Fr Peter Marie Mermier

Fr Peter Marie Mermier, our Founder, was born on August 28, 1790 in Savoy, France. At the time of his birth the population of Savoy was almost rural. Fr Mermier’s father, Francois Mermier, who belonged to a race of landowners and a family of good standing, was a peasant and the son had inherited all the qualities of a peasant: good sense, practical mind, prudent audacity, tenacious and calm perseverance. His mother, Antionette Bastian, was a pious and devout woman to whom Fr Mermier owed his fine and alert mind, his social sense and above all his first initiation into faith and sound piety. God had the first place in the home of the Mermiers. Fr. Mermier once said: “I repent for not having written anything about my mother. My God, how much I owe her. No, no, she was not an ordinary woman.”

It was the time of ‘Reign of Terror’ and little Mermier saw closing of the Church and the school of Chaumont, the belfry pulled down, the bells destroyed and the presbytery deserted. He heard his parents and others whispering about the events which devastated the country, about the priests arrested and sent to prison and to penal servitude. He was highly impressed by the lively faith of his mother and her love for God. She made her house a shelter for the faithful priests hunted down by the revolutionaries. She received them with cordial respect. He saw her comforting them, sheltering them, watching over their safety under her roof and providing them with some provisions for their departure. And when on Sundays a priest celebrated Holy Mass in the house, Peter Mermier used to remain close to his mother. He felt so happy to see her pray and receive Holy Communion. Later on Fr Mermier would say, “I owe my vocation to the holiness of my mother.”

In 1800, religious peace was re-established in Savoy. So, he could attend residential schools from 1801. Fr Marin Ducrey was the director of the school at Melan where Peter completed his studies. He was an exemplary student, a model of virtues. In the autumn of 1807, Peter joined the Seminary in Chambery. He was an intelligent and hardworking seminarist, kind to his companions. He was ordained a priest on March 21, 1813, at the age of twenty-two and a half years.

The young priest was appointed assistant parish priest at Magland, a countryside parish in April 1813 – a perfect community life, harmony and fervour characterised his relationship with the parish priest whom he chose as his spiritual director. Fervour and kindness marked his apostolate among the people. Besides, he spent some time daily for theological studies. In 1816, Fr Mermier was transferred to the residential school of Melan. He loved children, taught them and helped poor children financially. Everything was going on well. Fr Mermier went through a period of hesitation. He was attracted to the foreign missions. He had also an attraction for religious life and thought of joining the Society of Jesus.

In 1819, Fr Mermier was appointed Parish Priest of Le Chatelard-en-Bauges, a dechristianized countryside parish. He worked with love and zeal for the spiritual renewal of the people but they remained indifferent. Some new initiative was necessary to touch their hearts. So, Fr Mermier decided to preach a parish mission and invited Fr Joseph Marie Favre to help him. They began the mission on November 18, 1821. Only a few people came to attend. Disappointed, both preachers stopped the mission, went to La Grande Chartreuse, a famous Carthusian Monastery to pray and do penance.

People came to know about it. When they returned, the parishioners came in great numbers. The mission turned out to be a great success. Both friends decided to dedicate themselves to this special form of apostolate. In 1825, Fr Mermier was given permission to be a full time preacher. From 1826, a small group of preachers began to form around him. They began to feel the need of a community to support their spiritual life and apostolate. After passing through various vicissitudes, the mission team became a closely built community living a simple, humble, joyful common life under the leadership of Fr Mermier. On October 24, 1838, Bishop Rey gave them his approval and established them as a religious Congregation, the Missionaries of St Francis De Sales, under the title and patronage of St Francis de Sales.

The newly founded Congregation did immense services to the diocese of Savoy and particularly to that of Annecy. During the life-time of Fr Mermier, the missionaries of St Francis de Sales, with the support of diocesan priests, preached 573 missions in 226 parishes, besides numerous retreats and similar exercises.

Fr Mermier considered the vocation of a missionary as something beautiful, challenging, demanding total surrender to the divine providence and absolute renunciation of self will. He began negotiations to take up missions, preferably in Africa, for the evangelization of peoples in 1843. But in 1845, the Holy See entrusted to the missionaries of St Francis de Sales the Visakhapatnam Mission, which then comprised of nearly one third of India. The first batch of missionaries reached Pondicherry on September 8, 1845 and Visakhapatnam on February 19, 1846. Ever since the MSFS have generously and powerfully contributed to the development of the church in India.

The prospects of training professors for schools in the missions in India and the hope of promoting vocations encouraged the founder to accept taking up schools. In the autumn of 1856, the college of Evian and that of Melan were handed over to the missionaries. In the latter the Founder was a student and later professor in 1857. Fr Mermier insisted on constantly reviewing educational problems, a constant, affectionate, kindly presence among children and opening the hearts and minds of children to the presence of God. Fr Mermier was open to the problems of the times. It led him to take daring initiatives.

The ancient system of patrimony meant that many young women in the country districts were left penniless. They found themselves with nowhere to go and nobody to turn to in their old age. It was not only education they lacked; they had neither dowry nor training for their marriage or the religious life as it was then known. They had no option but to utterly depend on relatives and employers who offered scarcely any favourable conditions for keeping faith and morals intact. It was to be at the service of these poor rural girls and to make them dignified and useful members of the society and the church that Fr. Mermier, together with Claudine Echernier, a village girl from Feternes, Savoy, founded the Daughters of the Cross of Chavanod. Bishop Rey gave the formal approval on November 4, 1841.

Though the Decree of Commendation (DecretumLaudis), which is the first step towards the approbation of the Congregation, was granted on June 2, 1843, it was only on May 19, 1860, that the sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars gave the final approval. On June 11,1858, Fr Mermier suffered a stroke but he recovered. On June 6, 1860, he suffered another severe attack. Though doctors had given him up, he was able to be on his feet again within seven days. In 1861, he had the joy of hearing of the establishment of the Congregation in England through the kind services of Captain Dewel. Fr Larive reached England on May 24, 1862.

Fr Mermier had a fall on August 10, 1862. He suffered a double fracture of his leg. His condition grew worse. He received the sacrament of the sick on September 29 and fell asleep in the Lord in the morning on September 30, 1862. In 1903, the MSFS lost their Mother House at Annecy along with the tombs of the holy founder and other early missionaries as it became the property of the state. Hence, another house adjacent to it was bought making it the Mother House. About six decades later, the state authorities, while digging at the site of the old Mother House, found the tombs of Fr Mermier and other early MSFS confreres. When the grave of Fr Mermier was opened in the presence of the ecclesiastical and civil authorities his body was found incorrupt, with even the vestments intact. Soon the mortal remains of the venerable founder and the other holy men were transferred to the new house on October 24, 1960. The process of glorification of Fr Peter Mermier has already begun and as the first step towards it he is declared Servant of God.

Fr Mermier had a forceful and attractive personality. He was docile, patient and loyal, totally dedicated to the pursuit of his vocation and mission. He learnt from others before proceeding to teach them. He had the gift of assimilating the intellectual and emotional influences of the society at his time. He made himself totally available to God’s will and offered himself to the people, to the society like another St. Francis De Sales, totally disinterested, filled with zeal for the salvation of souls.

 

Prayer for the Glorification of Fr Peter Mermier

God of love, You care for us and You guide us in numerous ways. We thank You for inflaming the heart of Fr Peter Mermier with an intense love for You and a zeal for the salvation of souls. You blessed him with a total trust in You and in humble surrender to Your holy Will.

It was your will that he should found the Congregation of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales, and with Mother Claudine Echernier, the Congregation of Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, to spread your mercy and compassion to all, by witnessing to Your love and through their prophetic ministries. His life of holiness was his supreme act of glory to You.

Loving Father, while he was on earth, You blessed many through him, especially in the renewal of Christian faith and family through the spirituality of St Francis de Sales. You raised him to the saintly state of Servant of God. Thereby, You testify that he is Your highly favoured son for whom You refuse nothing. So, we pray that through his holy intercession, You bless us now with the favour we request and pray for...........

We make this prayer through Christ Your Son who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen