John Francis Regis
Saint John Francis Regis | |
|---|---|
 Saint John Regis (date unknown) | |
| Confessor | |
| Born | 31 January 1597 Fontcouverte, Aude, France |
| Died | 31 December 1640 (aged 43) Lalouvesc, Ardèche, France |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 18 May 1716, Rome by Pope Clement XI |
| Canonized | 5 April 1737, Rome by Pope Clement XII |
| Major shrine | Lalouvesc, France |
| Feast | 10 September; 16 June (on some local calendars) |
| Patronage | Regis University, Regis High School, New York City, Regis Jesuit High School Aurora, CO lacemakers |
Jean-François Régis, known as Saint John Francis Regis and St. Regis, (31 January 1597 – 31 December 1640), was a French priest of the Society of Jesus, recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
Life
Jean-François Régis was born 31 January 1597, in Fontcouverte, Aude, in the Languedoc region of southern France. His father, Jean Régis, had recently been ennobled as a result of service rendered during the Wars of the League. His mother, Marguerite de Cugunhan, was of a noble family.[1] He was educated at the Jesuit College of Béziers. On 8 December 1616, in his nineteenth year, he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Toulouse and he took his vows two years later.[2]
After finishing his course in rhetoric at Cahors, Regis was sent to teach grammar at several colleges: Billom (1619–22), Puy-en-Velay (1625–27), and Auch (1627–28). While he was teaching, he also pursued his studies in philosophy at the scholasticate at Tournon. Noted for an intense love of preaching and teaching the Faith, as well as the desire to save souls,[1] Regis began his study of theology at Toulouse in 1628. Less than two years later, in 1630, he was ordained a priest at 31. The following year, having completed his studies, Regis made his tertianship.[3]
Regis was now fully prepared for his lifework and entered upon his apostolic career in the summer of 1631. He was a tireless worker who spent most of his life serving the marginalized.[4] As a newly ordained priest, he worked with bubonic plague victims in Toulouse. From May 1632 until September 1634, his headquarters was at the Jesuit College of Montpellier. Here he labored for the conversion of the Huguenots, visited hospitals, assisted the needy, withdrew from vice wayward women and girls, and preached Catholic doctrine with tireless zeal to children and the poor.[5] Regis is best known for his work with at-risk women and orphans. He established safe houses and found jobs for them.[4] Regis established the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, which organized charitable collections of money and food from the wealthy. He also established several hostels for prostitutes, and helped many become trained lace makers, which provided them with a stable income and an opportunity to avoid the threat of exploitation.[4]
In 1633, Regis went to the Diocese of Viviers at the invitation of the local bishop, Monsignor Louis II de la Baume de Suze, giving missions throughout the diocese.[3] From 1633-40 he evangelized more than fifty districts in le Vivarais, le Forez, and le Velay.[1] Regis laboured diligently on behalf of both priests and laypersons. His preaching style was said to have been simple and direct. He appealed to the uneducated peasantry and numerous conversions resulted.[3]
Regis's labors reaped a harvest of conversions. However, his boldness – perceived as arrogance in some cases – led to a conflict with certain other priests, a period of tension with the local bishop, and even threats of violence from those whose vices he condemned.[6] Although he longed to devote himself to the conversion of the indigenous inhabitants of Canada, he remained in France all his life.
Regis walked from town to town, in rough mountainous areas where travel was difficult, especially in the winter.[4] He died of pneumonia at age forty-three on 31 December 1640,[7] at Lalouvesc (Ardèche), in France's Dauphiné region.
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Veneration
John Francis Regis was beatified by Pope Clement XI on 18 May 1716,[6] and canonized by Pope Clement XII on 5 April 1737.
Patronage
John Francis Regis is the patron saint of lacemakers, medical social workers, and illegitimate children.[8]
Legacy
In a 1997 letter to the Bishop of Viviers, Pope John Paul II commemorated the fourth centenary of St. John Francis Regis' birth, honoring him as a “lofty figure of holiness” and an example for the Church in the modern world.[6]
Today, Regis' name lives on across the world. There is a St. Regis Lake, Mount St. Regis, St. Regis Hotels, St. Regis apartments, and St. Regis swimming pools.[4]
Parishes are dedicated to St. John Francis Regis in Arnaudville, Louisiana;[9] Hollywood, Maryland;[10] and Kansas City, Missouri.[11]
Regis University, located in Colorado, along with the Regis Campus of Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, are both named in his honor, as well as, numerous elementary and high schools worldwide, including Regis High School (New York City), Regis School of the Sacred Heart (Houston, Texas), Regis High School (Stayton, Oregon) Regis High School (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) and Regis Jesuit High School (Aurora, Colorado).
St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, where a Roman Catholic church named for him stands, is also named in his honor, due to his admiration for the native inhabitants of North America.[12]
See also
Bibliography
- Holland, Robert E. The Life of Saint John Francis Regis of the Society of Jesus. Chicago, Ill.: Loyola University Press, 1922. ISBN 9781117653297.[13]
- S.O.Cist., Ph.D., New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1955. ISBN 9780899428703.[14]
References
- ^ a b c "Van Ortroy, Francis. "St. John Francis Regis." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910". Newadvent.org. 1 October 1910. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ Hoever, p. 229.
- ^ a b c Hoever, p. 230.
- ^ a b c d e "A Tireless Saint from Southern France". Regis.edu. Regis University, Denver, Colorado. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ Phyllis G. Jestice, Holy People of the World: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia (2004), p. 164
- ^ a b c ""St. John Francis Regis" Catholic News Agency". Catholicnewsagency.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ "Saint of the Day, Lives, Lessons, and Feast". Americancatholic.org. ISBN 978-0-86716-887-7. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ Justin Baker/Strive Creative. "St. John-Francis Regis, Patron". Stregis.org. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ "St. John Francis Regis Catholic church, Arnaudville, Louisiana". Johnfrancisregis.net. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "St. John's Parish, Hollywood, Maryland". Stjohnsparishhollywood.org. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church, Kansas City, Missouri". Regischurch.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ William C. Sturtevant Handbook of North American Indians 1978 p473 "It was named Saint Regis in memory of Jean Francois Regis, a French ecclesiastic canonized in 1737 who before his death in 1640 at the age of 43 had wanted to become a missionary to the Iroquois (Hough 1853:113-114)."
- ^ 1892-, Holland, Robert Emmett, (1922). The life of Saint John Francis Regis of the Society of Jesus. Loyola University Press. OCLC 1343407.
{{cite book}}:|last=has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ 1883-, Hoever, Hugo H. (Hugo Henry), (1989). Lives of the saints : for every day of the year : in accord with the norms and principles of the new Roman calendar (New rev. ed.). New York: Catholic Book Pub. Co. ISBN 0899428703. OCLC 24886449.
{{cite book}}:|last=has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
