Champagnat biography

Marcellin Joseph Benoît Champagnat (1789-1840) 
priest, of the Society of Mary,
Founder of the Institute of the Little Brothers of Mary (Marist Brothers)  

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MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT was born on 20th May 1789, in Marlhes, a village in the mountains of east-central France.

The Revolution was about to burst upon the scene. He was the ninth child of a very Christian family, from whom he received his basic education. His mother and his aunt, a religious driven from her convent, awoke in him a solid faith and deep devotion to Mary.

His father, who was a farmer and merchant, possessed an above-average education, and played a significant role in the politics of the village and the region. He imparted to Marcellin his aptitude for manual work, a penchant for direct action, a sense of responsibility, and openness to new ideas.
When Marcellin was 14, a priest passing through the village helped him to see that God was calling him to the priesthoo