Fr. Jean Berthier, M.S. – a Leader, Writer and Founder

 

 

We are exploring briefly the life of the Venerable Jean Berthier, Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette, and Founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Family. Why do we call him “Venerable? Because he lived his life in a spirit of holiness, zeal, dedication, and love, and Pope Francis declared him Venerable on May 19, 2018.

Who was Jean Berthier?

Fr. Jean Berthier, M.S., as a young La SaletteHe was the eldest of six children, born into a devout Catholic Family in the village of Chatonnay, France on February 24, 1840. Chatonnay is still today just a small town in the southeastern part of France, thirty-two miles west of Grenoble.

When Jean was just six years old, his grandmother whispered into his ear one evening, telling him about a wonderful event that had taken place just a few weeks earlier. Our Blessed Mother had appeared in the mountains at La Salette, just fifty miles from where their live. Two small children saw her. She came, seated, in tears, surrounded by a very bright globe of light. She was crying all the while as she spoke.

The reality of the words of the Beautiful Lady of La Salette would touch even the life of the Berthier family; four of Jean’s sisters and brothers. who would die very young? The evil of sin is contagious and harms even the innocent. Jean’s health was fragile all his life and would cause him to suffer greatly; but he would live.

His early calling, schooling and seminary life

At an early age, Jean decided he wanted to become a priest. His parents supported his decision and enrolled him in schools where he could get good education. Even though Jean’s health was not robust, he studied diligently and excelled. Later he entered the seminary.

Because he could not play many of the strenuous sports other students liked, he developed a hobby of studying nature – plants, flowers, trees and even weeds! He catalogued everything. Later he would broaden out his hobby into cataloguing; he began writing down interesting quotes from spiritual writers and bible verses. This hobby would serve him well when, later in life he began writing books.

His zeal as a La Salette

When Jean was twenty-one, about a year before being ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Grenoble, this young cleric, along with other friends made an eighty-mile round trip pilgrimage on foot to La Salette. Here is what he himself wrote in his journal about that experience.

An early drawing of Our Weeping Mother and her Shrine on the Holy Mountain in FranceIt is a long way from Grenoble to the town of Corps, at the foot of Mount Gargas. But the desire to see the place which the Blessed Virgin had watered with her tears made us oblivious to the distance and the hardships we experienced on this long walk. They finally arrived at La Salette.

Once we reached the top of the mountain, all they saw there was a small statue which had been donated by a laborer from the nearby city of Lyon in gratitude for a miraculous cure obtained it through the intercession of the Weeping Mother. They saw the little white wooden crosses, placed at intervals along the path which had been traced by the Blessed Virgin. There was not much there to dazzle the eyes of the body, but there was very much for the eyes of the soul to see. The very thought that Mary had blessed this spot with her presence, he said, “enraptured me; on leaving I said to myself: ‘I will return here.’”

The pilgrimage proved to be a life-changing experience for Jean; so much so that, upon returning to the Seminary in Grenoble, he told his Spiritual Director that he wanted to become a La Salette Missionary. Her message captivated him, and his Spiritual Director told him to pray over his decision for a year.

Fr. Berthier in middle ageJean did just that. After being ordained a deacon a year later, in July 1862, Jean once again climbed up the mountain of La Salette to begin his novitiate – a year of spiritual training that would hopefully end with his taking vows as a Missionary of La Salette. Still technically a cleric of the Diocese of Grenoble, the Bishop called him to priestly Ordination a few months after beginning his novitiate. This posed no problem, because most of the Missionaries of La Salette at that time were originally from the Diocese of Grenoble, and the Congregation of La Salette was a diocesan Congregation under the direction of the Bishop.

However, the hardship and rigors of the novitiate at the Holy Mountain and preparations for ordination took their toll on Jean’s fragile health. Just seven months into his year of novitiate, he became seriously ill. He was physically exhausted when, on September 20, 1862, Jean was ordained a priest. He would continue his novitiate in the milder climate of Grenoble. But his health did not improve; in fact, he had tuberculosis.

He was told to stop his novitiate. Under the direction of Fr. Giraud, his master of novices, he began writing books on spirituality during his treatment. By God’s grace, he was cured and two years later rejoined his novitiate training. On September 8, 1865 – three years after entering novitiate – he made his first profession. Fr. Jean Berthier, now a professed La Salette Missionary, was filled with zeal for making Mary’ message known as he preached the Gospel.

Ministering on the Holy Mountain and founding a school

For many years during the harsh winters, he preached retreats and parish missions in and around the diocese of Grenoble, while most of the summer months he ministered on the mountain of La Salette. He continued writing and publishing books on La Salette and on Christian life.

On the 25th anniversary of the Apparition, the Missionaries of La Salette numbered only eleven members. Most priests came from Grenoble or other nearby dioceses to join the Community on the Holy Mountain. Some stayed a year or two, then returned to their diocese. What would their future be? Could they continue their work on the Holy Mountain without a steady source of vocations?

The future St. Joseph’s School near CorpsThe Fathers proposed something new – opening a Minor Seminary for young boys – 14-15 years old – who showed a desire to be La Salette Missionaries. Thus in 1877, the first La Salette Apostolic School was opened at the base of the mountain, on the outskirts of Corps, with fifteen students. Three fathers, including Fr. Berthier as Director, were designated as professors.

The boys were from poor farm families. Their daily schedule was divided between prayer, study, and manual labor – growing vegetables and fruits to eat, raising chickens, pigs and cows for milk and meat.

Some boys would discern that they were not meant to be religious and priests, and so they left. Others entered to bolster their ranks. Two years later there would be thirty students and even more would arrive. In 1881, with anti-clerical laws enacted in France, he was charged with opening a new Major La Salette Seminary. But it had to be outside France, and Switzerland was chosen.

The congregation bought a spacious abandoned farm near the village of La Souste. Fr. Berthier was chosen to direct the school, and he became a one-person faculty teaching thirteen students both philosophy and theology! All the time he continued to write and publish books.

(From Left) La Salette Frs. Pierre Pajot and Joseph Vignon, founders of La Salette Seminary in Hartford, ConnecticutFrance had traditionally been a Catholic country. The dechristianization of France began with the French Revolution in 1789. Succeeding governments and constitutions led to the radical laicization of the laws. Religious was to have no meaning. The government gradually confiscated Church land and money, and terminated Christian religious practice and, indeed of the religion itself.

The new revolutionary authorities suppressed the Church, abolished the Catholic monarchy, nationalized Church property including schools, exiled 30,000 priests, and killed hundreds more. In October 1793, the Christian calendar was replaced by a secular calendar in which Sunday was suppressed! Male religious Congregations – including La Salettes – had to flee to other countries.

Two students from the original class of the apostolic school in Corps, Frs. Pierre Pajot and Joseph Vignon, were chosen in 1892 to bring La Salettes to North America! And in 1901 La Salettes moved everything out of France to nearby countries; the Apostolic Schools and novitiate, and moved to the city of Tournai, in Belgium.

Founding the Missionaries of the Holy Family in Holland

Fr. Berthier returned to France after nine years in Switzerland and once again began preaching missions and retreats. It was this ministry which brought him into contact with many young men who desired to be priests but were considered – at fifteen years of age – too old to enter a seminary and study for the priesthood! But there were no seminaries for men over fifteen years of age! He was encouraged by Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII, who sent these words to the La Salette Congregation: “The Holy Father has approved, praised, encouraged, and blessed the work of late vocations of the good Father Berthier.”

From then on, all his time was devoted to bringing together elements which would further his new endeavor. Given permission by the La Salette General Chapter, he began his search for candidates, for a Rule of Life to live by, and for a place in which to live. Since the government of France was so hostile to male Religious Congregations, he decided to go to Holland.

His new Institute was placed under the name of the Holy Family, and the protection of Our Lady of La Salette. It would officially be called “Institute of the Holy Family.” Would he cease, then, to become a La Salette? He never thought of leaving his beloved family of the Missionaries of La Salette, nor would it ever be a question for him. He was a Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette and would always remain so!

He found a place in southeastern Holland, in the City of Grave. On September 27, 1895, twelve young men began their formation. They would roll up their sleeves and get to work transforming the old army barracks into a religious institute.

The religious family he founded kept growing

Years later, when the first ordinations took place and the first Mass of young priests were celebrated in that very building, a local government official said, and I quote: “You have transformed this building, a former army barracks, where the Holy Name of God was desecrated so many times a day, into a sanctuary in which the Lord is praised morning and evening.” This building was to become the central residence of the Missionaries of the Holy Family for many years.

He persisted with his dream. Slowly candidates came who zealously wanted to be priests, to be Missionaries of the Holy Family. His zeal, his belief in this extraordinary faith-based endeavor produced fruit in abundance. During the next thirteen years, Fr. Berthier guided his students, and the Institute of the Hoy Family grew.

In 1905, Pope Pius X granted Fr. Berthier the green light for the ordination of the first future Missionaries of the Holy Family. So it was that, after ten years, the first three students were ordained in August 1905. By 1906, aspirants poured in from all sides. In 1908 twelve young missionaries were ordained priests.

The passing of a great man of God

It was constant and exhausting work. Jean had often told the community, “The day you see me go back to bed in the morning is the day I will die!” On a cold morning in October 1908, Fr. Berthier rose early to celebrate Mass as usual. But suddenly he felt gravely ill and returned to bed. All were concerned, and they administered the Sacrament of the Sick and Viaticum. That very day, the faithful sons of Fr. Jean Berthier wrote to the Superior General of the La Salette Missionaries, informing him that one of his members, Fr. Jean Berthier, M.S., had been called to the Lord.

Fr. Berthier was buried in the community cemetery of the Missionaries of the Holy Family. Today, after being declared Venerable by Pope Francis, his body is laid to rest in a new tomb in the La Salette Cemetery on the Holy Mountain of La Salette, overlooking the valley of the Sezia where the “Beautiful Lady” had appeared so many years before. He was truly a Missionary of that “Beautiful Lady” and had spent his life making her message known “to all her people.”

Fr. Jean Berthier was declared Venerable by Pope Francis

Everyone recognized his zeal for preaching the Gospel Word of the Lord and his absolute belief in the Message of the Beautiful Lady. There were numerous testimonials. So it happened that a petition was filed with the Bishop of the diocese of Grave to open an investigation into the life and work of Fr. Jean Berthier, MS. After years of scrutiny, the Bishop of Grave forwarded all this material to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican, where there is a waiting list of causes to be reviewed.

At the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a new investigation by professional historians and theologians began. Once favorably complete and reviewed, the case of Fr. Jean Berthier MS was forwarded to the Pope who decided Fr. Jean was a role model of Catholic virtue. And so, on May 19, 2018, Pope Frances solemnly proclaimed Father Jean Berthier, Missionary of La Salette to be Venerable – to be a Saint-in-the-making. Fr. Berthier is number 242 on this list of Saints-in-the-making. A miracle attributed to his intercession would make his case be considered much sooner.

How can we help this process move toward his canonization?

The Venerable Fr. Jean Berthier, M.S. (1840-1908)Can we help in this process? Absolutely yes. Have you ever thought of asking God in faith for a miracle? We can pray to God that through the intercession of Venerable Jean Berthier, Missionary of La Salette, a truly miraculous event would occur. We are not asking you to be superstitious, but to pray in faith in Jesus’ name.

You can pray this prayer daily below, asking for a miracle. If and when your miracle happens, please let us know.

Prayer To Obtain the Beatification of Fr. Jean Berthier, M.S.

Father in heaven, you found it fitting to choose your servant, Jean Berthier, to foster a zealous devotion to Our Lady of La Salette and the Holy Family of Nazareth, and to be an untiring apostle in the education of belated vocations. [here mention your intention] Grant that we may praise you all the more and obtain for ourselves and others your blessing on this earth and eternal life in heaven.

Grant, O Lord, that Jean Berthier may soon be privileged with sainthood, in order that he may serve as a model of the virtues he practiced so faithfully during his life. Amen.

For a Novena of Prayers for Fr. Jean Berthier, M.S.:

Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father with this prayer for nine consecutive days. Anyone receiving special favors through the intercession of Fr. Jean Berthier, please notify the Provincial Office of the La Salette Missionaries in the United States: tel: 860-956-8870; email: mlsprovinceoffice@gmail.com