A photograph of Blessed Frédéric Janssoone, OFM (left), and a depiction of his many meetings with St. André Bessette.
During Fr. Frédéric’s service in the Holy Land, one of his most remarkable accomplishments was his reestablishment of the ability to preach the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa. He personally renegotiated with Arab Muslims to reinstate the practice which had been banned for 300 years.
Welcome to "North American Sanctity," a series on holy men and women, boys and girls, saints and those on the road to sainthood, from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Some will be familiar, others less so; but all are inspiring!
By Kimberly Bruce
He was a traveling salesman in his home country of France who became a Franciscan priest and ministered over 50 years in Europe, the Holy Land, and ultimately Canada, earning praise as “another St. Francis of Assisi.”
His name is Blessed Frédéric Janssoone, OFM, and his feast day is Aug. 5.
Early years
The youngest of 13 children in his family, Frédéric was born on Nov. 19, 1838, in Ghyveldge in northern France. He dropped out of school at the age of 9 after his father’s death to help support his family.
Working as an errand boy and then a traveling salesman, he did not return to school until age 23, following his mother’s death. Called to be a priest, he joined the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), and was ordained on Aug. 17, 1870, at the age of 26.
Father Frédéric’s first priestly assignment was as a military chaplain during the Franco-Prussian War. After the war, he worked as a librarian, assistant novice director, and then superior of his community in Bordeaux.
It was at this point that he asked to be sent to the Holy Land, where he ended up spending his next 12 years, from 1876-1888.
Holy Land
During Fr. Frédéric’s service in the Holy Land, one of his most remarkable accomplishments was his reestablishment of the ability to preach the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa. He personally renegotiated with Arab Muslims to reinstate the practice which had been banned for 300 years. He also negotiated an accord between the Roman, Greek, and Armenian Christian churches regarding sanctuaries in Bethlehem.
Father Frédéric was also instrumental in construction of the Church of Saint Catherine in Bethlehem. In 1881, the order sent “God’s travelling salesman” to Canada to raise funds for the Holy Land.
To Quebec
Catholics in Quebec loved having Fr. Frédéric in their midst and petitioned the Franciscans to assign him to their region. Seven years later, in 1888, Fr. Frédéric returned, reestablishing the Order of Friars Minor in Montreal whose presence had been nonexistent since the death of its last friar in 1812.
While in Canada, Fr. Frédéric developed pilgrimages to the Basilica of Saint Anne de Beaupré and Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. It was at St. Joseph’s where he met and befriended the future St. André Bessette.
Father Frédéric, who had great preaching skills, liked to hike to different towns to preach God’s Word. Always joyful and full of humor, he possessed a great devotion to the Virgin Mary and had a deep prayer life.
He began each mission with a simple prayer: "Let me bring to You, whoever comes to me."
As Our Holy Mother “pondered” things concerning Our Lord in her heart, Fr. Frédéric liked to ponder the mysteries of God. He was learned and interested in everything from history and astronomy to botany, archeology, and more.
Miracle of the Eyes
On June 22, 1888, Fr. Frédéric and two others were witnesses to the “Miracle of the Eyes” of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On that day, Father was consecrating a small church containing the statue of Our Lady of the Cape at Cap-de-Madeleine (now Trois-Rivières) in Quebec. While the three were praying, they witnessed Our Lady’s eyes, usually lowered in the statue, look straight ahead for several minutes. (Later, Canada was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on this same date in 1947.)
Father also established Stations of the Cross at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Cape at Trois-Rivières as well as at the Sanctuary of the Reparation at Pointe-aux-Trembles, near Montreal, and Saint-Elie-de-Caxton in Mauricie. These Stations were unique in that the distances between each Station were as Christ would have walked along the Way of the Cross.
The importance of meditating on the Stations of the Cross is mentioned by our Lord to St. Faustina, as recorded in her Diary:
My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, [the 3:00pm hour of Divine Mercy] provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant. I claim veneration for My mercy from every creature… (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1572).
Daily devotions
This is, likewise, a call for us to take time each day to spend with Our Lord. Even if it is only while sitting at our desks at work, or while driving to and from activities, we need to invoke His mercy, pray for the needs of ourselves and others, and thank Him for His many gifts to us.
Considered “a living saint” by those he ministered to, Father Frédéric died at the age of 77 on Aug. 4, 1916, from stomach cancer. More than 500 prayers were recorded as having been answered through his intercession in just a few short years following his death. He was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988.
His body is entombed in the Chapel of Saint Anthony in Trois-Rivières, which is open for visitors and where one can learn more about the life of this beloved Friar.
Blessed Frédéric Janssoone, pray for us!
Next in the series: Blessed Marie-Elisabeth Turgeon, Aug. 17.
Previous article
{shopmercy-ad}