Today December 9

Today is the feast of St. Peter Fourier (1565 - 1640). He studied at a Jesuit college and did very well, as he was endowed with great intellectual gifts and a prodigious memory. He was ordained a priest, got a doctorate in theology and was in a position to do the Church a world of good. Poor guy, he met with failure again and again.

First, in his first parish, which should have considered itself lucky to have him, his efforts to reform were either ignored or met with ridicule. Then in his next parish, Mattaincourt, (which he picked because it seemed most in need . . . so perhaps he shouldn't have expected much) he TRIED to start a school for boys, believing as he did that free education for children was the key to improving his parish's life. Dismal failure. However, he was able to start a free school for girls and he succeeded overwhelmingly.

He was what one might call a "liberal" although that is sort of a pejorative right now. At any rate, he was "progressive." His education methods were modern compared to the current ones: he wrote little plays and songs for the girls to perform so they'd remember their lessons better (a method frowned on at the time), and he believed Protestant students should be treated "kindly and lovingly. Do not let the other children interfere with or tease them. Do not speak harshly of their religion but when occasion serves, show them how good and reasonable are the precepts and practices of ours." He even refused to call them "heretics."

Growing directly from the free school for girls (and the enthusiastic women volunteers) was his order the Canonesses Regular of St. Augustine of the Congregation of Our Lady. They are now in several countries (besides their native France.)

He truly felt that his order, the Canons Regular, could undertake the education of boys now, especially ones who had no religious order to take care of them and appealed to the pope with confidence. But "in Rome in the 17th century it had been forgotten that there was nothing inconsistent with the dignity of the priesthood in teaching in 'elementary schools' " and he was rejected. He accepted the decision, of course, but he was very hurt. He never burned his bridges, though, and when the Jesuits were suppressed in the next century, they turned over many of their colleges to the Canons Regular. He died on this date in 1640 in self-imposed (political) exile in Franche-Comte (since he wouldn't declare allegiance to King Louis XIII.) He was a humble man, but he lived life on his own terms. St. Peter Fourier, pray for us.