Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
(1813-1853)
A
man convinced of the inestimable worth of each human being, Frédéric
served the poor of Paris well and drew others into serving the poor of
the world. Through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, his work continues
to the present day.
Frédéric was the fifth of Jean and Marie Ozanam’s 14 children, one of
only three to reach adulthood. As a teenager he began having doubts
about his religion. Reading and prayer did not seem to help, but long
walking discussions with Father Noirot of the Lyons College clarified
matters a great deal.
Frédéric wanted to study literature,
although his father, a doctor, wanted him to become a lawyer. Frédéric
yielded to his father’s wishes and in 1831 arrived in Paris to study law
at the University of the Sorbonne. When certain professors there mocked
Catholic teachings in their lectures, Frédéric defended the Church.
A
discussion club which Frédéric organized sparked the turning point in
his life. In this club Catholics, atheists and agnostics debated the
issues of the day. Once, after Frédéric spoke about Christianity’s role
in civilization, a club member said: "Let us be frank, Mr. Ozanam; let
us also be very particular. What do you do besides talk to prove the
faith you claim is in you?"
Frédéric was stung by the question. He
soon decided that his words needed a grounding in action. He and a
friend began visiting Paris tenements and offering assistance as best
they could. Soon a group dedicated to helping individuals in need under
the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul formed around Frédéric.
Feeling
that the Catholic faith needed an excellent speaker to explain its
teachings, Frédéric convinced the Archbishop of Paris to appoint Father
Lacordaire, the greatest preacher then in France, to preach a Lenten
series in Notre Dame Cathedral. It was well attended and became an
annual tradition in Paris.
After Frédéric earned his law degree at
the Sorbonne, he taught law at the University of Lyons. He also earned a
doctorate in literature. Soon after marrying Amelie Soulacroix on June
23, 1841, he returned to the Sorbonne to teach literature. A
well-respected lecturer, Frédéric worked to bring out the best in each
student. Meanwhile, the St. Vincent de Paul Society was growing
throughout Europe. Paris alone counted 25 conferences.
In 1846,
Frédéric, Amelie and their daughter Marie went to Italy; there he hoped
to restore his poor health. They returned the next year. The revolution
of 1848 left many Parisians in need of the services of the St. Vincent
de Paul conferences. The unemployed numbered 275,000. The government
asked Frédéric and his co-workers to supervise the government aid to the
poor. Vincentians throughout Europe came to the aid of Paris.
Frédéric then started a newspaper, The New Era,
dedicated to securing justice for the poor and the working classes.
Fellow Catholics were often unhappy with what Frédéric wrote. Referring
to the poor man as "the nation’s priest," Frédéric said that the hunger
and sweat of the poor formed a sacrifice that could redeem the people’s
humanity
In 1852 poor health again forced Frédéric to return to
Italy with his wife and daughter. He died on September 8, 1853. In his
sermon at Frédéric’s funeral, Lacordaire described his friend as "one of
those privileged creatures who came direct from the hand of God in whom
God joins tenderness to genius in order to enkindle the world."
Frédéric was beatified in 1997. Since Frédéric wrote an excellent book entitled Franciscan Poets of the Thirteenth Century
and since Frederick’s sense of the dignity of each poor person was so
close to the thinking of St. Francis, it seemed appropriate to include
him among Franciscan "greats."
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