Saint Charles De Foucauld

Biography

Saint Charles de Foucauld, also known as Charles Eugenie de Foucauld, Brother Charles of Jesus, and Brother Marie-Alberic, was born on 15 September 1858 in Strasbourg, France to an aristocratic family. Tragically, he was orphaned at the age of six and, along with his sister Mary, was raised by their grandfather. Charles received his education at Jesuit schools in Nancy and Paris, France from 1872 to 1875. Following this, he entered the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in 1876 and joined the 4th Hussar regiment. In 1880, his unit was deployed to Setif, Algeria. Unfortunately, due to misconduct, Charles was discharged from the military in March 1881. He then moved to Evian, France. However, two months later, during the Revolt of Bon Mama in South Oran, Charles re-enlisted and fought for eight months. It was during this time that he became deeply fascinated with the Arab culture and people. His passion for studying the Arab way of life grew so strong that when he could not obtain a leave of absence to pursue this interest, he resigned his commission. Charles dedicated the next 15 months to learning Arabic and Hebrew before embarking on a journey to Morocco. His exploration and research in the region were so significant that he received the Gold Medal of the French Geographic Society in May 1885. Throughout 1885 and 1886, he traveled extensively through Algeria and Tunisia, documenting his experiences and studies. In February 1888, his book "Reconnaissance au Maroc" was published. During this period, Charles led a life of simplicity and deep prayer. He would often sleep on the floor and spend hours each day in prayer at home and in church. In November 1888, he embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands, which lasted until February 1889. The rest of 1889 was spent in spiritual retreats, nourishing his connection with God. On 16 January 1890, Charles joined the Trappist monks at the monastery of Notre Dame-des-Neiges, taking the name Brother Marie-Alberic. Later, in June of the same year, he moved to the monastery of Akbes in Syria. However, after three months, it became apparent that his true calling lay elsewhere, and he was released from his vows in Rome in October 1896. Undeterred, Charles embarked on multiple pilgrimages on foot through the Holy Lands. He returned to France to study for the priesthood and was ordained on 9 June 1901 in Viviers. Following his ordination, he moved to the Oran region near Morocco, where he established a base and sought to found an order dedicated to evangelizing Morocco. In 1902, Charles initiated a program to buy slaves in order to set them free. His altruistic efforts continued in 1904 when he embarked on evangelizing the nomadic Tuaregs in the south and central Sahara region. He translated the Gospels into the language of the Tuaregs and worked tirelessly to compile a comprehensive Tuareg lexicon. In November 1908, he translated Tuareg poetry into French. In March 1909, Charles achieved a significant milestone when he successfully founded the Union of Brothers and Sisters of the Sacred Heart, dedicated to evangelizing the French colonies in Africa. Tragically, Saint Charles de Foucauld's life was cut short on 1 December 1916 when he was caught in the middle of combat between French forces and Arab insurrectionists. He was shot in the head by a 15-year-old Bedouin bandit in Tamanrasset, Algeria. Saint Charles de Foucauld's heroic virtues were recognized on 24 April 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He was beatified on 13 November 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI, with the recognition celebrated at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy, by Cardinal Saraiva Martins. Finally, on 15 May 2022, Pope Francis canonized him as a saint. The canonization miracle attributed to Saint Charles involved the healing of a young man who had sustained severe injuries from a 50-foot fall. The miraculous healing occurred on 30 November 2016 in Saumur, France, during a novena prayed in preparation for the centenary of Saint Charles' death. Today, Saint Charles de Foucauld is venerated as a saint for his profound dedication to spirituality, his commitment to serving others, and his deep love and respect for the Arab people and their culture. His life serves as an inspiration to all who seek to follow Christ's example of humility, simplicity, and selfless love.