François Gaschon

Desirous of dedicating himself fully to the evangelization of the countryside, François Gaschon requested to enter the Company of the Mission of Notre-Dame de l'Hermitage in 1765. This diocesan company had been founded a century earlier for the instruction and spiritual relief of the rural populations of the diocese of Clermont. After his novitiate at Noirétable (Loire), he resided alternately at the house of L'Hermitage and that of Notre-Dame de Banelle, located in the parish of Escurolles (Allier). For nearly thirty years, he tirelessly traveled the countryside of Auvergne and Bourbonnais, preaching popular missions in about a hundred parishes. His simple, direct, and warm style, as well as his talent for resolving family and local conflicts, earned him immense esteem from the rural populations.

The French Revolution brutally interrupted this ministry in 1791-1792. The missionaries were dispersed and the sanctuaries closed or sold. Categorically refusing to take the constitutional oath required by the revolutionary authorities, Father Gaschon chose to remain in France and go underground. To escape the searches of the constabulary and the national guards while continuing to administer the sacraments, he traveled through the mountains of the Livradois-Forez in various disguises (knife grinder, winemaker, or even in female attire). Protected by the peasants who refused to denounce him, he kept the Christian faith alive in the region during the Terror.

After the restoration of worship, he became a vicar again at Olliergues. In 1804, upon the death of Abbé Chambrotty, he was called to Ambert by the new parish priest, Abbé de Rostaing, who entrusted him with the charge of the catechism. Although in his seventies, he continued to actively visit the sick and hear confessions in the surrounding countryside. At the end of 1806, he accepted the position of chaplain of the Hospice of Ambert, but refused any official title, distinction, or financial salary. He settled there in complete destitution, living as a poor man among the poor, dedicating himself entirely to the care of the sick, the indigent, and the orphans until his final days.

Father François Gaschon passed away on November 28, 1815, at the Ambert hospital, at the age of 83, after a brief illness. Upon the announcement of his death, the population of Ambert and neighboring parishes flocked to venerate his remains, already considering him a saint. His solemn funeral was a true popular triumph, gathering people of all social conditions and political opinions. He was buried in the chapel of the Ambert hospital (today commonly called the "Father Gaschon chapel"). Very quickly, his tomb became a place of permanent pilgrimage. The faithful left ex-votos, candles, and prayer requests there. Numerous spiritual graces and unexplained healings were quickly attributed to his intercession, reinforcing his reputation for holiness throughout the Auvergne region.

Given the persistence of popular devotion, Bishop François Marnas of Clermont officially opened the diocesan informative process for his beatification in 1924. The diocesan tribunal collected numerous testimonies and examined his writings until 1926, when the file was sent to Rome. However, the Second World War and the upheavals of the 20th century interrupted the procedure. In 1982, Bishop Jean Dardel of Clermont officially relaunched the cause at the request of Rome. To support this process and maintain his memory, the association 'Les Amis du Père Gaschon' was founded in Ambert on August 6, 1985. A new draft of the diocesan proceedings was submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1991. In 1997, the Roman theological commission concluded that his virtues were heroic. On April 6, 1998, Pope Saint John Paul II promulgated the decree recognizing the heroism of his virtues, officially granting him the title of Venerable. A diocesan process regarding a presumed miracle attributed to his intercession was opened in 2015 by Archbishop Hippolyte Simon of Clermont and solemnly closed in 2016 before being transmitted to Rome, where it is currently under examination.

The spirituality of Father François Gaschon is deeply rooted in the love of the poor, humility, and confident abandonment to Divine Providence. Marked by the spiritual heritage of the Jesuits and Saint John Francis Regis, he was a zealous apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

His legacy is characterized by an absolute refusal of honors and riches. He lived in voluntary and radical poverty, not hesitating to give his own clothes to the needy. His obedience to the Church and his constant concern for reconciliation and peace, particularly during the troubled periods of the Revolution and the Empire, made him a major pastoral figure in Auvergne.

Today, his memory remains alive through pilgrimages to the chapel of the Ambert hospital (entirely renovated between 2015 and 2021), as well as to the sanctuaries of Our Lady of the Hermitage (Noirétable) and Our Lady of Banelle (Escurolles). The association "Les Amis du Père Gaschon" continues to spread his spirituality and support his cause for beatification.