St. Marcellin Champagnat
By Antoinette Wingo

St. Marcellin Champagnat was born on May 20, 1789 in Le Rosey, Marlhes, near St. Etienne, France.

EARLY LIFE & FAMILY

• His parents were Jean-Baptiste and Marie Thérèse Chirat Champagnant
• He was baptized 24 hours after he was born
• His aunt, Louise Champagnat, was a religious sister of Saint Joseph
• He didn't attend school very long because of the brutal treatment of one student he witnessed
• He preferred farm work over school work when he was 11

EDUCATION

• He wasn't able to read
• As a young boy, a visiting priest suggested that he might like to train as a priest for the Catholic religion
• So, Marcellin decided to study for the priesthood and he also set out to get an education
• Marcellin found the first few years of his studies very hard

PRIESTHOOD

• After all the hard work and training, he was finally ordained as a priest in 1816
• During his studies, Marcellin and a group of other seminarians discussed about forming a religious order under the patronage of Mary. This dream was realized in Our Lady of Fourviéres above Lyons the day after their ordination, then the group of young men together called themselves "The Society of Mary".

MARIST BROTHERS

• Marcellin founded the Marist brothers in 1817
• His goal was to educate young people, especially those who were neglected
• Most of the Marist brothers minister in school settings
• Marcellin chose to call his brothers Petits Frères de Marie (Little Brothers of Mary)

MEMORARE IN THE SNOW

• Marcellin was returning from visiting a sick person's home with a brother while a snowstorm was going on
• After walking for about 2 hours, they both feel very weak. Marcellin said that they should pray that the Virgin Mary will come to their assistance.
• The brother fell to the ground. Marcellin knelt down by him in the snow while reciting the Memorare prayer. Afterwards, he struggled to pick up the brother. Then, they both saw a light in the dark night. They followed the light, and they found a cabin which they spent the night in. They were safe at last.

MONTAGNE INCIDENT

• On October 28, 1816 Marcellin was called to the house of a carpenter in Les Palais
• 16 year old Jean-Baptiste Montagne was dying while ignorant of faith. Marcellin instructed him, heard his confessions, then prepared him for death
• After going to another sick person's home, Marcellin returned to the house that Jean-Baptiste was in. Marcellin found out that he passed away.
• This event changed Marcellin. This event told him that he should evangelize to the young and or neglected people. As he was walking back to the parish house, he had a plan. He wanted to ask Jean-Marie Granjon to become the first member of his community of teaching Brothers.

Marcellin passed away on June 6, 1840 in Marlhes, France. He died at the age of 51 with cancer.

CANONIZATION

• First, he was declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XV in 1920
• Then, he was Beatified by Pope Pius XII on May 29, 1955
• Finally, he was Canonized by Pope John Paul II on April 18, 1999
• Saint Marcellin Champagnat's feast day is June 6

IF YOU WANY TO TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE, FIRST YOU MUST LOVE THEM - LOVE THEM ALL EQUALLY

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