TODAY, February 5th marks the 42nd anniversary of the death of the Servant of God, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jean Martin Eyraud.  In this Year of the Priest, please join me in praying for his Beatifcation, so that Msgr. Eyraud’s exemplary priestly life may be made known in the Church, especially for the edification and encouragement of parish priests.

In front of the original Church in Reserve, LA

Pere, the Little Frenchman

Msgr’s tomb in Reserve, Louisiana

The Little Frenchman in 1963

Crowning Our Lady in 1954

Msgr Jean Martin Eyraud in 1950

Pere Eyraud in 1911

The Servant of God, Rt. Reverend Monsignor Jean Martin Zozine EYRAUD was born in Le Glaizal, France on the Feast of St. Martin de Tours, November 11, 1880; son of Zozine Eyraud and Frances Gonsonil-Chevillon.  Educated at the Rondeau in Grenoble, France and at the Major Seminary in Gap, France.  Ordained to the Holy Priesthood at Gap on June 29, 1904. Military service: Twenty-second Infantry Regiment as a private, for one year.  Arrived in America in June, 1910. First pastorate: St. Thomas, Pointe-à-la-Hache, La. Arrived at St. Peter, Reserve in June, 1916.  Erected St. Joan of Arc Chapel in Laplace, 1922-1923.  Established St. Peter Parochial School in 1931 and St. Catherine Parochial School for blacks in 1932.  Named domestic prelate by Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel on December 25, 1937.  Presented the Palmes Académique by Pierre Mathivet de La Ville de Mirmont, Counsul General of France, for his work in preserving the French culture in Louisiana. Died at Reserve, Louisiana on February 5, 1968; interred at St. Peter’s Cemetery. Msgr. Eyraud, known affectionately as “The Little Frenchman” served as Pastor at St. Peter Parish in Reserve for 47 years.  A well-respected Churchman, Msgr. Eyraud served his parishioners with self-less energy and fatherly love.  Considered a “Priest’s Priest” among his brethren in the New Orleans Archdiocese, his loving care for and fatherly patience with the many Assistant Priests assigned to him through the years was well-known.  Because of this, generations of younger priests loved him in return, and sought his counsel as a trusted mentor and faithful friend.  The cause for Msgr. Eyraud’s Beatification and Canonization was approved by the Holy See in 2002.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 10:05 am and is filed under Deceased Priests, Hagiography, Louisiana, Prayer/Spiritual Life, Servants of God, Vocations, Year of the Priesthood. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.