Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
One of the Jesuit classmates of Saint Isaac Jogues when he was studying in Paris was Blessed Julian Maunoir. Like Jogues, Maunoir was inspired to serve as a missionary in North America. Nevertheless, his formators decided to send him, before ordination, to work closer to home, in Northwest France, in Brittany. Maunoir had to learn a new language: Breton, which is a taxing undertaking for any French speaker. It is a Celtic language not related to French or Latin. Furthermore, Breton had a reputation for being a language for the uneducated lower classes. Maunoir applied himself, and, with God’s help, learned the language and became successful in Brittany. Nevertheless, his desire to go to exotic North America remained. Later, while still studying for the priesthood, he fell ill, and his arm became infected and gangrenous. Fearing death, he was given his last rites on Christmas Eve. He made a vow that he would serve humbly in Brittany if his health was restored. His prayer was heard. He recuperated and spent the rest of his adult life ministering in Brittany, preaching to huge crowds, and hearing hours and hours of confessions. After over 40 years of ministry Brittany, he died there on this date, January 28th, in 1683, aged 76 years. Despite his enormous success, Maunoir never became as famous as his saintly classmate, Jogues.
Blessed Julian Maunoir’s story is an important lesson for those of us who are holding on to unfulfilled dreams, to lingering desires, to visions of ideal future situations. If God calls you to walk a humbler path, maybe something closer to home, then do what Bl. Julian Maunoir did: embrace God’s will and apply yourself to the full.