Pierre Chanel

Pierre-Louis-Marie Chanel (1803-1841), first martyr of the Oceania was born on July 12th 1803 with the farm from Potière with Cuet in the Ain.

Its origins

Fifth of a family of eight children, wire of Claude-François Chanel and Marie-Anne Sibellas, it worked as shepherd of the 7 years age at the 12 years age. It also went to school of Saint-Didier-in Aussiat where resided the Camus abbot. This worthy priest regularly received the visit of the priest of Cras-on-Reyssouze, the Trompier Father, who knew Pierre. He proposed to him to take it along with him, to serve the mass and to study with him, at the school of Cras, which he integrates into the autumn 1814.

He made his first communion on March 23rd 1817. It is of this time that date its attraction for the missions, following the reading of the letters of the missionaries sent by Monseigneur Dubourg, of return of America. He will say later: “ It is the year when I formed the intention going in the remote missions ”.

Pierre Chanel leaves Cras in October 1819.

Studies and priesthood

Pierre Chanel made his humanities with the small seminar of Meximieux. He there studied 1819 with 1823 and obtained several prices and certificates of merit in Latin worms, Christian doctrines and French and Latin speeches. He continued his theological studies with the great seminar of Husks. (Church of Husks)

July 15th 1827, it was ordered priest and exerted initially as vicar with Ambérieu-in-Bugey then like priest with Crozet.

In 1831, it entered the Société of Marie and taught during five years with the Small Seminar of Belley. Its dream was to leave on mission to the United States, instead of what he exerted in turn the functions of professor of the 6th first year, of spiritual director, treasurer the two following years, and vice-superior the house the two last years.

Oceania

The pope Gregoire XVI was strongly determined to send missionaries in Oceania and to entrust this mission to the Société of incipient Marie. Pierre Chanel goes voluntary, and, on December 24th 1836, it embarks with the Havre, on the Delphine, in company of Mgr Pompallier, vicar of Western Oceania, recent creation of Rome (1835) entrusted to the Company of Marie, for a voyage 10 months which led them to the island of Futuna. He said to this occasion: “ Since I do not feel any more the college of Belley on my shoulders, I am become again what had to be the shoe-maker of the fable, when it had returned to the lord the hundred ecus that it had received some to have again his songs! ” While Mgr Pompallier continued the voyage towards the New Zealand, Pierre Chanel and two companions settled in Futuna. It celebrates its first mass on the island on December 8th 1837.

During the first two years, lodged by local king Niuliki, they learned the language from the country and baptized dying children. As soon as it felt able to preach, Pierre Chanel began his work of evangelization. He tried to fight against the Anthropophagie, still into force at the autochtones, and to be opposed to the fratricidal wars. He was called the man in the excellent heart .

Despite everything these obstacles, conversions with Christianity became extensive, which displeased to king Niuliki, which quickly ceased lodging and offir vivres with the missionaries.

To remain, the missionaries were reduced to clear a field of manioc, while, to force them to flee the country, certain inhabitants destroyed their harvests. Reduced to most extreme poverty, the Fathers last outward journey until eating their dog. Death threat, the Chanel Father answered: “ the religion is established in the island, it will not be lost there by my death, because it is not the work of the men, but it comes from God. ”

The proper son of the king, touched by the lesson of the missionaries converts publicly with the Christianisme. This conversion completed to exasperate Niuliki and decided it to finish some with this religion which was put across its power.

April 28th 1841, with the point of the day, an important group of men, led by the son-in-law of Niuliki, armed with lances, bludgeons, and axes, invades the house of the missionaries in one moment when Pierre Chanel was alone. They penetrated in the garden where the missionary was, struck it to blows of stick and bludgeon, then delivered themselves to plundering. Their finished carnage, indicator which the Father still breathed, Musumusu, the son-in-law of the king, completed it of a blow of hatchet on the nape of the neck.

However, little time after the massacre, all the inhabitants of the island of Futuna became Christian, including the assassins of Pierre Chanel.

Its currency

“ To like until the end Futuniens which to me will be entrusted ”

Canonization

Pierre-Louis-Marie Chanel was canonized by Pie XII on June 13rd 1954.

External bonds

Celebrations of the 200 {{E}} birthday of the birth of Pierre Chanel in Futuna
Pierre Chanel teacher
His life
text of the article published in CATHOLIC FRANCE N° 2888 - OF June 27th, 2003 on Saint Pierre Chanel

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