September 3 marked the 25th anniversary of the beautification of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade. Chaminade was a French Diocesan Priest during the late 1700s whose piety was as strong as ever.
According to the Marianist website, around the time of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1799, citizens of France had to pledge allegiance for an anti-religious government. Courageously, Chaminade chose to go against the government and to pledge to the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Pius VI instead. He secretly continued his work as a priest despite a possible death penalty.
Reegan Jones ‘28, a devout Christian church-goer shared, “I think that his rebellion was brave considering that the government was against him at that moment. He wanted to pledge his loyalty to the pope who is like a successor of Jesus and looking after us and the religious community.”
In 1797, Chaminade was exiled to Saragossa, Spain due to his refusal to pledge an oath to the French government and to avoid persecution. While in Saragossa, Chaminade prayed to the Lady of Pillar every day.
After the French Revolution ended, Chaminade returned to France. This time, he was determined to spread Christianity in all of Europe.
Chaminade collaborated with others with a similar goal to construct sodalities,
groups of brothers and sisters. Sodalities were a way to regrow the mission of Mary in Europe after the French Revolution’s anti-religious government.
Chaminade assisted in the formation of a sodality named the Society of Mary, also known as the Marianists. He guided male sodalists in promoting the Apostolic mission of Mary. Eventually, over 1,000 members from all different ages, genders, and social classes were spreading the mission. Today, there are over 10,000 members in the Marianist Family.
Deacon Chris Mariano stated, “If we look at the global impact of Chaminade’s message, it has really helped in many communities around the world – over 30 countries and has gone across the countries of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.”
On Epiphany Day, Chaminade suffered a stroke which led to his death two weeks later on January 22nd, 1850, in Bordeaux, France. He was surrounded by the members of his sodalities and was soon buried in the city of Bordeaux.
In 2000, 150 years after his death, Chaminade was beatified on Sept. 3rd by Pope John Paul II, acknowledging that Chaminade has truly enhanced Catholicism around the globe.
