Julien Maunoir (1 October 1606 – 28 January 1683) (also Julian; br, Juluan Maner), was a French-born
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
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, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
priest known as the "Apostle of
Brittany". He was
beatified in 1951 by
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
and is commemorated by the
Catholic Church on 29 January and 2 July.
Life
Maunoir was born 1 October 1606 at
Saint-Georges-de-Reintembault near Rennes. At the age of fourteen, he entered the Jesuit college in Rennes. Julian entered the Society of Jesus in Paris at nineteen with the Canadian mission in mind.
He studied philosophy at La Fleche and in 1630 was assigned to the college at Saint-Ives at Quimper, Brittany, where he taught Latin and Greek. A classmate of Saints
Isaac Jogues and
Gabriel Lalemant
Gabriel Lalemant (3 October 1610 – 17 March 1649) was a French Jesuit missionary in New France beginning in 1646. Caught up in warfare between the Huron and nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, he was killed in St. Ignace by Mohawk warriors ...
, he aspired to become a missionary to the peoples of
Canada. During his period of priestly formation with the
Society of Jesus, he studied the
Breton language
Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albeit as a member of t ...
in order to teach the faith to the Breton peasants. He worked hard and within two months he was sufficiently fluent to be able to preach in Breton. Maunoir is considered a noted
orthographer of the Breton language, having completed a Breton grammar.
["Julien Maunoir"](_blank)
''Encyclopædia Britannica'' He continued to preach in the hamlets of Brittany until he went to
Tours to begin his theological studies prior to ordination.
Maunoir continued his theological studies in
Bourges
Bourges () is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry.
History
The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, t ...
under
Louis Lallemant, followed by a year in Rouen, some missionary work in Normandy, and a year of teaching literature at the College of Nevers.
[d'Herouville, S.J, H. A., "Venerable Julian Maunoir: A Pilgrimage to His Birthplace and Grave", ''Woodstock Letters'', Volume LX, Number 2, 1 June 1931]
/ref>
He was ordained in 1637 and returned to Brittany in 1640 and was assigned again to Quimper, succeeding Venerable Dom Michael le Nobletz.[ A window in Quimper Cathedral is entitled Prėsentation de Julien Maunoir à Monseigneur du Louët par Michel Le Nobletz. It depicts Michel Le Nobletz presenting Julien Maunoir to Renė du Louët, Bishop of Cornouaille. Erected as a tribute to Bishop du Louët, it recognizes the importance of Le Nobletz and Maunoir as Breton missionaries.
Maunoir was found to be uniquely suited for the difficult task of evangelizing the impoverished people of Brittany. Together with his companion, Father Pierre Bernard, Father Maunoir worked among the poor, the peasants and fishermen. Father Maunoir worked as a missionary to the ]Breton people
The Bretons (; br, Bretoned or ''Vretoned,'' ) are a Celtic ethnic group native to Brittany. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brittonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain, particularly Cornwall and Devon, most ...
for 43 years, and managed to give a Christian meaning to what had become pious customs.
By 1683, he had formed almost 1,000 Breton missionaries, who carried on the pastoral works that he had begun."Jesuit Family Portraits", University of Fairfield
/ref> Julien Maunoir died in Plévin, Brittany, on 28 January 1683,[Tylenda, Joseph N., ''Saints and Feasts of the Liturgical Year'', Georgetown University Press, 2003]
and was buried in the parish church grounds at the insistence of his people.
He was beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1951.[
]
See also
* History of Brittany
References
External links
Fest Noz: Breton Culture
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maunoir, Julian
1606 births
1683 deaths
French Roman Catholic missionaries
Jesuit missionaries in France
17th-century French Jesuits
History of Brittany
Breton saints
French beatified people
17th-century venerated Christians
Orthographers
Breton beatified people