The French newspaper, Le Croix, reported on the August 29th 2012 meeting of Bishops in Paris at which the Bishop of Troyes, Bl Brisson’s home town, spoke on the upcoming beatification of Venerable Louis Brisson.
Ven. Brisson was unique, an inventor not only of an astronomical clock but also a dough machine, a drying room for clothes and a soft mattress. As a priest, Founder of two Religious Congregations and Confessor to the Visitation community, his sanctity was deepened by his loyalty to the Spiritual Directory of St. Francis de Sales.
Photo source: Fr. Thomas Dailey OSFS
The French newspaper article contained the news that: P. Louis Brisson, founder of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, will be beatified on September 22nd.
More than four thousand people are expected to Troyes for three days of festivities surrounding the beatification.
Priest, teacher, inventor and father of many schools and sponsorships for youth, Fr Brisson is the founder of the Oblates and Oblate of St. Francis de Sales. These educational institutes and missionaries are present in France and around the world, such as South Africa where he founded the mission of Namaqualand in 1882.
At the press conference held this Wednesday, August 29 at the headquarters of the bishops’ conference in Paris France, Bishop Marc Stenger, Bishop of Troyes reminded us that the beatification of Father Brisson was primarily the beatification of a diocesan priest before the founder of the Oblates and Oblate of St. Francis de Sales.
The ceremonies surrounding the beatification will take place over three days from September 21 to 23 in Troyes and Plancy Abbey, under the presidency of Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, who will represent Pope Benedict XVI.
On this occasion, many activities will be offered by the diocese as a vigil around the life of Fr Brisson.
” More than four thousand people are expected to attend the three days of prayer and festivity “welcomed Bishop Stenger,” much more than the cathedral can accommodate , “he added, smiling. The bishop said he would use the beatification of Father Brisson to invite young people to WYD in Rio in July 2013.
For Bishop Marc Stenger, Bishop of Troyes, P. Brisson is proof that you can be a priest, in an original way: ” Father Brisson was an original figure of the clergy by his openness to existence and nature but also well before the encyclical Rerum Novarum by his interest in social issues . ”
Original French article was by CECILE RICHARDSON