Philibert Vrau (1829-1905) was Industrie L inhabitant of Lille and an outstanding personality of the social Catholicisme.

A social big boss

He inherited the wire factory to sew in Lin created in 1816 by his father François-Philibert Vrau. He developed considerably the mark “the Wire with the Chinese” deposited by his father. About 1875, with 1100 workmen employed, the establishments had taken a considerable place in textile industry inhabitant of Lille.

Philibert Vrau had the will to develop its company as well as possible, so that it releases from important resources enabling him to finance social and Christian works. It practiced a price policy farms, whereas competition applied low prices in a disordered way. In same time, it practiced premiums for fidéliser at the end of the year the wholesalers and to ensure the promotion of its products near draperies of detail. The annual sales passed thus from 282.000 boxes of 48 balls in 1864, with 1.950.000 boxes in 1875. The production was partly exported towards Germany and the North of Europe.

Within its company, Philibert Vrau behaved as a modern big boss, developing an industrial relations policy in its factory which remained a long time a model:

• more night-work for the women,
• day ten hours,
• Sunday rest,
• companies of working residences,
• schools for the children,
• unemployment funds and retirement…

To one time when the Social security and the work's councils do not exist, the company brought an financial aid to the workmen in the event of diseases, retirements, marriages, and assists them in the " blows durs".

A militant catholic

After its conversion with the Catholicism in 1854, there chooses to remain unmarried and founded with Lille in 1857 an organization of prayer dedicated to the worship of the the Blessed Sacrament. On the suggestion of Emilie Sieve maker, Vrau organized in 1881 in Lille the first world Congrès eucharistic.

Vice-president of 1872 to 1886, then president of 1886 with his death, of the district council of the Conferences Vincent saint of Paul, Philibert Vrau created and financed a great number of catholic works: patronages, catholic circles of workmen, catholic congresses of North and the Pas-de-Calais, catholic University of Lille, catholic Institute of arts and trades, parochial elementary schools, work of the new churches of Lille, presses Christian…

In connection with the foundation of the catholic university of Lille, the Régnier cardinal, Cambric archbishop, referred this of humor: The existence of our university is due yet only to one wire, but this wire is solid, it is the wire Vrau .

In 1909, the diocese of Lille decided the foundation of a new parish to serve all the suburb of Douai and part of the suburb of Arras. The building was dedicated to Saint Philibert in homage to Philibert Vrau. In 1933 a private clinic was also dedicated to him.

A lawsuit in beatification

The lawsuit in Béatification of Philibert Vrau was open in 1912, seven years after its death, by the Cambric archbishop. The cause of the lawsuit is double since it concerned also his/her brother-in-law Camille Féron-Vrau.

The first stage, known as " lawsuit diocésain" , a favorable conclusion with the signature of the pope Pie XI in February 1930 knew.

Stopped during the Second world war, the lawsuit did not begin again after the war: in a context of very strong social strains in the Northern area, it was deferred sine die following a decision of the Cardinal Achille Liénart in 1950.

The lawsuit was started again by Mgr Gerard Defois, bishop of Lille. In the event of favorable exit, Philibert Vrau would be the first head of undertaking related to the furnace bridges.

A dedicated Internet site

For more information on the history and works of Philibert Vrau, “The Holy Saint off Lille”, as call it American or German, consult the http://www.philibert-vrau.com site.