Juan María de La Mennais

juan6

Hi Friend! Thank you for visiting me in this section. My name is Juan María de la Mennais.I was born at Saint-Malo, Brittany, France on 8th September, 1780. I grew up during the French Revolution, and witnessed a great deal of attacks on the Catholic Church, pillaging and suffering. I had to learn how to live alongside risk and danger, but I also experienced many acts of generosity.

My father was a wealthy shipbuilder and my mother died when I was just 9 years old, but her piety and intelligence marked me for life. I was the third of six children, all boys, apart from, María José, our sister.

I decided at a young age to make the biggest and most difficult decision of my life, to become a priest.

I learned straightaway that there were children and young men and women who could benefit from my time and learning. It was clear to me that there was a need for a different kind of schooling, where young people could experience the happiness taught by Jesus of Nazareth .

Together with Gabriel Deshayes, I took the decision to assemble a group of young men and instruct them on becoming religious teachers. This was the beginning of the Menesiano Brothers, who in June, 1819 set to work on running the Menesiano School as we know it today.

What a bold venture! - to be a Menesiano Brother and to be entirely devoted to educating boys and girls in a completely new way! I even declined being bishop, just so I could dedicate my full time to them.

I loved being surrounded by children, to laugh with them and to see their happiness grow day by day. I spent my days visiting every school. I would travel in my carriage from one to another, and on the journeys I would read and pray and write letters to the children. They would often reply to me at the following address, ...." on the roads of Brittany..".

 

juan4 Little by little, the Brothers felt the need to reach others in far-off French colonies such as Guadalupe, Martinique, Senegal, French Guiana and Tahiti. Their efforts to free slaves created many problems, but our strong belief and unity would help us overcome all hurdles set in our way. Many blessed Brothers gave their lives fighting for their cause, and unfortunately, continue to do so.

 

I bet you didn't know that one of my brothers, Felí de Lamennais, was an excellent writer and philosopher, but a little rebellious when it came to the Catholic Church. His writings were well-known throughout Europe, and he even edited the newspaper, L'Avenir. His rigid posture against the Roman Catholic Church was the cause of many headaches for me.

Our desire as Brothers was, and continues to be, to introduce Jesus of Nazareth into the lives and hearts of the people.

And so, on 26th December, 1860, God finally invited me to join him in the Kingdom of Heaven. How wonderful to be able to fulfil our motto: GOD ALONE!

Just a few days before I died, I sent the following message to my Brothers (and which includes you all)

 


juan3

" I don't wish to deceive you, my beloved. My strength is weakening. After God and the Holy Mother, my thoughts are with you all. Live your lives joined with heart and soul to God Alone, and to each other"

Juan María de La Mennais

Hi Friend!  Thank you for visiting me in this section.

 

My name is Juan María de la Mennais.

 

I was born at Saint-Malo, Brittany, France on 8th September, 1780.

 

I grew up during the French Revolution, and witnessed a great deal of attacks on the Catholic Church, pillaging and suffering. I had to learn how to live alongside risk and danger, but I also experienced many acts of generosity.  

 

My father was a wealthy shipbuilder and my mother died when I was just 9 years old, but her piety and intelligence marked me for life. I was the third of six children, all boys, apart from, María José, our sister.

 

I decided at a young age to make the biggest and most difficult decision of my life, to become a priest.

 

I learned straightaway that there were children and young men and women who could benefit from my time and learning. It was clear to me that there was a need for a different kind of schooling, where young people could experience the happiness taught by Jesus of Nazareth .

 

Together with Gabriel Deshayes, I took the decision to assemble a group of young men and instruct them on becoming religious teachers. This was the beginning of the Menesiano Brothers, who in June, 1819 set to work on running the Menesiano School as we know it today.

 

What a bold venture! - to be a Menesiano Brother and to be entirely devoted to educating boys and girls in a completely new way! I even declined being bishop, just so I could dedicate my full time to them.

 

I loved being surrounded by children, to laugh with them and to see their happiness grow day by day. I spent my days visiting every school. I would travel in my carriage from one to another, and on the journeys I would read and pray and write letters to the children. They would often reply to me at the following address, ....“ on the roads of Brittany..”.