January 28th: Bienheureux Juluan Maunoir

January 28th: Bienheureux Juluan Maunoir (aka Julien Maunorr, Tad Maner)

Julien Maunoir was born on 1^st October 1606 at St. Georges de Reintembault, near

Rennes.

He studied at the Jesuit college in Rennes from 1621, and there met Fr. Pierre Coton,

confessor of King Henry IV of France, who received him as a novitiate at Saint German de

Paris on 16^th September 1625. Julien pronounced his first vows there in 1627, and went on

to study philosophy for three years at the Jesuit College de Henri IV la Fleche.

From 1630 to 1633 he taught Latin and Greek at Quimper College, where he was visited by

the missionary Dom Michel le Nobletz, who saw in Julien his successor as missionary to the

Breton countryside. Julien then began to study Breton (although some say he received the

language as a gift from angels), and after two years he had sufficient mastery to teach

catechism and visit the sick in hospitals.

After a year of teaching at Tours and four years theological study at Bourges he was

ordained priest on 6^th June 1637. He then spent a further year in Rouen before returning

to Quimper.

Following a dream and a healing that he considered miraculous, shortly after Christmas

1636, Julien dedicated himself to being a missionary in Brittany. His first mission was to
Douarnenez in 1641.

Over the next 43 years he travelled with his companion, Fr. Pierre Bernard, throughout

Brittany, preaching 439 rural missions, using the allegorical maps of Fr. Mikel le Nobletz,

but also introducing the use of hymns in Breton (some of which were published), and a

procession tracing scenes from the life of Jesus. His missions were very popular, and

Julien himself reckoned that in one year alone they attracted 40,000 people, of whom

3,000 were converted.

Julien also wrote 'The life of Marie-Amice Picard' in which he defends the Breton mystic.

Born in 1599, in the hamlet of Kergam in the parish of Guiclan, in the diocese of Leon,

Marie Amice was the daughter of poor peasants, who, as a child, kept the flocks and then

became a weaver. At the age of seven, reputedly influenced after hearing a sermon

preached, she promised God to do his will, remain a virgin, and suffer the torments of

martyrs. She refused proposals of marriage and successfully resisted a rape attempt. At

the age of 35 she began to experience visions, ecstasies, and torments, accompanied by

stigmata. Accused of witchcraft and denounced by a mob, she was forced by the Bishop of

Leon to submit to torture, after which she was recognised as an 'eccentric Christian'. She

died on Christmas Day 1652 and was buried in the cathedral of Kastell Paol (St. Pol de

Leon), Finistere, where her tomb became the subject of popular worship

Julien Maunoir died on 28^th January 1683 preparing a final mission to Plevin. He was

buried here at Plevin in the church grounds, at the insistence of his people, and there is

an annual memorial pardon, which we have today attended. The mass was led by a

visiting priest from Haiti, and the church was packed.

Julien Maunoir is known as 'the apostle of Brittany', and was beatified by Pope Pious XII,

on 20^th May 1951. He is thus Blessed, or Bienheureux' - well happy!

Meulomp, meulomp, Brettoned, meulompan Tad Maner

Meulomp mignon mamm Doue ha mignon hon Salver

Er vro-man gant karantez en deus kalz labouter,

Pedpomp, pedomp, Bretoned, an Tad Mat benninget.

Pa zeuje dre at maro Jezuz Krist d'hen gervel,

Gant at bobl paour en dovoa det deziret marvel:

'Ganta am eus tremenet, emezan, ma buhez,

Ganta goude at maro e karfen chom ivez'.

Meulomp, meulomp...

Taolit eta war Vreiziz eur sell a drugarexz,

Tad Mat, e kreiz hon anken, reit dimp al levenez,

Ha ra selaouimp brpred ho mouez ouz hon gervel,

War ho lerc'h, war hent Jezuz, d'ar vuhez peurbadel.

Meulomp, meulomp...

For those of us who might struggle a little with Breton (!) here is some music of an earlier
mystic, Hildegard von Bingen:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?
q=hildegard+von+bingen+music&view=detail&mid=9EB156E662CAFD2FDAE09EB156E662CAFD2FDAE0&FORM=VIRE