This observance appears in the catholic calendar with liturgical color green .
Saint John Eudes, a 17th-century French priest, is renowned for pioneering and promoting the liturgical devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and for founding two religious congregations.
Saint John Eudes was a prominent 17th-century French priest, missionary, and spiritual writer who profoundly shaped Christian spirituality through his zealous promotion of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He is credited with initiating the first liturgical celebrations honoring these devotions, which later became widespread practices within the Church. Furthermore, he founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudists) for the formation of priests and missionaries, and the Order of Our Lady of Charity, dedicated to assisting women in need, thereby significantly contributing to both clerical reform and social welfare in his time.
Saint John Eudes, born on November 14, 1601, in Ri, Normandy, France, emerged from a devout farming family, a common yet fertile ground for future saints in the richly Catholic landscape of 17th-century France. From a young age, John displayed a profound piety and intellectual curiosity, receiving his initial education from the Jesuits in Caen. At the age of 14, he made a vow of chastity, a testament to his early dedication to a life consecrated to God. His spiritual journey led him to join the Oratory of Jesus, founded by Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle, a significant center of spiritual renewal and priestly formation in France. This environment, characterized by a deep Christocentric spirituality and a commitment to priestly holiness, profoundly shaped John Eudes' theological outlook and missionary zeal. He was ordained a priest on December 20, 1625, and immediately immersed himself in pastoral work, preparing him for the arduous yet fruitful ministry that lay ahead. His early years in the Oratory were marked by intense study and prayer, solidifying his theological foundations and deepening his personal relationship with Christ, which would become the wellspring of his future endeavors. His spiritual formation within the Oratory instilled in him a profound sense of the dignity of the priesthood and the vital importance of forming holy priests, a conviction that would later drive his most significant institutional work. This period of formation was critical in shaping his understanding of the priesthood as a participation in the very priesthood of Christ, a theme that would permeate his writings and his work for clerical reform.
The year was 1627, and a terrifying shadow had fallen across Normandy. The dreaded plague, a relentless and invisible killer, swept through towns and villages, leaving behind a trail of death and despair. Fear gripped the hearts of many, and even priests sometimes hesitated to approach the infected, for the contagion was swift and merciless. But amidst this desolation, a young Oratorian priest, barely in his late twenties, stood firm: John Eudes. His heart, overflowing with the love of Christ, could not bear to abandon the suffering. He saw not the disease, but the souls in peril, yearning for the sacraments, for comfort, for a final blessing. Day after day, he plunged into the infected areas, ministering to the dying, hearing confessions, anointing the sick, and burying the dead. He became a beacon of hope in a time of overwhelming darkness, his presence a testament to divine mercy. Yet, John was also a man of prudence. He understood the grave risk he posed to his fellow Oratorians, to the community he loved, if he were to bring the contagion back to their residence. His solution was as ingenious as it was ascetic. He had a large, empty wine barrel transported to a field some distance from the Oratory. This humble vessel became his dwelling place. After spending his days tending to the plague-stricken, he would retreat to his solitary barrel, sleeping there, praying there, isolating himself from everyone else to prevent the spread of the disease. Imagine him, a priest of God, living in a wooden cask under the open sky, enduring the chill of the nights and the solitude, all for the sake of his flock and the safety of his brethren. This extraordinary act of self-denial and profound charity speaks volumes of Saint John Eudes' character. It was not merely courage that drove him, but an unshakeable faith in God's providence and an overwhelming love for humanity, mirroring the very heart of Christ he so ardently preached. His willingness to sacrifice personal comfort and safety for the spiritual and physical well-being of others cemented his reputation as a true shepherd, embodying the selfless love that defined his entire life and ministry.
17th Century
It is a truth of faith that the Most Holy Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, and that her Heart is the Heart of the Mother of God. This Heart, therefore, is the Heart of a Mother whose Son is God, a Heart united to the Heart of God, a Heart that is in God and God in it. Oh, what a prodigy! Oh, what a mystery! A Heart that is a creature and yet is the Heart of God's Mother! A Heart that is a creature and yet is in God and God in it! A Heart that is a creature and yet is united to God by the most intimate union that can exist between a creature and its Creator! A Heart that is a creature and yet is the Heart of the Mother of the Most Holy Trinity, the Mother of the Eternal Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Because the Son is God, and God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, therefore the Heart of Mary is the Heart of the Mother of the Most Holy Trinity. Oh, what a privilege! Oh, what a dignity! Oh, what a glory! Who can comprehend the greatness of this Heart? Who can fathom the depths of its perfections? Who can measure the immensity of its charity? Only God, who is its Creator, can fully know it.
This Heart is a Heart of flesh, a human Heart, and yet it is divinized by its union with God. It is a Heart that has been chosen by God from all eternity to be the Heart of His Mother, a Heart that has been filled with grace from the very first moment of its existence, a Heart that has never known sin, a Heart that has always been perfectly pure and holy. It is a Heart that has been formed by the Holy Spirit, a Heart that has been overshadowed by the power of the Most High, a Heart that has been made worthy to conceive and bear the Son of God. Oh, what a masterpiece of God's grace! Oh, what a marvel of divine power! Oh, what a treasure of heavenly virtues! This Heart is a burning furnace of charity, a boundless ocean of mercy, a bottomless abyss of humility, a dazzling mirror of purity, an inexhaustible source of all virtues. It is a Heart that loves God with an infinite love, a love that surpasses the love of all angels and saints combined. It is a Heart that loves humanity with a tender and compassionate love, a love that embraces all creatures, a love that seeks nothing but the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Consider the interior dispositions of this admirable Heart. It is a Heart profoundly humble, recognizing its nothingness before God, yet profoundly grateful for the immense dignities bestowed upon it. It is a Heart perfectly obedient to the divine will, always ready to fulfill God's commands, no matter how difficult or painful. It is a Heart filled with faith, trusting implicitly in God's promises, even when all seemed lost. It is a Heart burning with hope, confident in God's unfailing goodness and mercy. But above all, it is a Heart consumed by charity, a pure and ardent love for God and for all humanity. This charity is the very essence of Mary's Heart, the principle of all its actions, the source of all its perfections. It is this charity that led her to accept the divine maternity, to stand at the foot of the Cross, and to suffer with her Son for the redemption of the world. It is this charity that continues to move her to intercede for us before God's throne, to pour out graces upon us, and to lead us to her Son. Therefore, to honor the Heart of Mary is to honor charity itself, to honor the purest and most perfect love that ever existed in a creature, and to unite ourselves to that love so that it may transform our own hearts into dwelling places of divine charity.
1909 (original publication of article)
ST. JOHN EUDES, founder of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (Eudists) and of the Order of Our Lady of Charity, was born at Ri, Normandy, on November 14, 1601; died at Caen, August 19, 1680. He made his studies at the Jesuit College in Caen and joined the Oratory of France in 1623. Ordained a priest in 1625, he devoted himself to missionary work, especially during the great plagues of 1627 and 1631. He became a celebrated preacher, giving over a hundred missions throughout France, often lasting several weeks, and drawing immense crowds. His powerful and eloquent sermons, coupled with his profound personal holiness, led to widespread conversions and a remarkable spiritual renewal in the regions he visited. He was known for his tireless zeal and his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, from the simple peasants to the nobility.
Eudes saw the urgent need for a better-trained and more holy clergy in the aftermath of the Wars of Religion and the general laxity that had crept into the Church. He also recognized the plight of women who had fallen into prostitution and desired to reform their lives. These two concerns led him to undertake the foundation of two new religious congregations. In 1641, he founded the Order of Our Lady of Charity, a community of women dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of repentant fallen women. This was a pioneering work of charity, addressing a deeply neglected societal issue with compassion and a structured approach to spiritual and practical support. The work grew, and later inspired St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier to found the Good Shepherd Sisters, an offshoot of Eudes' original foundation.
His second and perhaps more widely impactful foundation was the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, also known as the Eudists, established in Caen on March 25, 1643. The primary purpose of the Eudists was the formation of priests in seminaries and the giving of missions. At the time, priestly formation was often rudimentary, with many priests receiving little formal theological or spiritual training. Eudes aimed to provide a comprehensive formation that would produce priests who were deeply spiritual, intellectually sound, and zealous for the salvation of souls. He established seminaries that became models for others, emphasizing not only academic study but also profound interior life, pastoral skills, and a strong sense of priestly identity rooted in Christ. His vision for priestly formation was truly prophetic and contributed significantly to the implementation of the reforms called for by the Council of Trent.
Saint John Eudes is perhaps most famously known for his role in promoting the liturgical cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. While devotion to the Sacred Heart existed informally before him, Eudes was the first to organize and promote its public, liturgical veneration. He composed Masses and Offices in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and he tirelessly preached about these devotions, viewing the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as the wellsprings of divine love and mercy. His writings, especially 'The Devotion to the Adorable Heart of Jesus' and 'The Admirable Heart of Mary,' profoundly influenced the spread of these devotions throughout the Catholic world. He saw the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as inseparable, united in love and in their mission for the salvation of humanity, and he emphasized the importance of conforming one's own heart to these divine and immaculate Hearts. His efforts laid the groundwork for the later universal recognition and liturgical feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, making him a pivotal figure in the history of Catholic spirituality.
His spiritual doctrine is characterized by a profound Christocentric focus, emphasizing the Christian's participation in the life of Christ through baptism and the sacraments. He taught that Christians are called to live as 'other Christs,' continually striving to reproduce in themselves the virtues and dispositions of Jesus. This transformation is achieved through a deep interior life, prayer, and devotion, particularly to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He stressed the importance of the spiritual combat against sin and the need for constant conversion and growth in holiness. Eudes's legacy endures through the religious congregations he founded, which continue his work of priestly formation and charitable service, and through the widespread devotions to the Sacred Hearts, which remain central to Catholic piety. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925, recognizing his immense contributions to the renewal of the Church and the spiritual lives of the faithful.