Saint John Eudes

John Eudes was born on November 14, 1601, in Ri, a village in Normandy, France. He joined the French Oratory and was ordained a priest in 1625. During outbreaks of plague he cared for the dying with such devotion that, to avoid infecting others, he lived for a time in a large barrel in a field. For decades he preached parish missions throughout Normandy and beyond, often with teams of priests who heard confessions for weeks.

Convinced that the Church needed well-trained priests, in 1643 he founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, known as the Eudists, to run seminaries. He also founded the Order of Our Lady of Charity to care for women seeking to leave prostitution and rebuild their lives. He wrote liturgical texts for feasts of the Heart of Mary and the Heart of Jesus, and Pope Pius XI later called him the father of their liturgical worship. He died in Caen on August 19, 1680, and was canonized in 1925.

The Eudists, who today work especially in Colombia, Venezuela, Canada and France, celebrate him with Masses and renewal of their commitments. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd and of Our Lady of Charity, who grew from his foundation, also honor him.

His feast is a good day to consecrate a family to the Sacred Hearts.