Marcellin Champagnat

Saint Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat was born on May 20, 1789, in France, as the upheavals of the French Revolution began to shake faith and society. As a young man he struggled in his studies and temperament, yet through perseverance, prayer, and the steady support of his family, he discerned God’s call. Formed at the seminary in Lyon alongside other future saints, he was ordained a priest on July 22, 1816, and with companions consecrated their hopes to Mary, dreaming of a renewed Church through the Society of Mary. Sent to the rural parish of La Valla, Marcellin’s heart was pierced by the spiritual and educational poverty of isolated families. The deathbed encounter with a teenager ignorant of the faith moved him to found the Little Brothers of Mary, devoted to Mary and dedicated to educating children, especially the poor. He trained the brothers himself, built the Hermitage as their home, and urged them to win hearts through love. He died on June 6, 1840, and was canonized in 1999. He is a patron for schools including Champagnat Catholic College and Marcellin College. His feast day is June 6.