Page 19 - The Portal Magazine - December 2024

THE P RTAL December 2024 Page 19

Saint Régis

Dr Simon Cotton

ALOUVESC IS one of the larger villages in the hilly Ardèche region of France. It has an unexpectedly
Llarge 19th century basilica, built to shelter pilgrims. Jean-François Régis (1597-1640) was a Jesuit fired
by a burning desire to save souls, who exercised an apostolic ministry in the region. The newly ordained
Régis cared for victims of bubonic plague in Toulouse in 1631, then for the last six years of his life he was a
missioner in the diocese of Viviers.

The Vivarais and Forez-Velay had suffered dreadfully Pilgrims immediately began to come to pray at
in the Wars of Religion, villages had been deprived this shrine and have continued to come, some long
of the sacraments for years, and people were lapsing distances. In 1806, one pilgrim was studying at a
into atheism. Famine stalked the land. Régis spent his small school run by his parish priest, nearly 70 miles
summers ministering and teaching in the towns, then away. Wanting to be a priest, but finding Latin almost
traversed the region from one end to another in the impossible, he decided to make the pilgrimage to
bitterness of winter, snowdrifts and floods being no Lalouvesc. He did this on foot, slaking his thirst in
deterrent to him. He cared particularly for the poor, mountain streams and begging for bread. He prayed
and set up refuges for prostitutes. Stories spread of the on his knees before the relics of the holy saint, asking
miraculous multiplication of grain and of the dying for light to fall on him.
being restored to life; Régis would only say, “Every time
that God converts a hardened sinner He is working a When he returned to his school at Ecully, his
far greater miracle.” confidence improved. But his struggles continued at
the Grand Séminaire at Lyons; eventually an exception
In late December 1640 he and a companion set out was made for him, on account of his piety, and he was
for Lalouvesc in foul weather. Totally épuisé de fatigue, ordained priest on August 13th 1815. Next day, the
Régis contracted pneumonia, but still said six Masses on vigil of the Assumption, he offered his first Mass. In
Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day. He heard confessions February 1818, after a short curacy, he went to his first
from dawn to dusk and beyond, continuing to the point and only parish. He remained in this tiny village of Ars
of death. He collapsed, dying on New Year’s Eve. The until his death in 1859, once remarking, ‘Everything
inhabitants of Lalouvesc refused to give up his body to good that I have done, I owe to him [Saint Régis].’
the Jesuits; they already knew that they were sheltering At the intercession of Saint Régis, God answered the
a holy saint, the ‘saint pére’ who had spent himself for prayers of Jean-Marie Vianney very well.
them. Régis was canonised by Pope Clement XII in 1737.