Carlos de foucauld biography of mahatma
Home / Religious & Spiritual Figures / Carlos de foucauld biography of mahatma
Pray so that your child does more good and that better workers than him might come to clear this corner in the field of the family’s Father.”
“My apostolate must be the apostolate of goodness. Even though I wasn’t a believer I started going to Church. I want to do them seriously, bringing along books in order to discover as thoroughly as possible both the ancient and modern history, though mostly the ancient history of all the countries through which I will be travelling.”
Morocco was not far away but was forbidden to Europeans.
I prayed and I sang in the Synagogue. During my trip, my costume was that of Moroccan Jews, my religion, theirs, my name, Rabbi Joseph. Nothing can stop them except God.”
But God did not stop them and Charles was violently killed December 1 1916.
“Unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest.”
.
Seeing the way Muslims expressed their faith questioned him and he began repeating, ÂMy God, if you exist, let me come to know you.ÂOn his return to France, the warm, respectful welcome he received from his deeply Christian family made him continue his search.
Not in a day since it is perfection itself: it is the goal we must always aim for, which we must unceasingly try to reach and that we will only attain in heaven.”
The outbreak of World War I led to attacks on the French in Algeria. Send holy little brothers and little sisters of the Sacred Heart there if it be your will!”
“Time not taken by walk or prayer is spent studying their language.”
“I have just finished translating the Holy Gospels into Tuareg language.
He joined a Trappist monastery in Ardeche, France, and later transferred to one in Akbes, Syria. I was running wild.”
“I was in the dark. But if I believe that, as an exception, I am sometimes called to something else, like Mary I can only say, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’.”
“For the moment I am a nomad, going from camp to camp, trying to build up familiarity, trust and friendship.
How good you are! A seeker of God (1886 to 1890)
Such glory meant nothing to Charles. They did not say a word, understanding perhaps better than I, what danger might befall me were they to speak up.”
“On arriving in Agadir, I went to the home of Hadj Bou Rhim. “Whatsoever you do to one of these little ones you do to me”. He wanted to be among those who were, Âthe furthest removed, the most abandoned. He wanted all who drew close to him to find in him a brother, Âa universal brother. In a great respect for the culture and faith of those among whom he lived, his desire was to Âshout the Gospel with his lifeÂ.
He lived a peaceful, hidden life but attracted no companions.
A former army comrade invited him to live among the Tuareg people in Algeria. I have since found out that several suspected that I was a Christian. He was beatified in 2005 and canonized in 2022.
Reflection
The life of Charles de Foucauld was eventually centered on God and was animated by prayer and humble service, which he hoped would draw Muslims to Christ.