JESUIT PRIEST

Roman martyrology: In place of Plévin, Brittany Minor, in France, Blessed Julian Maunoir, priest of the Society of Jesus, who gave himself for forty and two years the popular missions for all places and villages of the province (1683).

Beatification date:   May 20, 1951 by Pope Pius XII.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Born on October 1,1606 at Saint-Georges-de-Reitembault, France.  Raised in a pious home. Classmate of Saint Isaac Jogues. Joined the Jesuits in 1625. Regent of the College of Quimper from 1630 to 1633. Ordained on  June 6, 1637. Successfully fought secret societies in Brittany, France. Built homes for the aged in the French cities of Vannes and Quimper.

Having learned the Breton language, and developed a phonetic Breton alphabet while teaching in Quimper, Julian was well suited for evangelizing the impoverished people of Brittany. Though he requested to go do missionary work in Canada, he was assigned as a home missioner for 43 years, holding 375 missions and becoming the principal cause of religious renewal in the province. His missions sometimes attracted 10,000 to 30,000 people; he had to bring in several parish priests to help hear confessions, catechize, and distribute Communion. In 1651, seven of these priests asked permission to join Julian in his work, and the group became known as the Breton Missionaries. By 1665 there were 300, and by 1683 almost 1000.

He died at 8 pm on  January 20, 1683 at Plévin, France of natural causes. He was buried in the parish church at Plévin.