Francis Libermann
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Francis Libermann was a 19th century Jewish convert to Catholicism who was a member of the Spiritan order. He is best known for founding the Congregation of the Holy Heart, which later merged with the Congregation of the Holy Ghost.
[edit] History
Francis Mary Paul (Jacob) Libermann was born into the Jewish ghetto of Saverne, Alsace, France in 1802. As a young man, Libermann prepared to follow in the footsteps of his father, the Head Rabbi of Saverne. However, after reading a Hebrew translation of the Gospels, he decided to convert to Christianity while still in the process of studying for the rabbinate. To the horror of his father, Libermann was baptized as a Catholic in 1826 and entered a Paris seminary in the same year. His father thereafter mourned him as dead.
Libermann suffered from epileptic seizures, which prevented his ordination for nearly 15 years. It was only when these seizures ceased in 1841 that he was able to become a priest. After his ordination, Libermann created a small religious order centered around missionary activity towards newly freed slaves in Reunion, Haiti, and Mauritius. As this group attracted more members, the Vatican merged his society with the older Congregation of the Holy Ghost, otherwise known as "Spiritans". Due to this event, Libermann is often referred to as the "Second Founder" of the Holy Ghost Fathers.
Francis Libermann died on February 2, 1852. Ironically, he had never been overseas himself, despite his founding of a missionary order.
He was declared Venerable by Pope Pius IX in 1876. His letters, hundreds of which survive, are frequently used as a guide in the devotional life.
[edit] References
Fr. G. Lee, C.S.Sp. "The Life of the Venerable Francis Libermann," Copyright 1911.
