Mauritian priest: Blessed Fr
Laval inspires us to help the marginalised
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| Pope Fancis at the tomb of Fr Laval |
Fr Grégoire speaks about the importance of Blessed Fr Laval,
a French missionary, for the people of Mauritius.
By Francesca Merlo
Fr Jacques-Désiré Laval continues to perform miracles across
Mauritius, says Spiritan Father Grégoire. “He brings together people from
different societies, cultures, races and religions”, says Fr Grégoire, making
Mauritius a “rainbow” country and making Fr Laval the “Apostle of unity in
Mauritius”.
Jacques-Désiré Laval
Born in France in 1803, is it believed that Jacques Laval
gained his spirituality from his mother, who died when he was 7. He was
ordained priest in 1938 and sent as a missionary to Mauritius in 1841, where he
died 23 years later.
Pope St John Paul II, who visited Laval’s tomb in October
1989, approved a miracle attributed to his intercession, leading to his
beatification in 1979.
Spiritually
Bringing all these different people together, in different
parts of the country, he says, “Fr Laval did that”.
This, says Fr Grégoire, is not only to be seen in the
context of religion, “but in the context of spirituality”.
He explains that “humanly speaking”, people can’t do much
about their problems”. So people visit the shrine of Blessed Fr Laval, because
they “need to refer to a higher power”. As one of the most venerated people in
Mauritius, people go to visit his shrine “not because they are looking for
magic” but because they seek “some kind of miracle”, for their personal lives,
“for their healing”, he says.
Crossing borders
When Fr Laval arrived in Mauritius, “he crossed borders and
went to encounter the poor”. Fr Laval encountered those who were marginalised
during his times: the newly liberated slaves. “He saw in them potential
evangelisers” says Fr Grégoire, “and so he trained them to be catechists.”
Today, we need to be inspired by Fr Laval’s “process of
empowerment” says Fr Grégoire.
“I think what Laval did,” says Fr Grégoire “is that, as soon
as he came, he valued people for who they are.”
Reach out to them
We must remember that “today, we are also kind of enslaved
by many things”, says Fr Grégoire, and just as Fr Laval encountered those who
were marginalised then, we must reach out to those who are enslaved in today’s
social problems. The “poor, the sick, the prisoners, the prostitutes, the drug
addicts…those facing injustices: poor living, poor housing...Go and reach out
to them”. That, says Fr Grégoire, “is the vocation that Fr Laval is instilling
in every one of us in Mauritius.”
A message of mercy
According to Fr Grégoire, much of what Fr Laval does is
reflected in Pope Francis.
“Fr Laval left his country”, he says. Pope Francis is
leaving Rome to come to us. “And” he concludes, “ he did so, to bring a message
of love, a message of peace and a message of mercy – just as Fr Laval did in
the past.”
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