Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau was born on February 11 1799, in Laigne-en-Belin, France. He was a French Priest, a Theology and Philosophy professor and the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. He died on January 20 1873, aged 73, in Le Mans, France. His feast day is celebrated on January 20.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Life History
Basil Anthony Marie Moreau was born on February 11 1799, in Laigne-en-Belin, France, as the ninth born in a family of fourteen children, born from Louise, a farmer and a wine merchant and Louise Poiger Moreau. He received his education fro the tutorship of Priest Abbe Julina Le Provost, an enrollment in ;the Minor Seminary at Chateau Gontier, the Diocesian Seminary in Le Mans and the French School of Spirituality.
He was ordained priest in 1821 and he spent two more years at the seminary of St. Sulpice and the Sulpician Solitude at Issy.
Since he grew up during the French Revolution, when the Church was under suppression, he made it his dream to put efforts in revitalizing the church.
He taught philosophy as a professor in a seminary in Tesse, then while at the St. Vinvent Seminary, taught there and became its spiritual director. He was an effective preacher and offered sacraments throughout the towns and villages in the region where the faith was neglected.
He was made assistant superior of the seminary of the seminary at Le Mans and founded a group of priests within the Diocese of Le Mans to assist the Diocesan clergy. He named the group, the Society of Auxiliary Priests. In the same year as this, which was in 1835, Father Jacques-Francoise, handed over to Moreau, leadership of a group named the Brothers of Saint Joseph, founded 15 years earlier to re-establish schools in the region.
In 1837 AD, Moreau joined the Brothers of Saint Joseph and the Society of Auxilliary Priests as equals under a single community, bonded by the “Fundamental Pact of Union”, they had created and adopting the name Congregation of Holy Cross.
He decided to enact Father Jacques-Francoise’s dream of establishing a community of brothers, sisters and priests, by founding a third society of sisters within them, in 1841 AD. Three congregations of women exist; Marianites of Holy Cross, Sisters of the Holy Cross in United States and Sisters of Holy Cross in Canada.
He was later ousted in the 1850s, as superior general over differences in what direction the congregation should take. He moved in with his sisters and preached around Le Mans. He died on January 20 1873 AD.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Birth
Anthony Marie was born on February 11 1799, in Laigne-en-Belin, France.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Death
He died on January 20 1873, aged 73, in Le Mans, France.
Family Background
He was the ninth born in a family of fourteen children, born from Louise and Louise Poiger Moreau. His father lived as a farmer and a wine merchant.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Education
He was first tutored by Priest Abbe Julina Le Provost, entered the Minor Seminary at Chateau Gontier, the diocesan Seminary in Le Mans and the French School of Spirituality.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Profession
He was a French Priest, a Theology and Philosophy professor and the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Beatification
He was beatified on September 15 2002, in Le Mans, France by Pope Benedict XVI.
Venerated in
He was named venerable on April 12 2003 by Pope John Paul II and he is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church.
Blessed Basil Anthony Marie Moreau’s Feast Day
His feast day is celebrated on January 20.
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