Priest and Missionary
Libermann suffered from epileptic seizures, which prevented his ordination for nearly fifteen years. It was only when these seizures ceased in 1841 that he was able to become a priest. After his ordination, Libermann created a small religious order centered around missionary activity towards newly freed slaves in Réunion, Haiti, and Mauritius.
As this group attracted more members, the Holy See merged his society with the older Congregation of the Holy Ghost, otherwise known as "Spiritans". Due to this event, Libermann is often referred to as the "Second Founder" of the Holy Ghost Fathers.
Read more about this topic: Francis Libermann
Famous quotes containing the words priest and/or missionary:
“Never has any one been less a priest than Jesus, never a greater enemy of forms, which stifle religion under the pretext of protecting it. By this we are all his disciples and his successors; by this he has laid the eternal foundation-stone of true religion; and if religion is essential to humanity, he has by this deserved the Divine rank the world has accorded him.”
—Ernest Renan (1823–1892)
“Why have such scores of lovely, gifted girls
Married impossible men?
Simple self-sacrifice may be ruled out,
And missionary endeavour, nine times out of ten.”
—Robert Graves (1895–1985)