Louis-Marie Baudouin

Louis-Marie Baudouin
Venerable Louis-Marie Baudouin

Louis-Marie Baudouin, born August 2, 1765 in Montaigu (Vendée) and died on February 12, 1835 at Chavagnes-en-Paillers was a French priest, founder of the Sons of Mary Immaculate and the Ursulines of Jesus. He was proclaimed Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI on December 20, 2012.^[1]

Biography

He was educated at the Seminary of Luçon, in the Vendée, and was ordained as a Catholic priest at Saint-Malo on 19 September 1789. In 1790, Father Baudouin refused to swear to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy of the Revolutionary Government and went into exile to Spain on September 9, 1792, with 234 other priests. He spent 4 years in Toledo. On August 17, 1797, Louis Marie Baudouin returned to France, and lived illegally for 2 years at Les Sables-d'Olonne. In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte allowed free exercise of worship following the end of the wars of the Vendée. He was appointed to the parish of la Jonchère on 31 July 1801 at Chavagnes-en-Paillers. In 1803, a seminary was begun in Chavagnes. This is now part of Chavagnes International College. In 1805, he undertook the beginning of a small society of the children of Mary. This became the twin congregations of the Sons of Mary Immaculate and the Ursulines of Jesus. In 1812, the seminary of Chavagnes was transferred, on the orders of Napoleon, to La Rochelle. Louis Marie Baudouin moved to La Rochelle where he was appointed superior of the seminary and vicar general of the diocese. In 1821, the diocese of Luçon was restored, and Chavagnes once again became the Major Seminary and Baudouin was re-appointed its Rector as well as being vicar general of the diocese. In 1829, Louis Marie Baudouin retired to Chavagnes-en-Paillers. He died there at the age of 69.^[2]

Notes and references