Leon Dehon
Encyclopedia
Leon Gustav Dehon was a Catholic
clergyman.
Born in La Capelle (Soissons
), France, Dehon was raised in a pious family, Leo Dehon's mother was especially devoted to the Sacred Heart
, and passed this on to Leo. As a young man he felt a call to the priesthood, but his father had other plans for him, and sent him to study at the Sorbonne
in Paris
. He earned a degree in civil law at 21, but had spent much of his free time in a local church. His father tried again to interest his son in the world by sending him on a long tour of the East, but on his way home Leo entered the French Seminary of Saint Claire in Rome
in October 1865. He was ordained on 19 December 1868 in the basilica
of Saint John Lateran. His father not only came to terms with his son's vocation, he returned to the Church himself.
Fr. Dehon acted as stenographer for Vatican I, and was a parish priest at Saint Quentin. Father Leo began feeling drawn to religious life, and on 28 June 1878, following a pilgrimage to Loreto
, Italy
, he founded the Oblates of the Sacred Heart, taking the name Father John of the Sacred Heart. The Oblates grew quickly, but due to misunderstandings about their mission, they acquired great opposition, and on 3 December 1883 the order was compelled to disband. After a period of depression, prayer and reflection, Leo re-formed the order as the Priests of the Sacred Heart
(Dehonians) on 25 February 1888 with a goal of parish and foreign missionary work, with special devotion of its members to Eucharistic adoration
. They received the approval of Pope Leo XIII who asked "Father John" to preach on the basis of one of the pope's encyclical
s. He started the Reign of the Sacred Heart magazine in 1889. Though they had the support of Pope Leo XIII
, Pope Pius X
, Pope Benedict XV
, and Pope Pius XI
, he and his priests continued to be accused of slander and various other charges for years. He participated in congresses and conferences, founded new houses of the Priests, and heard confession
s for long hours at a time. He began the construction of the Basilica of Christo Re beginning on 18 May 1920. He died of natural causes on 12 August 1925 in Brussels
, Belgium
.
Father Leo Dehon was declared venerable
in 1997 by Pope John Paul II
. His beatification
is pending, following having received the approval of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
on 19 April 2004. It was originally scheduled for 24 April 2005, but was delayed initially due to the death of Pope John Paul II
on 2 April 2005. A hold on the beatification has been announced due to a re-examination of his written works in response to charges of anti-semitism
levied by a number of individuals and organizations, both clerical and secular.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
clergyman.
Born in La Capelle (Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
), France, Dehon was raised in a pious family, Leo Dehon's mother was especially devoted to the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
, and passed this on to Leo. As a young man he felt a call to the priesthood, but his father had other plans for him, and sent him to study at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He earned a degree in civil law at 21, but had spent much of his free time in a local church. His father tried again to interest his son in the world by sending him on a long tour of the East, but on his way home Leo entered the French Seminary of Saint Claire in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in October 1865. He was ordained on 19 December 1868 in the basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
of Saint John Lateran. His father not only came to terms with his son's vocation, he returned to the Church himself.
Fr. Dehon acted as stenographer for Vatican I, and was a parish priest at Saint Quentin. Father Leo began feeling drawn to religious life, and on 28 June 1878, following a pilgrimage to Loreto
Loreto (AN)
Loreto is a hilltown and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche. It is mostly famous as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.-Location:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he founded the Oblates of the Sacred Heart, taking the name Father John of the Sacred Heart. The Oblates grew quickly, but due to misunderstandings about their mission, they acquired great opposition, and on 3 December 1883 the order was compelled to disband. After a period of depression, prayer and reflection, Leo re-formed the order as the Priests of the Sacred Heart
Priests of the Sacred Heart
The Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus constitute a Roman Catholic religious order of priests, founded by Leon Dehon in 1878.The order runs the Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin....
(Dehonians) on 25 February 1888 with a goal of parish and foreign missionary work, with special devotion of its members to Eucharistic adoration
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. They received the approval of Pope Leo XIII who asked "Father John" to preach on the basis of one of the pope's encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
s. He started the Reign of the Sacred Heart magazine in 1889. Though they had the support of Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
, Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
, Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
, and Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
, he and his priests continued to be accused of slander and various other charges for years. He participated in congresses and conferences, founded new houses of the Priests, and heard confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
s for long hours at a time. He began the construction of the Basilica of Christo Re beginning on 18 May 1920. He died of natural causes on 12 August 1925 in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Father Leo Dehon was declared venerable
Venerable
The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christian churches. It is also the common English-language translation of a number of Buddhist titles.-Roman Catholic:...
in 1997 by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. His beatification
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
is pending, following having received the approval of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
on 19 April 2004. It was originally scheduled for 24 April 2005, but was delayed initially due to the death of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 2 April 2005. A hold on the beatification has been announced due to a re-examination of his written works in response to charges of anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
levied by a number of individuals and organizations, both clerical and secular.