Franciscan Focus


Prayer for the Canonization of

Blessed Frédéric Janssoone 

Almighty and eternal God,
You granted to Blessed Frédéric Janssoone, son of France,
To follow the footsteps of your Son Jesus in the Holy Land,
And to work there for peace.

Then You led him to Canada,
To invite that nation to be generous toward the Holy Land,
To found the sanctuary of Cap-de-la-Madeleine,

And to make known the life of Jesus of Nazareth and His most holy Mother.
Grant us to become in turn,
True pilgrims and veritable missionaries of your Church.
That we may be equally solid pillars

Of the faith in our Christian communities.
Grant us, through his intercession, the favour that we ask…
Grant this son of Saint Francis of Assisi

To be canonized soon,
And to draw us all toward Your Son, Jesus our Lord. Amen

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory be…

(Approved by the Ordinary of Trois-Rivieres, Nov. 26, 2013)

Holy Brother André and
Good Fr. Frédéric

Read Good Father Frédéric’s booklet Holy Land History

Blessed Father Frédéric Janssoone, ofm.

Frédéric Janssoone was born in Ghyvelde, France, on the 19th of November, 1838.

Father Frédéric’s first trip to Canada was in 1881. He came to Canada to raise funds for the Holy Land. During his eight month stay, much of his time was devoted to preaching and writing while he prepared for his mission to the Holy Land. After a time in the Holy Land, where he founded the Commissariate of the Holy Land, he returned to Canada to stay in 1881.

Good Father Frédéric, the first Franciscan to arrive in Canada for the third return of the Franciscans to this country, dedicated himself in a remarkable way for the Secular Franciscan Order, then known as the Third Order of Saint Francis. He was Spiritual Assistant of the Third Order and it was due to his dedication that the Fraternity of Warwick, Quebec, grew with 184 novices and 150 professed members and in 1897 it had attained the record number of 400. In 1890, the year of the return of the Franciscan Friars, there were 34 Parish Fraternities, 17 of which had been founded by Father Frédéric, with a total of some 12,000 members.

He published a “Manual of the Third Order which sold 5,000 copies. In 1889 he wrote a booklet under the title “The Third Order, Its Rule and Its Excellence”. 10,000 copies sold quickly ay $3.00 per hundred, that is, three cents a copy.

Blessed Father Frédéric is well known for his work for the sanctuary at Cap de la Madeleine, near Trois Rivieres, Quebec, which he did much to establish and where miraculous events took place. When in Montreal, he lived in a small, humble room at St. Joseph’s Friary. He died in Montreal on the 4th of August, 1916, and is buried in a tomb at the Church of Saint-Antoine. He was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II on the 25th of September, 1988.

More info can be obtained from:
Centre Frédéric-Janssoone,
890 Saint-Maurice Street,
Trois-Rivieres, QC G9A 3P8
(819) 375-4004 / 378-4864

perefrederic.ca

Learn more on the CCCB’s Website – Canadian Blesseds

A Secular Franciscan’s Appreciation of Blessed Father Frédéric Janssoone, ofm

The Eastern Region of the Secular Franciscan Order in Canada has adopted Blessed Father Frédéric as our patron. But many of us have not actually spent time “getting to know” Blessed Father Frédéric… Who is this Franciscan friar?

Frédéric Janssoone was born in Ghyvelde, in northern France, near the Belgian border. He was born in 1838 into a devout family.  His father died, though, when he was only nine years old.   A number of years later, Frédéric left his studies and became a traveling salesperson to provide support for his mother. After his mother died in 1861, Frédéric went back to complete his studies, and then he entered the Order of the Friars Minor in 1864. He was ordained in 1870, and then in 1876, he was sent to the Custody of the Holy Land.

For the full article:

Appreciation of Blessed Father Frédéric Janssoone, ofm

 

Two Great Apostles of St. Joseph in Canada: Holy Brother André and Good Father Frédéric

“I was convinced that he was a saint, Brother André said of Good Father Frédéric, adding: “From the beginning of the work of St. Joseph’s Oratory, he encouraged me a lot. He came to the Oratory several times. Before his Mass, he generally encouraged me a lot.”

This statement by Brother André, delivered during the informative trial in the case for the beatification of Father Frédéric, held in Trois Rivières in 1927, clearly shows that Father Frédéric’s encouragement had been of great help to him in the difficulties of the founding of the Oratory.

For the full story:

Two Great Apostles of St. Joseph in Canada