Gabriel Taborin (1799–1864) was a French religious brother and founder of the Brothers of the Holy Family of Belley, France.

History

Taborin was born in

Belleydoux Belleydoux () is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France. Geography Belleydoux is situated at the southernmost end of the Hautes-Combes in the Jura mountains, and lies in the Semine valley, a tributary of the Rhône via the Valser ...

, France, on November 1, 1799. He began his work in the diocese of Belley and obtained its approbation from Pope Gregory XVI in 1841. Taborin began at a very early age to work as

catechist Catechesis (; from Greek: , "instruction by word of mouth", generally "instruction") is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of converts to Christianity, but as the ...

and teacher in Belley and in the neighbouring diocese. His mission was foster a Catholic rebirth in France. The Catholic church had suffered religious persecution as a result of the French Revolution. Taborin devoted his time to small rural centers; supporting elementary schools, catechising the Catholic parishioners, and promoting the

liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

in the parish churches. Taborine felt himself attracted to all peoples and to all individuals, loving them as brothers. A strong believer in the value of the

consecrated life Consecrated life (also known as religious life) is a state of life in the Catholic Church lived by those faithful who are called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way. It includes those in institutes of consecrated life (religious and se ...

. Taborin decided to found a lay institute to promulgate these Christian values. He was assisted by Mons. Raymond Devie, bishop of Belley, who served as a guide and helped, and John Vianney, Curé of

Ars Ars or ARS may refer to: Places * Ars, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran * ''Ars'', various communes in France: ** Ars, Charente, in the Charente ''département'' ** Ars, Creuse, in the Creuse ''département'' ** Ars-en-Ré, in ...

who helped him morally and financially.. During Taborin's life, the Institute spread in France and Savoie. Open to "every good work" he loved to get involved in mission territory. He would say: "I would rather have the title of catechist in the missions than all the titles of human worth". Taborin died in Belley on November 24, 1864. He was reported to have the odour of sanctity. In 1991, the Vatican proclaimed Taborin as Venerable. In 1903, as a result of rulings by the French government that limited the functions of the Institute, many of brothers dispersed to other centers in Italy and other countries.

History

References

See also