Jean-Claude Colin
Encyclopedia
The Venerable Jean-Claude Colin, S.M. was a French priest (7 August 1790 - 28 February 1875) who became the founder of the Society of Mary (Marists)
.
Colin was born at St-Bonnet-le-Troncy
, in the Rhone
department of France
. His father had sheltered priests during the turmoil of the French Revolution
. Both parents died when Colin was only 4 years old. The revolution had resulted in a 70% reduction in priest numbers in France.
Small minor seminaries sprang up all over France as the revolution drew to a close. With his brother Pierre, Colin attended the minor seminary at Saint-Jodard
, he also spent time at Alix and Verrières where he was a contemporary of Marcellin Champagnat
and John Vianney In 1813 he entered the major seminary of Saint-Irénée at Lyon
.
Towards the end of [1814] Jean-Claude Courveille who had been a student in another seminary transferred to Saint-Irénée. His diocese had been suppressed and merged into Lyon. Courveille recruited a group of senior seminarians to his idea of founding a Society of Mary. Courveille had been cured of semi-blindness after prayer to Our Lady of Le Puy
and in gratitude had the inspiration and inner conviction that just as there had arisen at the time of the Reformation a Society dedicated to Jesus, the Jesuits so at this time of Revolution there could be a Society dedicated to Mary whose members would call themselves Marists. This idea seems to have coalesced with nascent ideas of Colin's to begin a group dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God.
Many of the group including Colin and Courveille were ordained as priests of the Lyon diocese on 22 July 1816. The following day a group of 12 went to the shrine of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
to celebrate mass, receive communion and pledge themselves to the foundation of the Society of Mary. Colin celebrated his first Mass at Salles on 26 July and the following day his brother Pierre was appointed the Parish Priest of Cerdon
in the Ain
department. Jean-Claude was to be his curate there.
For six years he worked in the parish at Cerdon and on the outline of the founding documents (rule of life and constitutions) of the Marist idea. Pierre was eager to join the Marist Project and he convinced Jean Marie Chavoin and Marie Jotillon to begin it with them. Cerdon had been moved into the re-created Diocese of Belley and Jean-Claude convinced Bishop Devie to allow the Marists to preach missions in the Bugey
, a poor and somewhat neglected country region. He was asked to take over the College of Belley
as Principal and when Rome approved the Society of Mary in 1836 he was elected as its first Superior General. Rome assigned the new Society the evangelisation of the Vicariate of Western Oceania.
The Society of Mary was founded to serve the Church in the most urgent, varied and significant tasks. In 1854 Colin resigned the office of superior general and retired to Notre-Dame-de-la-Neylière, where he spent the last twenty years of his life revising and completing the Constitutions. The Constitutions of the Society of Mary were definitively approved by the Holy See
on 28 February 1873. Jean-Claude Colin died at La Neylière two years later.
Chavoin and Jotillon were to become two of the first Marist Sisters
.
Society of Mary (Marists)
The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...
.
Colin was born at St-Bonnet-le-Troncy
Saint-Bonnet-le-Troncy
Saint-Bonnet-le-Troncy is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
, in the Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. His father had sheltered priests during the turmoil of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. Both parents died when Colin was only 4 years old. The revolution had resulted in a 70% reduction in priest numbers in France.
Small minor seminaries sprang up all over France as the revolution drew to a close. With his brother Pierre, Colin attended the minor seminary at Saint-Jodard
Saint-Jodard
Saint-Jodard is a commune in the Loire department in central France.-References:*...
, he also spent time at Alix and Verrières where he was a contemporary of Marcellin Champagnat
Marcellin Champagnat
Saint Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat was born in Rozet, village of Marlhes, near St. Etienne , France...
and John Vianney In 1813 he entered the major seminary of Saint-Irénée at Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
Towards the end of [1814] Jean-Claude Courveille who had been a student in another seminary transferred to Saint-Irénée. His diocese had been suppressed and merged into Lyon. Courveille recruited a group of senior seminarians to his idea of founding a Society of Mary. Courveille had been cured of semi-blindness after prayer to Our Lady of Le Puy
Le Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.Its inhabitants are called Ponots.-History:Le Puy-en-Velay was a major bishopric in medieval France, founded early, though its early history is legendary...
and in gratitude had the inspiration and inner conviction that just as there had arisen at the time of the Reformation a Society dedicated to Jesus, the Jesuits so at this time of Revolution there could be a Society dedicated to Mary whose members would call themselves Marists. This idea seems to have coalesced with nascent ideas of Colin's to begin a group dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God.
Many of the group including Colin and Courveille were ordained as priests of the Lyon diocese on 22 July 1816. The following day a group of 12 went to the shrine of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Notre-Dame de Fourvière
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière is a minor basilica in Lyon. It was built with private funds between 1872 and 1884 in a dominating position in the city. One author makes the possibly questionable statement that: "The reaction to the communes of Paris and Lyon were triumphalist monuments,...
to celebrate mass, receive communion and pledge themselves to the foundation of the Society of Mary. Colin celebrated his first Mass at Salles on 26 July and the following day his brother Pierre was appointed the Parish Priest of Cerdon
Cerdon, Ain
Cerdon is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It is known for its pink sparkling wine, and for its copper factory, the only one of its kind in France.-Population:- Curiosities :* The pink sparkling wine* The Copper factory...
in the Ain
Ain
Ain is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France. Being part of the region Rhône-Alpes and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône, the department of Ain enjoys a privileged geographic situation...
department. Jean-Claude was to be his curate there.
For six years he worked in the parish at Cerdon and on the outline of the founding documents (rule of life and constitutions) of the Marist idea. Pierre was eager to join the Marist Project and he convinced Jean Marie Chavoin and Marie Jotillon to begin it with them. Cerdon had been moved into the re-created Diocese of Belley and Jean-Claude convinced Bishop Devie to allow the Marists to preach missions in the Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
, a poor and somewhat neglected country region. He was asked to take over the College of Belley
Belley
Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France...
as Principal and when Rome approved the Society of Mary in 1836 he was elected as its first Superior General. Rome assigned the new Society the evangelisation of the Vicariate of Western Oceania.
The Society of Mary was founded to serve the Church in the most urgent, varied and significant tasks. In 1854 Colin resigned the office of superior general and retired to Notre-Dame-de-la-Neylière, where he spent the last twenty years of his life revising and completing the Constitutions. The Constitutions of the Society of Mary were definitively approved by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
on 28 February 1873. Jean-Claude Colin died at La Neylière two years later.
Chavoin and Jotillon were to become two of the first Marist Sisters
Marist Sisters
The Marist Sisters are an international congregation or order of Roman Catholic women. The Marist Sisters recognise Jeanne-Marie Chavoin as their Foundress and Jean-Claude Colin as their Founder.-Early life of Mother Saint Joseph:...
.