Saint of the Day: Bl. Protais Bourdon

Religious Priest and Martyr (1747-1794)

His life

+ Jean Bourdon was born in Séez, Orne, France, to a working class family.

+ Professing vows as a Capuchin Franciscan in 1768, he was known by the religious name Protais (or Protasio). He was ordained a priest in 1775 and served as the secretary for the Capuchins’ province of Normady.

+ During the anti-Catholic violence of the French Revolution, Father Protais was among hundreds of priests and religious imprisoned on ships harbored near Rochefort, France. It was related that during his imprisonment, he spent time ministering to other prisoners.

+ Blessed Protais died on board the prison ship Deux-Associés on August 23, 1794, and was beatified with other martyrs of the “Hulks of Rochefort” in 1995.

For prayer and reflection

“In deep moral solitude, they took it to heart to maintain a spirit of prayer. ‘Prior to the torture’ of hunger and thirst, they did not have a word of hatred towards their executioners. Slowly, they allowed themselves to be identified with the sacrifice of Christ... So here they are now offered to our gaze as a living sign of the power of Christ who acts in human weakness.”—Pope Saint John Paul II at the beatification of the Martyrs of the Hulks of Rochefort

Spiritual bonus

On this day we also remember Blessed Ramon Grimaltos Monllor, a Jesuit lay brother who was killed in Tavernes de Valldigna, Valencia, Spain, on August 23, 1936, during the anti-Catholic violence of the Spanish Civil War. He was beatified with other martyrs of the Spanish Civil War in 2001.

Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, who brought your Martyr blessed Protais to overcome the torments of his passion, grant that we, who celebrate the day of his triumph, may remain invincible under your protection against the snares of the enemy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal: Common of Martyrs—For One Martyr)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.