Reverend Father Marie-Joseph Coudrin

The first apostolic journeys of Abbé Coudrin took place in the surroundings of Poitier s. The p Poitiers City where the saint settled and lived as a recluse. arishes of Vaumauray and Saint-Georges, but especially the faubourg of Montbernage, were the principal theaters of his zeal. He usually only went out at night, disguised as a beggar or a laborer; by day, he remained hidden in woods and caves, having only a little bread and cheese for food. He could not stay long in the same place for fear of compromising those who gave him hospitality: he even had to change his name several times. As in the time of the catacombs, he celebrated Mass in every place, sometimes in a barn, sometimes in an attic; there he gave instructions and distributed the Holy Eucharist. A year had passed amidst the horrors of the revolution when Abbé Coudrin, finding no more secure retreats in the surroundings of Poitiers, made his entry into that city on April 22, 1794, where he would soon bring forth in anguish the work he had conceived two years earlier. He received asylum with pious persons who, as early as 1793, had formed in Poitiers, on Rue d'Oléron, an association with the goal of honoring the adorable Heart of Jesus with a special devotion, and of making reparation to Him for all the crimes that defiled France. From then on, he began to cultivate these young plants with particular care; he spent a good part of his time instructing, strengthening, and directing them. However, he did not limit his zeal to the boundaries of this small field; he only devoted his time to its cultivation on Sundays and feast days; on the other days of the week, he went into the different districts to bring the succor of religion. He often even went out in broad daylight to visit the sick whose danger was most pressing. The prisons were then overflowing with a crowd of people guilty of attachment to religion and to royalty. Abbé Coudrin conceived the generous design of going to bring to these noble victims the spiritual aid they needed. He managed to win over a jailer, who introduced him during the night. Emboldened by this first success, he went so far as to say Mass in the heart of the prison. When he learned that some people were about to be put to death, he went to the place of execution to give them a final absolution. Far from letting himself be intimidated, he extended the circle of his activity more and more. The diocese of Tours felt the effects of his zeal more than once. In the spring of 1794, he went there on foot, walking during the night and keeping himself hidden in the wheat fields during the day.

Upon returning to Poitiers, he resumed his work there. He was still pursued by the thought of forming a religious Congregation; but he had not yet found around him the necessary elements for a foundation of this kind. In the month of November 1794, Mlle He nriette Aymer de la Chevalerie came t Mlle Henriette Aymer de la Chevalerie Co-founder of the women's branch of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts. o place herself under his direction and to request her entry into the association of the Sacred Heart. Father Coudrin did not take long to distinguish this elite soul and to base upon her his main hope for the success of the work that God had inspired in him and whose plan was gradually unfolding before him. Shortly after, several of the associates of the work of the Sacred Heart, who had a more pronounced taste than the others for retreat and silence, separated from their companions and chose Father Coudrin and Mlle Henriette as their particular superiors. From then on, they took special charge of the pious exercise of adoration and received the name of solitaries. Shortly after, they took the wool and a sort of religious habit that they wore under their secular clothing. Then, on August 25, 1797, they pronounced resolutions of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Toward the end of the year 1797, they acquired a house located on Rue des Hautes-Treilles, which took the name of Grand Maison.

Around the same time, some young men of good will came to group themselves around Father Coudrin, and provided him with the first contribution to a society of missionaries that he wished to establish. To initiate these young disciples into the work of the holy ministry, he had them teach catechism in the suburbs of La Tranchée and La Cueille. After the day's work, our missionaries would go to rest at the feet of the holy altars; there they performed reparatory adoration, recited the canonical hours together; and the rest of the time was devoted to meditation, pious readings, and theological studies. The Sisters, for their part, through their austerities joined with prayer, strove to attract the blessings of heaven upon the work of their brothers. From January 1, 1799, they began what they called the great fasts; they ate only brown bread with fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. Their bed was but a simple board: later, the rigor of these austerities was tempered. The Brothers, despite the fatigue of their labors, themselves observed the usual meager diet and sleeping on the board for five years. Toward the end of 1799, the Sisters took the white habit, a symbol of the innocence that the work of reparation requires. On June 17, 1800, the capitular vicars approved their association and gave them Abbé Coudrin as superior; then, on October 17, they confirmed the election of Reverend Mother Henriette Aymer de la Chevalerie. On October 20, 1800, Father Coudrin and Brothers Bernard and Hilarion made their resolutions; then Mother Henriette and four Sisters made temporary vows of chastity and obedience. The profession of the three perpetual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience were pronounced by Father Coudrin and Mother Henriette on December 24, 1800.

Father Coudrin was subjected to the sarcasm and slander of certain ecclesiastics jealous of the good he was doing. He bore this cross without bitterness and without weakness, and left it to Providence to justify him. He saw in this the sword of God striking a victim devoted to reparation. Towards the end of December 1800, he sent Brother Bernard to Paris to receive holy orders; but his father, who was returning from exile, having met him, dissuaded him from his vocation. Shortly after, the new family grew by several members. The Sisters, whom we saw take two temporary vows on October 20, 1800, made their three perpetual vows on April 18, 1801. In the first months of 1800, the Sisters had already undertaken the free education of some poor children of their sex. It was a work to which the founders attached the greatest importance; thus, the Brothers did not take long to do the same on their side. Moreover, they began around the same time the instruction of the clerical youth, one of the main goals of the Congregation. Thus surrounded by his children, Father Coudrin thought only of doing good in silence on the scene of his first labors, when the voice of the Lord called this nascent society to expand its tents to extend the influence of the divine Hearts. Mgr de Rohan-Chabot, a close relative of Mother Henriette, had just been appointed, after the Concordat, to the bishopric of Mende, when he felt the need to have a zealous, firm, and prudent auxiliary. He cast his eyes for this on Father Coudrin, who decided to accept the proposal made to him. It was in the month of June of the year 1802 that he arrived in Mende. His ministry in the mountains of Gévaudan was abundant in fruits of blessings. He raised the diocesan seminary from its ruins, re-established the pilgrimage of Saint-François Régis at La Louvese, founded in Mende a double establishment of his Order, and from there sent a new colony of Brothers and Sisters to Cahors. He also worked successfully to evangelize the people of the towns and countryside and to bring back the Protestants. In 1804, Mother Henriette went to Paris, summoned by Father Coudrin, and, on September 3 of the same year, she founded a house there on the Place Vendôme; she brought some Sisters there, received novices, and began perpetual adoration, to which she added the work of education. The religious began with the free school, according to the spirit of their Institute; soon after, they opened a boarding school which provided them with the means of subsistence and spread the benefit of a Christian education, at once solid and simple, to the various classes of society. Besides the establishments of which we have spoken, the religious of the Adoration saw up to fifteen formed during the lifetime of their founders; namely, those of Le Mans, Séez, Sarlat, Rennes, Tours, Troyes, Mortagne, Sainte-Maure, Alençon, Rouen, Yvetot, Châteaudun, Coussay, La Verpillière, and Saint-Servau.

Father Coudrin, for his part, was actively occupied with his work, despite the relentlessness to which he was subjected by his adversaries. Following the resignation of Mgr de Chabot, the Reverend Father, delivered from the worries caused by his title of vicar general, was able to devote himself with more freedom to the works of the holy ministry for which he always had a very particular attraction. He spent all his time praying, preaching, and hearing confessions; but his reputation followed him like the shadow that attaches itself to the body that flees it; people flocked to him from all sides, and he could not suffice to hear the penitents who wanted to address him. It is in these circumstances that he founded, without premeditated design, the house that became the headquarters of his Order. The Picpus district was hardly more than a desert when he came to fix the center of his operations there. He inst alled Picpus Religious order founded by Father Coudrin, dedicated to perpetual adoration and missions. a colony of his religious there whom he had brought from Mende in the month of June 1803, and who began by opening a free school for the benefit of poor children. God was pleased to bless these beginnings: next to the free school rose a college, which in a short time became very flourishing. Picpus was not only a center of science: piety was also cultivated there. Father Coudrin inspired a taste for it in his disciples even more by his examples than by his words. He gave to prayer all the moments that were not devoted to the works of his holy ministry and other good external works. In the intervals he could have free, he would say his rosary, or else he would meditate on the eternal truths. Continually he thought of God: he spent the greater part of the nights conversing with the Lord; he could not pronounce the name of Jesus without experiencing an interior joy that manifested itself outwardly. His zeal for announcing the word of God knew no bounds. He was seen, in 1807, preaching the Lenten stations in four churches of Paris. He also devoted much time to the ministry of the sacrament of penance. Following his example, the children of the Sacred Hearts devoted themselves with zeal to the works of the holy ministry. While thus cultivating piety and zeal in the souls of his children, the good Father did not forget to maintain a holy emulation for the ecclesiastical sciences. Despite his numerous occupations, Father Coudrin still found the time to give a theology class himself at Picpus, which was attended, besides the scholastics, by all the priests of the house: it was in these conferences that he shared with his disciples the fruits of his own experience.

Among the works of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, one counts the erection of colleges in several provincial houses, that of seminaries, and that of missions, particularly in the dioceses of Troyes and Rouen. Fr. Coudrin, fulfilling the duties of vicar general to the Cardinal Prince de Croÿ, Archbishop of Rouen, always showed himself to be the first at work. In addition to the work of the missions, he also accepted the direction of religious communities. He left behind in all these pious asylums the good odor of his virtues. But the work that most illustrated his career is the establishment of the missions of Eastern Oceania. At the request of the Sovereign Pontiff, he sent three priests and three catechists to the Sa ndwich Island îles Sandwich Former name of the Hawaiian archipelago, a mission site of the congregation. s. Missionaries embarked from Bordeaux on November 21, 1826. This mission was followed by those of Gambier, the Marquesas, the islands of Tahiti and Pomotou, and Easter Island. A second departure of missionaries having taken place in 1834, three priests and a catechist arrived during the month of May in Valpar aiso, in C Valparaiso City in Chile where the congregation established an important mission. hile: one of the Fathers remained there while the others continued their journey across the Ocean. God blessed this enterprise: there was soon in Valparaiso a residence, a college, a parish, a procurator's house, and a convent of Sisters. From there, the Institute extended successively to Santiago, Lima, Copiapo, and La Serena.

Father Coudrin was approaching the end of his career, and yet his occupations only continued to multiply. The confidence with which the Cardinal-Archbishop of Rouen honored him brought him a multitude of affairs to which he lent himself with inexhaustible goodwill. However, his strength eventually succumbed under the burden. In 1829, he accompanied the Cardinal-Archbishop who was traveling to Rome for the election of the successor to Leo XII. The good Father was then able to satisfy his ardent piety to his heart's content by visiting the holy places. Upon his return to Paris on September 16, 1829, ominous rumors were already announcing the approach of a new revolutionary storm. The days of July 1830 did not take long to realize these sad predictions. The house of Picpus was invaded several times. The practice of perpetual adoration, interrupted during these days of trouble, was re-established by Father Coudrin on August 9, 1833, and continued without respite until the disastrous days of the Commune.

However, the good Father felt his strength diminish and his infirmities increase day by day. Consequently, on November 7, 1833, he wrote to the Archbishop of Rouen to ask him to accept his resignation. His retirement at Picpus was not an inactive rest; far from it, he used what strength he had left to work for his children. Although his infirmities caused him much suffering, he was seen almost every Sunday going to the Sisters' chapel, where he was accustomed to preach during Mass; he also heard the confessions of a great number of people and even went sometimes to proclaim the word of God in parish churches; furthermore, he maintained a regular correspondence with the various houses of the Institute; but what is most surprising is that with all this, he found the time to teach a theology class. The death of Mother Henriette, which occurred on November 23, 1834, caused him significant pain, as well as to the Religious of the Sacred Hearts, whom she had directed since the beginning of the Institute with as much prudence as kindness. From that moment, the good Father's health declined visibly. A habitual drowsiness made work very painful for him; but if his eye slumbered, his heart always watched over the happiness of his children. He embraced them all in his solicitude, but his paternal preference was for those who were far from him. He recommended praying often for the missionaries. He wanted the Brothers and Sisters, at adoration, to lift their hands to heaven, following the example of Moses, while others fought in the plain.

The last years of his life were also marked by various foundations and by visits to the houses of his Order. In 1836, during Lent, he conducted a small mission in his native land of Coussay-les-Bois. Upon returning to Picpus, he was soon struck by the illness that was to lead him to the grave. He was seized by the flu, which turned into pneumonia. Lent having arrived, he did not want to relax any of his accustomed austerities, nor cease the course of his instructions. Finally forced to yield to the violence of the illness, he only resigned himself with difficulty to accepting the remedies prescribed by the doctors. They tried to fight the ailment with energetic means; but it was too late, and the most serious concerns were soon felt. Father Coudrin saw death arrive with the calm of the faithful servant who is about to r eceive the rewa Le Père Coudrin Founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. rd for his labors. He confessed, received Extreme Unction and the plenary indulgence in full consciousness; but they were unable to give him the holy viaticum. As his final hour approached, his children gathered around him, and he gave them a supreme blessing, without omitting any class of his Institute. He then rendered his soul to God: it was March 27, 1837. His body was laid to rest in the cemetery of Picpus, in the vault where Mgr de Chabot and the Reverend Mother Henriette already reposed.

The Reverend Father Marie-Joseph Coudrin was no longer of this world, but he was to survive in the work he had founded: his Congregation. There, indeed, were his spirit, his heart, his soul, his entire life. We shall place before the eyes of our readers the preliminary chapter of the Rule of the Brothers and Sisters of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, as approved by Pop e Gregory XVI by his le pape Grégoire XVI Pope who established the liturgical feast of the blessed. Brief Romano Pontifici, dated March 24, 1840:

Article 1. — The goal of the Institute is to retrace the four ages of Our Lord Jesus Christ: his childhood, his hidden life, his evangelical life, and his crucified life, and to propagate devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Art. 2. — To retrace the childhood of Jesus Christ, the Brothers open free schools for poor children. They also maintain colleges, in which they make it a duty to admit a certain number of children free of charge, as much as the resources of each house may permit.

The Sisters also open free schools for poor children of their sex. They also maintain boarding schools; and they make it a duty to educate free of charge a certain number of young persons born of unfortunate families, as much as the resources of each house may permit.

The Brothers in particular prepare, through their care, young students of the sanctuary for the functions of the sacred ministry.

Art. 3. — All members of the Congregation strive to retrace the hidden life of Jesus Christ by making reparation, through the perpetual adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, for the insults offered to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary by the enormous crimes of sinners.

Art. 4. — The Brothers retrace the evangelical life of the Savior through the preaching of the Gospel and through missions.

Art. 5. — Finally, all members of the Congregation must recall, as much as lies within them, the crucified life of our divine Savior, by practicing with zeal and prudence the works of Christian mortification, especially by restraining their senses.

Art. 6. — Furthermore, they have as their goal to make every effort that depends on them to propagate true devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the most sweet Heart of Mary, according to how this devotion is approved by the Apostolic Holy See.

Art. 7. — The Congregation has as its particular patron Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and as par ticular prot saint Joseph Special patron of the Congregation. ectors Saint Augustine, Saint Dominic, Saint Bernard, and Saint Pachomius.

Art. 8. — The foundation of the Rule of the Congregation is the Rule of Saint Benedict. The Brothers live in common in regular practices, under the obedience of the Superior General of the entire Congregation and of the particular superiors. They take perpetual, but simple, vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Art. 9. — The Sisters also take perpetual, but simple, vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and live in common in regular practices, under the obedience of the Superior General of the entire Congregation, of the Superior General of the Sisters, and of the superior and superior of each particular house.

During t he reign of the Commun le règne de la Commune Insurrectionary period in Paris in 1871. e, the house of Picpus was invaded, looted, and desecrated several times; but the nuns of Perpetual Adoration courageously remained at their post of honor, watching night and day over the body of the Savior in the midst of his enemies, while the Fathers were imprisoned or massacred, as we shall relate on May 26. However, as it would not have been prudent to hold nocturnal adoration in the chapel, they moved the Blessed Sacrament to the infirmary room, which was the cleanest and safest. On the first Sunday after Easter, they moved it to the chapel and held reparatory adoration together. As everyone was gathered for this pious exercise, Clavier entered unexpectedly and shouted: "What are you doing here? Is Mass being said here?" No one answered. No one fled. No one turned around. "Is the superior here?" Clavier asked again. "No," replied the bursar—she was in fact being kept under surveillance in her room—and the commissioner withdrew, stunned by the calm and silence he had been powerless to disturb. The following Sunday, that of the Good Shepherd, was marked by an even more touching ceremony. They had delayed until then consuming the sacred species, keeping this holy viaticum for the final extremity. They understood, however, that it was time to nourish themselves with this heavenly food. A table was decorated with care. The corporal containing the hosts was placed upon it with respect, between six and seven o'clock in the morning. All the Sisters gathered prostrated themselves before the holy Eucharist and adored from the depths of their hearts this beloved Savior, who is their light and their strength in these days of darkness and tribulation. Then each of them approached this holy table with love and took with respect her portion of the divine banquet. When all had received communion, there still remained a few holy hosts which were consumed by those whom the superiors deputed for this purpose. Only one particle was kept, before which adoration continued until the time of departure for prison.

The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of Perpetual Adoration currently counts 5 bishops, 175 priests, including 94 in Europe, 34 in America, 47 in Oceania; 52 aspirant and choir brothers; 186 lay brothers, including 137 in Europe, 26 in America, 23 in Oceania. In their houses in France and America, the nuns of the Sacred Hearts count approximately 800 choir sisters and 680 lay sisters; in Oceania, Sandwich Islands, 23 or 25 sisters.

We have extracted this biography from the Annales de la Congrégation des Sacrés-Cœurs de Jésus et de Marie, and from a work entitled: Les Martyrs de Picpus, by the Rev. Fr. Benoît Forderoun, priest of the same Congregation, professor of moral theology at the seminary of Versailles (Paris, chez Adolphe Joux, 1872, in-12).

LIVES OF THE SAINTS. — VOLUME XV. 14