Fuller historical investigation reveals that two blessed martyrs of the French Revolution were indeed members of the Congregation of the Mission. The new edition of the Roman Martyrology (2004, page 495) now includes John Charles Caron, Nicholas Colin. These two were added to list which includes Louis Joseph François and John Henry Gruyer of the Congregation of the Mission.The Postulator General (the person charged with overseeing the process leading to beatification) recently sent a letter to members of the Congregation of the Mission clarifying the steps that led to this inclusion.
It reads as follows…
Dear Confreres,
Every year on 2 September, in the liturgical memorial of our calendar, we celebrate Blessed Louis Joseph François, John Henry Gruyer (martyred at Paris on 3 September 1792 and beatified on 17 October 1926) and Peter René Rogue (martyred at Vannes on 3 March 1796 and beatified on 10 May 1934).
Some were surprised, therefore, to see our confreres listed in the new edition of the Roman Martyrology (2004, page 495) in the following way: At Paris, in France, … the death of the Blessed Martyrs … John Charles Caron, Nicholas Colin, Louis Joseph François and John Henry Gruyer of the Congregation of the Mission.
In fact, in the overall group of 191 martyrs (Jean Marie du Lau d’Alleman and companions) from the French Revolution, among the 72 martyrs massacred at St. Firmin there were not only François (superior) and Gruyer, but also Caron and Colin. These latter two, beatified in the same group, were, however, considered as belonging to the diocesan clergy.
John Charles Caron, born on 31 December 1730, entered the Congregation on 9 October 1750 and made his vows on 10 October 1752. Nicholas Colin, born on 12 December 1730, entered the Congregation on 20 May 1747 and made his vows on 21 May 1749. But when, in 1927, the Superior General, François Verdier, asked the Congregation of Rites to approve the Proper for our martyrs, the opinion of Coste, who noted that the two confreres at that time were pastors in Collégien and Genevrières, respectively, prevailed. The request for insertion into our calendar was limited to the first two martyrs.
Today, a more organized study of all the detailed documents of our history leads us to believe the two blessed martyrs, Caron and Colin, as fully belonging to our Community.
The Superior General, Fr. Gregory Gay, at the Council meeting of 4 October 2005, decided to ask the Congregation for Divine Worship to insert in the memorial of 2 September the two martyrs, Caron and Colin, too. The Congregation, on 15 October 2005, granted that the memorial, in addition to Louis Joseph François, John Henry Gruyer and Peter René Rogue would include John Charles Caron and Nicholas Colin and would be entitled: “Memorial of Blessed Louis Joseph François and Companions, Martyrs”.
The Superior General, in asking that this news be communicated, requests too that we celebrate the memorial of our blessed martyrs with fervor, after the example of their heroic witness up to the supreme gift of self.
Fr. Giuseppe Guerra, C.M.
Postulator General
giuseppe.guerra@vincenziani.it
