Feast of San Carlo de Foucauld

San Carlo de Foucauld, ora pro nobis

December 1st is the Feast of San Carlo de Foucauld (St. Charles de Foucauld), also known as Carlo di Gesù (Charles of Jesus), servant of the poor, Priest, Hermit, Mystic and Martyr.

Born in Strasbourg, France on September 15, 1858, the Viscount of Foucauld served as an army officer in the French military in North Africa between 1880 to 1882. Resigning from the army, Charles spent time in Algeria and Morocco before returning to Paris to visit family and publish an account of his travels.

In 1886 Charles experienced a profound religious conversion and returned to the Faith. In 1890 he became a Trappist Monk, but after a few years he left to go live as a hermit in Palestine.

Briefly returning to France, he was ordained a priest in August 1900.

Back in the Holy Land, in 1903 he travelled to the hermitage in the oasis city of Tamanrasset in French Algeria and spent almost thirteen years in prayer and meditation before being violently murdered in an anti-French uprising on December 1, 1916. His mortal remains are venerated in the French cemetery of El Golea in Algeria.

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Charles de Foucauld. Pictured is the icon of St. Charles de Foucauld at the Parish and Shrine Church of the Holy Innocents in New York City. Evviva San Carlo de Foucauld!

Prayer to St. Charles de Foucauld

God Our Father, you called your servant Charles de Foucauld to discover the infinite greatness of your love by contemplating the life of Jesus of Nazareth, your Son, who became flesh, who humbled himself to the point of death, who was raised to life, and who sent the Holy Spirit as his first gift to those who believe.

May we find, as we lovingly read the Gospel, and as we adore the Eucharist, a fountain of inexhaustible life in Christ, and a missionary courage and energy which will bind us in a spirit of universal fraternity. Thus we can work together to bring about your plan for the salvation of all people. We ask you in particular to grant, by the intercession of your servant Charles de Foucauld, if this is in conformity with your will, this grace.... for... whom we commend to your fatherly heart.

We ask you this through Jesus, your beloved Son, Our Lord.