Joseph Passerat

Joseph Passerat (born 30 April 1772, at Joinville, France; died 30 October 1858) was a French Redemptorist. He was declared venerable in 1980.[1]

Life

Passerat was driven from the seminary, imprisoned, and forced to serve in Napoleon's army from 1788 to 1792. Owing to his height he was made drum-major, and later quarter-master. At the first opportunity he left the service and entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in Warsaw. Clement Hofbauer trained him for the religious life and the priesthood, and he in turn trained newcomers. Later with great difficulty owing to the circumstances of the times he established houses outside of Poland.[2]

After the death of Hofbauer, Passerat succeeded him as vicar-general over all the transalpine communities (that is, the communities outside of Italy, where the Congregation originated). While thus engaged (1820–48) he founded houses in Bavaria, Prussia, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Portugal, Holland, and England. Passerat sent the first six Redemptorists to the U.S. in 1832.[3] Difficulties were many in the United States, and in Europe the danger of suppression was imminent. He used to say: "Console yourselves, we are seed, be it that we are reduced to ten, these like grains of corn reduced to dust under the earth will one day give a rich harvest".[2]

On 6 April 1848, he was driven out of Vienna with his community. After much hardship he reached Belgium. He resigned his office and became director of the Redemptoristines at Bruges. Passerat died in Bruges in 1858. The process for his beatification began in 1892.[4]

References
  1. "Sant'Alfonso e dintorni » Blog Archiv » Giuseppe Amando Passerat". www.santalfonsoedintorni.it. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  2. Magnier, John. "Venerable Joseph Passerat." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 28 December 2019 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. "Venerable Joseph Passerat ", The Redemptorists of the London Province, July 29, 2010
  4. “Venerable Joseph Passerat”. New Catholic Dictionary. CatholicSaints.Info. 14 August 2018

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Venerable Joseph Passerat". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Sources
  • Achille Desurmont, Joseph Passerat et sous sa conduite Les Redemptoristes pendant les guerres de l'Empire (Montreuil-sur-Mer, 1893);
  • Girouille, Un grand serviteur de Dieu, Le Rev. Père Joseph Passerat (Montreuil-sur-Mer, 1893).

http://www.jammart.be/passerat.html

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