The Congregation of the Priests of Mercy ( la, Congregatio Presbyterorum a Misericordia), commonly called Fathers of Mercy is a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men (
missionary
A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
priests) founded by Jean-Baptiste Rauzan in early 19th-century France.
Its members add the nominal letters C.P.M. after their names to indicate their membership in the Congregation.
History
Foundation
![Rauzan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Rauzan.jpg)
The founder, Jean-Baptiste Rauzan, was born at Bordeaux on 5 December 1757. After completing his ecclesiastical studies, he taught theology and sacred eloquence and later was chosen
Vicar-General
A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...
of
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
where he inaugurated a missionary movement. The institute was established at
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
, France, in 1808.
After preaching in the
Diocese of Troyes
The Diocese of Troyes (Latin: ''Dioecesis Trecensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Troyes'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Troyes, France. The diocese now comprises the ''département'' of Aube. Erected ...
the institute received from the Government of
Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, unsolicited subsidies to defray the expenses of their missions. However, following Napoleon's dispute with Pope
Pius VII
Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...
, the society, called the Missionaries of France, was suppressed.
In 1814, at the suggestion of
Cardinal Fesch
Joseph Fesch, Prince of France (3 January 1763 – 13 May 1839) was a French priest and diplomat, who was the maternal half-uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte (half-brother of Napoleon's mother Laetitia). In the wake of his nephew, he became Archbishop ...
, a Generalate for the community was established in Paris where the fathers were placed in charge of several parishes.
Father Rauzan and his colleagues, were joined by the young Vicar-General of
Chambéry
Chambéry (, , ; Arpitan: ''Chambèri'') is the prefecture of the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. The population of the commune of Chambéry was 58,917 as of 2019, while the population of the Chambér ...
,
de Forbin-Janson, afterwards
Bishop of Nancy;
Denis-Luc Frayssinous
Denis-Antoine-Luc, comte de Frayssinous (9 May 176512 December 1841) was a French prelate and statesman, orator and writer. He was the eighth member elected to occupy Seat 3 of the Académie Française in 1822.
Biography
De Frayssinous was born ...
, who founded St. Stanislaus College and instructed the young missionaries in sacred eloquence; Legris Duval, the St. Vincent de Paul of his day, Le Vasseur,
Armand-Benjamin Caillau and Carboy.
They evangelized the French cities of
Orléans
Orléans (;["Orleans"](_blank)
(US) and [Poitiers
Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...]
,
Tours
Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...
,
Rennes
Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...
,
Marseilles,
Toulon
Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and other places, and established the
Works of St. Geneviève and the
Association of the Ladies of Providence
Association may refer to:
*Club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal
*Trade association, an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry
*Voluntary associatio ...
in many parts of France.
Rauzan founded the
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Clotilde for the education of young ladies. The royal family assisted him financially and gave him Mount Valerian, at that time the center of piety, and later one of the principal forts protecting the capital.
In 1830, during the second Revolution, the Missionaries of France were dispersed and exiled and their house in Paris sacked. Rauzan went to Rome, where he was received by
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...
, who authorized him to found a new society, to be known as the Society of the Fathers of Mercy (S.P.M.).
The
Papal Brief
A papal brief or breve is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a papal bull.
History
The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugene IV (3 Marc ...
of approbation, which also contains the constitutions, was given 18 February 1834, and on 15 March of the same year a second Brief, affiliating the new society to the
Propaganda Fide
Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
, and the former Missionaries of France accepted these constitutions on 8 December 1835. Rauzan died in Paris, 5 September 1847.
Its members included
Mgsr Faillet,
Bishop of Orléans
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, Mgsr. Alfred Duquesnay,
Archbishop of Cambrai
The Archdiocese of Cambrai ( la, Archdiocesis Cameracensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Cambrai'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France, comprising the arrondissements of Avesnes-sur-Helpe ...
;
Victor-Felix Bernadou,
Archbishop of Sens, who later became a cardinal. The Fathers of Mercy resumed their missionary activities in France, but all religious societies were subject to the decree of expulsion in 1880. However, through the influence of their many friends in Paris, and claiming the enforcement of the authorization given to the society by the restored Bourbon king
Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...
in 1816, the Fathers of Mercy retained their mother-house in Paris until the separation of the Church and State in 1905, when they moved to Belgium.
America
In 1839, at the suggestion of Bishop Hughes of New York, Mgr. Forbin-Janson introduced the Fathers of Mercy into the United States, initially in the Diocese of New Orleans. Fr. Ferdinand Bach, the first superior in America, became the Rector of the
Cathedral of St. Louis in New Orleans where he died tending victims of yellow fever. (Correspondence between Bach and the motherhouse in Paris is on file in the archives of the University of Notre Dame.)
Bishop Potiers of Mobile, Alabama, then invited them to take charge of
Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College is a private, Jesuit college in Mobile, Alabama. It was founded in 1830 by Michael Portier, Bishop of Mobile. Along with being the oldest college or university in the state of Alabama, it was the first Catholic college in the ...
. Two years later, Fathers Lafont and Aubril were sent to look after the increasing French population in New York City, where the Fathers of Mercy took charge of the parishes of
St. Vincent de Paul, Manhattan, and of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Frances de Chantal, Brooklyn. They also set up houses of studies in Rome, Belgium, France and other places. By a decree of Propaganda in August 1906, Theophile Wucher was named Vicar General of the Institute for three years and took up residence in New York.
The Fathers of Mercy staffed St. John the Evangelist Parish in Green Bay from 1888 to 1891. They returned to Green Bay in 2011 to staff the
National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, also dedicated as the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, is a Marian shrine, located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay in the United States. The chapel is in the Champion section of Green B ...
.
Present day
The Generalate is in
Auburn, Kentucky
Auburn is a home rule-class city in Logan County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2010 census.
History
Originally called Federal Grove, the present name dates from the 1860s; it was named after Auburn, New York, ...
; St. Joseph's Novitiate is located in
South Union. Novices attend classes at
Mount St. Mary's Seminary in
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
. The habit of the congregation is the black Roman cassock.
Their primary apostolate is preaching parish missions and conducting retreats throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. They are active in the
Archdiocese of Louisville
The Archdiocese of Louisville is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that consists of twenty-four counties in the central American state of Kentucky, covering . As of 2018, the archdiocese contains appro ...
and the dioceses of
Green Bay and
Owensboro
Owensboro is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Daviess County, Kentucky, United States. It is the fourth-largest city in the state by population. Owensboro is located on U.S. Route 60 and Interstate 165 about southwest of Lou ...
.
They staff a couple of small, rural parishes in the
Archdiocese of Louisville
The Archdiocese of Louisville is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that consists of twenty-four counties in the central American state of Kentucky, covering . As of 2018, the archdiocese contains appro ...
. "The Fathers of Mercy Hour" is broadcast on a number of Catholic radio outlets. Retreat conferences are made available on CDs.
The Community Chapel of Divine Mercy
![Chapelinterior](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Chapelinterior.JPG)
In the spring of 2006 the Fathers of Mercy began construction of the Chapel of Divine Mercy. This chapel took over 2 years to complete construction and in August 2008 was consecrated, by the Most Rev.
John Jeremiah McRaith
John Jeremiah McRaith (December 6, 1934 – March 19, 2017) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro in Kentucky from 1982 to 2009.
Biography
Early life
John McRaith was born on Dec ...
, and opened to the public.
Events
Several events are held annually at the Fathers of Mercy Generalate and the Chapel of Divine Mercy. These include the Divine Mercy celebration, the Corpus Christi procession, and the celebrations of vows and Ordinations.
Charism
The Fathers of Mercy define their
charism
A spiritual gift or charism (plural: charisms or charismata; in Greek singular: χάρισμα
''charisma'', plural: χαρίσματα ''charismata'') is an extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit."Spiritual gifts". ''A Dictionary of the ...
as:
Purpose: We are entirely ordered to the apostolate, with our primary focus on the Spiritual Works of Mercy. This apostolate may be undertaken among those without the true Faith or among the faithful living in rural or neglected areas. The primary apostolate of the Fathers of Mercy is the preaching of parish missions and retreats; we also assist bishops with the staffing of rural parishes.
Missionary Spirit: Our work emphasizes the Mercy of God: Our venerable founder, Father Jean Baptiste Rauzan, provided us with the "Father of the Prodigal Son" as our model, as well as the scripture verse: "He was moved with mercy" (cf. Luke 15:20) as our motto.
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary: Our specific form of devotion is to the Immaculate Conception, because we were placed under this title of Our Lady by Pope Gregory XVI when he approved our Congregation in 1834, some twenty years before Pope Pius IX defined the dogma in 1854. We recite five decades of the rosary every day and celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th with great solemnity.
Seeking the protection of the Blessed Mother: We end all our spiritual exercises with the ancient prayer Sub tuum praesidium:
''We fly unto thy patronage, O Holy Mother of God.Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers,O Ever Glorious and Blessed Virgin.''
Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary: Our members consecrate themselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary every year on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th. We have a yearly novena to our Lady under this title, and this is a solemnity proper to our Congregation. The original Constitutions drawn up by Father Rauzan affirmed the belief that one goes surely to Jesus through Mary. Placing ourselves under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we profess our Final/Perpetual Vows on August 15th, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and we try to schedule all of our Ordinations on a Marian feast day.
Distinctive habit: Our habit, given to us by our Founder, which he adopted from the secular clergy, is a black Roman cassock with a black cincture. In addition, a badge with the emblem of the Congregation – the Return of the Prodigal Son – is worn on the upper left side of the habit.
Dedication to personal reform: Each member is required to undertake mental prayer and an examination of conscience twice a day.
Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist
The "Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist" is a
Public Association of the Faithful recognized in the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington ( la, Dioecesis Covingtonensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Kentucky, covering 3,359 square miles (8,700 km2) that includes the city of Covington and the Kentucky counties of Boone, Kento ...
. It was founded by two former members of the Fathers of Mercy with the aim of establishing a new religious Institute of diocesan right which celebrates the liturgy according to the 1962 Roman Missal. The association operates Our Lady of Lourdes parish in
Park Hills, Kentucky
Park Hills is a home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,162 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. Much of the city was listed on the National Register of Historic P ...
.
References
External links
Fathers of Mercy website Delaporte, Albert (1892). ''Vie du très révérend père Jean-Baptiste Rauzan fondateur et premier supérieur général de la Société des Missions de France, aujourd'hui Société des prêtres de la miséricorde sous le titre de l'immaculée-conception, fondateur de la congrégation des dames de Sainte-Clotilde''. Paris."Fathers of Mercy breakdance for students at Catholic High School"
{{Authority control
Catholic orders and societies
Religious organizations established in 1808
Catholic religious institutes established in the 19th century
1808 establishments in France