The Church celebrates the Memorials of two men who have a special place in Marist spirituality: St. Peter Chanel and St. Louis Gringnon de Montfort. Fr. Peter Chanel was a Marist Father who for awhile taught in the Marist Seminary at Belley but whose dream to be a missionary finally came through in 1836 when he boarded a ship for New Hebrides in the South Pacific. Ten months later he landed on the island of Fotuna, and worked for three years evangelizing the people until he was clubbed to death by men sent by the king whose son was interested in becoming a Catholic. Five months later, the whole island had converted!
St. Louis had great devotion to Mary and his book, True Devotion to Mary, which had a profound influence is the spiritual life of St. Marcellin, is still popular today. Mary brought Jesus into the lives of these men, enabling them to be missionaries and martyrs, in the case of St. Peter, and teachers and founders of religious orders, in the case of St. Louis. What would happen to us if we listened to her with the same zeal these men had? St. Peter Chanel and St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us that we may realize our potential in the service of Jesus and the kingdom. Amen.
Bro. Rene
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