Blessed John of Barastre

Indeed, imbued with the liveliest faith, he was constantly applied to the things of God. Each day, he meditated on the sorrowful mysteries of the Savior's Passion, and it often happened to him, while he was celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass, to shed abundant tears at the thought of Jesus Christ's love for men and the little return He receives from most of them. His emotion was even more intense at the moment of communion, when he nourished himself with the body of the Savior. He also had a tender devotion toward the Blessed Virgin, toward Saint John the Evangelist, and Saint Catherine of Ale xandria, whose protection he fervently invoked.

His charity for the poor was no less remarkable. Seeing in them the suffering members of Jesus Christ, it was with joy and respect that he distributed to them the goods he could dispose of in their favor. He gave them food, clothing, and medicine: he also gave them spiritual alms and addressed to them the instructions and consolations of the faith.

"Friend and protector of men of letters," says one of his biographers, "he put all his care into making the sciences flourish among the religious. He had several of them study at the University of Paris. One of them, Étienne du Fermont, was r eceived there as a doctor and taught theology there."

John of Barastre also took care of the temporal interests of his abbey. He had it largely rebuilt; he obtained the confirmation of all its privileges; he even obtained, in 1260, the exemption from all tolls, duties, and inspections for the things the abbey might need. As we can see, from every point of view, he was a good administrator, an enlightened guide, a model, a father.

The Sovereign Pontiff Gregory X , who knew the eminent virtue and wisdom of the Abbot of Mont Saint-Éloi, invited him to attend the gen eral council convened at Lyon in the year 1274. The venerable John, who was already very old, immediately expressed the deep emotion that this mark of confidence from the august head of Christendom had caused him, then he begged the Pope to excuse him because of the infirmities of old age, which did not allow him to undertake such a long journey. He sent two proxies of his choosing to replace him, who were received with distinction.

Blessed John of Barastre died, in the sentiments and exercise of the most constant piety and the greatest charity, on March 14, 1275. He had governed the abbey for twenty-seven years.

Under this wise administration, the renown of the house of Mont Saint-Éloi and its abbot had spread even to foreign lands. Relationships of association and bonds of fraternity were established between the abbey and a large number of convents. Let us cite among others the abbey of Anchin, that of Jumièges, the Preaching Friars , and the Friars Min or. Nothing was neglec ted by the holy Abbot to ensure the spiritual good of his house, and to attain, as effectively as possible, the supreme goal to which he had dedicated every moment of his worthy life.

Canon Van Drival, and Abbé Destumbes, Saints of Arras.