Peter Julian Eymard was a French priest who dedicated his life to honoring Christ present in the Eucharist. He founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament to spread Eucharistic adoration and devotion.
Life
Saint Peter Julian Eymard was born in 1811 in La Mure, in the French Alps. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Grenoble and later joined the Society of Mary, the Marists, where he held several responsibilities.
As his love for Christ present in the Eucharist deepened, he resolved to devote his life to spreading Eucharistic adoration and devotion. In 1856 he founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in Paris, and then a women's community, the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament. He also cared for children preparing for First Communion and for poor workers. He died on August 1, 1868, and was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962.
Spirituality
Saint Peter Julian Eymard's spirituality is a life centered on the Eucharist. He honored Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as the King of love, and taught that those who receive his love in adoration must go out and live that love in the world. For him the Eucharist was both the heart of prayer and the source of apostolic work.
Reflection
Saint Peter Julian Eymard believed that time spent before the Eucharist transforms a life. Why not stop by an adoration chapel or church this week and speak quietly with the Lord?