Jerome Royer, sior of Dauversière

Jerome Royer, sior Dauversière , born with the Arrow (the Sarthe) on March 18th, 1597, deceased on November 6th 1659. He is the founder of the Institute of the hospital nuns of Saint-Joseph (1636).

Biography

Jerome Royer makes his studies with the college of the Jesuits of the city - the future Military academy - and will succeed his Father in the load of receiver of the sizes. He marries Jeanne de Baugé of which he will have five children. Four of them will enter the orders.

Man of faith, congreganist of the Blessed Virgin, a great charity towards the poor, it belongs to the pleiad of mystics who illustrated Catholicism in France, at the 17th century.

February 2nd, 1630, being devoted to the Holy-Family with his wife and children, it feels called with the mission of founding a congregation with the service of the poor patients. Hesitating, he entrusts to his confessor, the Père Chauveau, Jesuit, who dissuades it, initially. He ends up answering the call received in 1633 at the conclusion of a serious disease which he includes/understands like a sign of God.

He starts by undertaking the restoration of the chaplaincy Holy-Marguerite which holds place of House-God.

This new hospital will be directed as from 1639 by Marie of the Bottle pincers, her collaborator and Anne Fourreau like three maidservants. The small group becomes member of the congregation of the Holy-Family, rested by Jerome of Dauversière, first stage towards the foundation of the Filles of Saint-Joseph.

Then, he undertakes the second part of the received mission, to establish in Canada, in the island of Montreal, a Hospital. The Chauveau Father consolidates it and sends it to Paris, in 1639, to meet the Père Lalemant, prosecutor of the missions of the Jesuits in Canada. He also asks goes down for hearing with the Chancellor of France, Pierre Séguier, and also meets on this occasion Jean-Jacques Olier, called him with the same mission, since 1635. The two men, animated same faith, decide to found a congregation for the evangelization of News-France. It will be the company Notre-Dame of Montreal.

The year 1640 is devoted to the acquisition of the island of Montreal, the recruitment of those and those which will have to carry out the project of which Paul Chomedey of Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance which will keep the administration of the new hospital until its death. In April 1641, 3 hospital nuns, 248 men, 45 women and children embark with the Port-Luneau, with the Arrow, for La Rochelle which they leave on May 9th, 1641. Two ships will initially take them along to Quebec where they will spend the winter. They will reach the Notre-Dame island on May 17th, 1642, dates from the foundation of Montreal.

In spite of many material difficulties, financial and administrative, the indifference or the violent opposition of the local populations, Iroquois in particular, the project shapes little by little, thanks to the financial support of the members of the Notre-Dame company and several people of which Madam de Bullion. Jerome of Dauversière, remained in France, works with eagerness to join together these supports and to recruit the colonists.

Exhausted, seriously sick, ruined, he will die on November 6th, 1659. The cause of its beatification is in authority in Rome.

July 6th, 2007, during the audience conceded with the Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the causes of the saints, Pape Benoît XVI authorized the publication of decrees of which the following: HEROIC VIRTUES of the servant of God: Jerome Royer of Dauversière, French father (1597-1659), founder of the Girls of St.Joseph of the Arrow (hospital Nuns of St.Joseph).

CCS/DECRETS/SARAIVA-VIS 070706 (320)

Random links: