St. Claude de la Colombiere

St. Claude de la Colombiere was born on February 2, 1641, in Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon, France. He came from a distinguished family and received an excellent education from the Jesuits. Impressed by the order, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1659 and was ordained a priest in 1669.

Claude quickly earned a reputation as an exceptional preacher and teacher. In 1675, he was sent to Paray-le-Monial as superior of the Jesuit house, where he met St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun who was receiving visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Claude became Margaret Mary's spiritual director and confirmed the authenticity of her visions. He became one of the first apostles of devotion to the Sacred Heart, consecrating himself completely to this devotion and encouraging others to do the same. He wrote about the Sacred Heart devotion and helped spread it beyond the walls of the convent.

In 1676, Claude was appointed preacher to the Duchess of York in London. There, during the anti-Catholic hysteria of the "Popish Plot," he was falsely accused of treasonous activities. He was imprisoned and eventually expelled from England, returning to France permanently damaged in health.

Suffering from tuberculosis, Claude spent his remaining years ministering to others despite his own decline. He died on February 15, 1682, at Paray-le-Monial, the same place where he had first encountered the Sacred Heart devotion. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

The feast of St. Claude de la Colombiere is celebrated on February 15th, the anniversary of his death. This day offers an opportunity to reflect on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to seek Claude's intercession for trust in Divine Providence.