On February 15 each year, the Catholic Church honors Saint Claude de la Colombiere, a 17th century French Jesuit who authenticated and wrote about Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque’s visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Claude La Colombière, S.J. was a French Jesuit priest who is best known as the confessor of Margaret Mary Alacoque.
Claude was a missionary and ascetical writer. He left a large number of writings, including his principal works, Meditations on the Passion, Pious Reflections, and Retreat and Spiritual Letters.
In 1666, Claude was sent to Paris to study theology at the College de Clermont. He was also assigned to be the tutor of the children of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the Royal Minister of Finances. Upon completion of his studies there, he was ordained a priest in 1669, and initially assigned to teach at his former school in Lyon. Claude was then assigned to join the preaching team of the Jesuit community, through which he gained notice for the clarity and soundness of his sermons.
In 1674, after 15 years of life as a Jesuit, Claude did his next period of probation known as the tertianship, which was to prove decisive in his life. As a result of this experience of the Spiritual Exercises, Claude made a personal vow, as a means of attaining the utmost possible perfection, to observe faithfully the Rule and Constitutions of the Society under penalty of sin. Those who lived with him then, attested that this vow was kept with great exactitude.
The last two years of St. Claude’s life were spent at Lyon, where he was spiritual director to the Jesuit novices, and at Paray-le-Monial, where he returned to improve his health. He died on February 15, 1682.
Claude left a large number of writings, which, including his principal works, Pious Reflections, Meditations on the Passion, and Retreat and Spiritual Letters, were published under the title, Oeuvres du R.P. Claude La Colombière (Avignon, 1832; Paris, 1864).
He was beatified by Pope Pius XI on 16 June 1929, and the cause for his canonization was opened on November 14, 1934. Claude was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 31, 1992. His relics are currently preserved in the Jesuit Church around the corner from the convent of the Visitation sisters at Paray-le-Monial.
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