Saint jacques berthieu biography template

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Berthieu made the sign of the cross and bowed his head. A last shot, fired at close range, finally killed Jacques Berthieu.

He remained on his knees. His captors decided to kill him. He was a tireless catechist. Berthieu made the sign of the cross and bowed his head. And yet, he knew how to speak strongly and firmly whenever he judged that the interests of God and of the Church were at stake. Will you continue to pray for a long time?” Jacques replied, “I have to pray until I die.” He was struck on his head by a machete.

Wounded, he was marched some six miles to the village where he had been living, and was further tortured.

During the first Franco–Malagasy war, he carried out various ministries on the eastern and northern coastlines. He first worked in the district of Ambohimandroso-Ambalavao, in Fianarantsoa, the southern part of the highlands. This day coincides with the World Mission Sunday and is part of the celebration of the Year of Faith and the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

Not far from the village, since Berthieu was sweating, a Menalamba took Berthieu’s handkerchief, soaked it in mud and dirty water, and tied it around Berthieu’s head, as they jeered at him, shouting: “Behold the king of the Vazaha (Europeans)”. And yet God has given me the grace to love even more these uncultivated fields of Madagascar, where I can only catch a few souls for our Lord… The mission progresses, even though the fruit is still a matter of hope in some places, and hardly visible in others.

Jacques Berthieu, you were the missionary to Madagascar who preferred death to denying your faith—pray for us!

Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Jacques Berthieu is available for use under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Following his vocation, he was ordained on May 21, 1864, and served as a parish priest in Roannes-Saint Mary, France.

Feeling a deep call to religious life, Saint Jacques Berthieu joined the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, on October 31, 1873.

The beginnings of his missionary life were not easy for this 37-year-old Jesuit. He was appointed vicar in Roannes-Saint-Mary, where he remained for nine years. Another fired a fifth shot, which hit Berthieu without killing him. He also professed a special devotion to the Sacred Heart to which he consecrated himself in Paray-le-Monial before departing for mission, and he became the apostle of this devotion among the Malagasy Christians.

In 1881, French legislation closed French territories to Jesuits, a measure which compelled Jacques Berthieu to relocate to the large island of Madagascar. We will no longer see each other, but do not forget this day. “He was gentle,” declared a witness, “patient, zealous in carrying out his ministry whenever he was called, even when someone called him at midnight or when it was raining heavily.” In the south of Anjozorofady lived two female lepers.

At the age of 37, the new climate and culture challenged him.