france2003paris3

Welcome to the site of the TransCanada Province of the Spiritans. We are a Roman Catholic Religious Congregation of over three thousand members, founded in 1703. Our missions are spread worldwide. While we may be found involved in many diverse ministries, we have dedicated ourselves to working with the poor and in those situations where the Church has difficulty in finding ministers. We hope you enjoy your visit to our site and that while browsing you will keep us in your prayers. May God bless you.

Spiritan Year

Pilgrimage to France
May 6-14, 2003
In the Footsteps of the Founders

As part of the Spiritan Year, a pilgrimage was organized to retrace the footsteps of our founders, Claude Poullart des Places and Francis Libermann, as well as to visit other sites in France that are of significance to the Spiritans.
PARIS
Auteuil & Blessed Daniel Brottier

Tomb of Blessed Daniel Brottier

Daniel Brottier was born on 7 September 1876 in Ferte-Saint-Cyr in the diocese of Blois, northern France. Quite early on he showed an interest in religious things. Not surprisingly, he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on 22 October 1899. However, not content with working for the Catholics of France, he decided to give his life to bringing the gospel to unbelievers. With this in mind he entered the congregation of the Holy Ghost Fathers. He was sent as a missionary to Senegal, W. Africa where he worked with great drive and commitment in the parish of St. Louis. He was recalled to France in 1911 and became involved in raising funds for the cathedral of Dakar, capital city of Senegal. The First World War intervened. He was enlisted in the French forces and worked in the Red Cross with the function of chaplain. He took part in this capacity in the battles of Lorraine, the Somme, Verdun and Flanders. One of the fortunate few to survive the war, he founded the National Union of Ex-Servicemen shortly after leaving the French forces. In 1923, he was named by Cardinal Dubois as director of an institute which provides accommodation and education for orphans, known in French as L'Oeuvre d'Auteuil. Daniel Brottier had an enormous faith in the intercession of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower. Trusting in her intercession he succeeded in expanding the work of Auteuil many times over in the course of 12 years. He died exhausted by his efforts on 28 February 1936 leaving behind the reputation of a man of God and a great Christian. Fr. Brottier's body was exhumed in 1962 with a view to his beatification. It was found perfectly preserved, 26 years after his death. Daniel Brottier was declared "Blessed" by our Holy Father in Rome on November 25th, 1984.

Chevilly

Rue Lhomond

Auteuil

Notre-Dame de la Bonne Délivrance

Notre-Dame de Victoires

St. Sulpice

Sights of Paris

...to Rennes

...to Saverne