was influenced by the teachings of the French school, Francis de Sales, and the revelations of Gertrude the Great. Bérulle’s devotion to the Incarnate Word won him over and he combined with it the gentleness and devotional warmth of Francis de Sales.

In 1671 there was a rumor that Saint John Eudes would be named as the Bishop of Evreux and that the king Louis XIV would support the nomination based on Eudes’ reputation. Eudes died at Caen on August 19, 1680. He had drafted up his last will in April 1671 when his health started to decline. Eudes’ remains were exhumed and transferred in 1810 and again for the last time on 6 March 6, 1884.

Conclusion

His supporters first proposed the idea to have Saint John Eudes named as a Doctor of the Church around the time of World War II. Both the Congregation of Jesus and Mary and the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd have introduced the Cause of their Founder to be a doctor of the church. H was named a doctor of the church by Pope Frances.