J. M. Lelen
Encyclopedia
Father J. M. Lelen, PhD was an author, translator, poet, and philosopher who corresponded with many notable figures in his lifetime.
, France December 24, 1873. His family moved to Lille
soon after. While growing up in Lille he met Thérèse of Lisieux who had come to Lille on a visit with her family. They were both the same age (seven) at the time. Joseph Lelen, a French citizen
, served in the French Army
until 1894, together with author Hillaire Belloc, then a a friend.
and became a Roman Catholic
priest upon ordination at Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris
on September 24, 1898.
Father Lelen came to America in 1899 after working in France with the Sulpicians. He taught at Dunwoodie Seminary
in Yonkers, New York
. Later he traveled to France, then returned to North America serving in Canada
and eventually New Orleans. The climate in New Orleans did not agree with Fr. Lelen and he requested and was granted assignment in Covington, Kentucky
in 1907.
His first assignment was as chaplain of Good Shepherd Convent in Fort Thomas, Kentucky
. He became editor of “The Christian Year” the diocesan newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
in January 1912. He then served as pastor of St. Paul parish, Florence, Kentucky
from 1915 to 1918.
Father Lelen became pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Falmouth, Kentucky
in 1918. He continued to write many books, pamphlets, magazine articles and newspaper articles. He was a regular contributor to ‘’’The Falmouth Outlook’’’, the weekly paper of Falmouth, Kentucky. He continued in this pastorate until he retired in 1954.
”, from the original Latin
, was published in English, one of the first in this language.
He was a prolific author of prayer books throughout his life. He corresponded with and met many notable figures, including Margaret Mitchell
, Alice Brown
, William Dean Howells
, Mark Twain
, Jules Verne
and Claire Booth Luce.
Upon his 1954 retirement he lived at the Glenmary
Missionaries in Cincinnati. In September, 1963 the Papal Cross (Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
) bestowed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI
was granted to Father Lelen on the occasion of his 65th anniversary of his ordination. “The Cross of Honor” as it is known is bestowed upon laypersons and clergy who have given exceptional service to the Church. The medal hangs upon a gold and white ribbon.
He died in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio
on May 23, 1964.
Early life
He was born at SaillySailly
Sailly may refer to the following places in France:*Sailly, Ardennes, a commune in the Ardennes department*Sailly, Haute-Marne, a commune in the Haute-Marne department*Sailly, Saône-et-Loire, a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department...
, France December 24, 1873. His family moved to Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
soon after. While growing up in Lille he met Thérèse of Lisieux who had come to Lille on a visit with her family. They were both the same age (seven) at the time. Joseph Lelen, a French citizen
, served in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
until 1894, together with author Hillaire Belloc, then a a friend.
Commitment to religious life
He joined the Sulpician OrderSociety of Saint-Sulpice
The Society of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life named for Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Paris, in turn named for St. Sulpitius the Pious. Typically, priests become members of the Society of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. Uniquely, Sulpicians retain...
and became a Roman Catholic
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
priest upon ordination at Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
on September 24, 1898.
Father Lelen came to America in 1899 after working in France with the Sulpicians. He taught at Dunwoodie Seminary
St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie
St. Joseph's Seminary and College, sometimes referred to as Dunwoodie, after the Yonkers, New York neighborhood it is located in, is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. Its primary mission is to form men for the priesthood in the Catholic Church...
in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. Later he traveled to France, then returned to North America serving in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and eventually New Orleans. The climate in New Orleans did not agree with Fr. Lelen and he requested and was granted assignment in Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
in 1907.
His first assignment was as chaplain of Good Shepherd Convent in Fort Thomas, Kentucky
Fort Thomas, Kentucky
Fort Thomas is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, on the southern bank of the Ohio River and the site of an 1890 US Army post. The population was 16,325 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Campbell County and it is officially part of the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky metropolitan...
. He became editor of “The Christian Year” the diocesan newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Kentucky, covering that includes the city of Covington and the following Kentucky counties: Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Carroll, Grant, Owen, Pendleton, Harrison, Bracken, Robertson, Mason, Fleming, and Lewis. ...
in January 1912. He then served as pastor of St. Paul parish, Florence, Kentucky
Florence, Kentucky
Florence is a city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,951 at the 2010 census.-History:The Florence area was originally known as Crossroads, because of the convergence of several roads from Burlington and Union at Ridge Road...
from 1915 to 1918.
Father Lelen became pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Falmouth, Kentucky
Falmouth, Kentucky
Falmouth is a small city in Pendleton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,058 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pendleton County and is the meeting point of the South and Main forks of the Licking River.-Geography:...
in 1918. He continued to write many books, pamphlets, magazine articles and newspaper articles. He was a regular contributor to ‘’’The Falmouth Outlook’’’, the weekly paper of Falmouth, Kentucky. He continued in this pastorate until he retired in 1954.
Author and correspondent
In 1952 his translation “The Confessions of St. AugustineConfessions (St. Augustine)
Confessions is the name of an autobiographical work, consisting of 13 books, by St. Augustine of Hippo, written between AD 397 and AD 398. Modern English translations of it are sometimes published under the title The Confessions of St...
”, from the original Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, was published in English, one of the first in this language.
He was a prolific author of prayer books throughout his life. He corresponded with and met many notable figures, including Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was an American author and journalist. Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937 for her epic American Civil War era novel, Gone with the Wind, which was the only novel by Mitchell published during her lifetime.-Family:Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta,...
, Alice Brown
Alice Brown
Alice Brown may refer to:*Alice Brown , American sprinter*Alice Brown , Canadian politician*Alice Brown , American novelist, poet and playwright...
, William Dean Howells
William Dean Howells
William Dean Howells was an American realist author and literary critic. Nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters", he was particularly known for his tenure as editor of the Atlantic Monthly as well as his own writings, including the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day" and the novel The Rise of...
, Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
and Claire Booth Luce.
Upon his 1954 retirement he lived at the Glenmary
Glenmary
Glenmary Home Missioners was founded in 1939 by Father William Howard Bishop, a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, to serve what he termed "No Priest Land, USA." Today, Glenmary priests, brothers and co-workers are Catholic missionaries who serve in over 40 Catholic missions and...
Missionaries in Cincinnati. In September, 1963 the Papal Cross (Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal is an award of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also known as the "Cross of Honour". The medal was established by Leo XIII on July 17, 1888, to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee and was originally bestowed on those women and men who had aided and...
) bestowed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
was granted to Father Lelen on the occasion of his 65th anniversary of his ordination. “The Cross of Honor” as it is known is bestowed upon laypersons and clergy who have given exceptional service to the Church. The medal hangs upon a gold and white ribbon.
He died in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio
Hamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
on May 23, 1964.
Books written and edited by Father Lelen
- Towards the Altar (1908)
- Towards the Sanctuary (1908)
- The Duty of Happiness, Thoughts on Hope, Newport KY: Good Shepherd Press, (1911)
- The Gospel of Pain , Covington KY: 1st ed. 62p (1912)
- Pray the Rosary, Catholic Book Pub Co, ISBN 9780899420486
- The Agony of Our Lord (1920)
- The Friend of Sinners, Burns Oats & Washbourne (1930)
- Mysterium Amoris, and Other Eucharistic Sketches, Paterson NJ: St. Anthony Guild Press, (1934)
- Toward the Eternal Priesthood, St Anthony Guild Press (1938)
- Soldiers and Sailors Prayer Book: Daily Devotions, Catholic Book Publishing Co., United states and Canada (1940)
- The Following of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis, (J. M. Lelen, Editor) Catholic Book Publishing, New York (1941)
- Key of Heaven, a Prayer Book for Catholics, New York, New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co. (1942)
- La Imitación de Cristo, by Thomas Kempis, Editado por el Reverendo J.M. Lelen, Ph.D. Catholic Book Publishing Co. (1943) Traducción Nueva con consideraciones al de cada capítulo.
- Rezai Sempre, Catholic Book Pub. Co. (1949)
- Confessions Of Saint Augustine (1953)
- Pray the Rosary, by Father J M Lelen, PhD; Catholic Book Publishing Company, New York, New York, USA (1953)
- Child of God, Catholic Book Publishing Co. (1958)
- Key of Heaven : A Complete Manual of Prayers and Catholic Devotions, Catholic Book Publishing (1958)
- The Treasury of the Sacred Heart, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, NY (1960)
- Ave Maria, a Manual of Catholic Devotions, New York, New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co. (1960)
- The Gospel of a County Pastor: Sketches and Sermons, Herder, St Louis, Mo. (1961)
- Our Lady of Fatima Manual, Catholic Book Pub. Co (1962)
- Illustrated Life of Christ, Catholic Book Publishing Company (1964)
- Pray the Rosary for Novenas, Family Rosary, Private Recitation, Five First Sundays, Catholic Book Publishing, New York, NY (1973)
- Confessions Of Saint Augustine: Revision Of The Translation Of Rev. J.M. Lelen (paraclete Living Library) ISBN 0899421695