Jewels from Jane, December 30

Today, December 30, is the 335th anniversary of the death of John Pierre Medaille.

Jean-Pierre Medaille, S.J. was born in Carcassonne on October 6, 1610. His father, Jean Medaille, was "king's advocate." His mother was Phelippe d'Estevenel. Jean-Pierre was educated by the Jesuits in the college of his native city and later joined his teachers when he entered the novitiate at Toulouse in 1626. He was not quite sixteen years old.

He had a brother, Jean-Paul, born in 1618, who was, like himself, Jesuit and preacher. A little later, in the same Jesuit province of Toulouse, there was another Pierre Medaille, not related to the two brothers.

Contemporary, within a few years, of two canonized saints, Jean-Pierre Medaille had the advantage, unknown to everyone then, of having lived some time with each of them: Saint John Francis Regis, Apostle of Velay and Vivarais, who died in 1640, and Saint Noel Chabanel, one of the seven North American martyrs, martyred in Canada in 1649.

Jean-Pierre Medaille lived at the following colleges:

Carcassonne 1633-1635

Montauban 1642-1643

Saint Flour 1643-1649

Aurillac 1650-1654

Montferrand 1654-1662

Clermont 1662-1669

Billom 1669

He was never listed in the college of Le Puy.

During his stay at the College of Saint Flour and from 1646 on, he was preoccupied with a religious foundation. Four years later, in 1650, usually given as the traditional date, the Bishop of LePuy, Bishop de Maupas, officially received a group formed by Father Medaille and gave it official status. Father Medaille died at the College of Billom in Haute Auvergne, December 30, 1669, at the age of fifty-nine.

We know nothing of his exterior appearance such as details of height, color of hair or eyes. Although we have a number of facts about him and his assignments and activities, we have no knowledge of unusual experiences, none of those little sayings, either inspiring or banal, with which a biographer is glad to entertain the reader.

The Jesuit archives in Rome give us information on his health, temperament, success in studies, and aptitudes. His health was never excellent. His temperament is stated as "good and peace-loving," although "melancholy," or "bilious and very balanced." His intelligence is qualified as "excellent," "remarkable," "penetrating," and even "sublime."

One can surmise from various comments on his talents what must have been the success of his studies: "superior in philosophy and especially in theology," "remarkable," and "above average in everything."

As to ministries, the triennial report states, "Great aptitude for all the works of the Society." Another is more specific: "He was born for the missions." Others say: "Great aptitude for the instruction and direction of souls"; "Great talent for teaching, preaching, giving missions, and for spiritual matters"; finally, "aptitude for everything."

In his Preface to the Maximes de Perfection of Father Medaille, the publisher Jacquard calls him a "servant of God, very enlightened in the interior life." He speaks of the "fervent preaching of the servant of God animated by the fire which the Holy Spirit placed upon his tongue."

Father Medaille's superiors wrote in the necrology of the Society of Jesus shortly after his death:

Father Jean-Pierre Medaille of Carcassonne, professed of four vows, died at Billom, 1669, at the age of fifty-nine. He had been in the Society for forty-three years.

The greater part of his life was spent in the missions of the province (Toulouse) with such zeal and so great a reputation for holiness that here and there he was called "the saint," "the apostle."

Nor were the fruits of his apostolic labours of every kind less than his reputation, so much so that he was highly esteemed by rich and poor alike, but especially by the bishops in whose dioceses he labored.

(Paraphrased)From: ORIGINS - THE SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH

Translated from AUX ORIGINES DES FILLES DE SAINT-JOSEPH

(LePuy-en-Velay)

Marius Nepper, s.j.

September 14, 1969