Venerable Francis Libermann

Francis Mary Paul Libermann (French: François-Marie-Paul Libermann; born Jacob Libermann; 12 April 1802 – 2 February 1852) was a French Jewish convert to Catholicism and a Spiritan priest. He is best known for founding the Society of the Holy Heart of Mary, which later merged with the Spiritans. He is often referred to as "The Second Founder of the Spiritans". He was declared venerable in the Catholic Church on 1 June 1876, by Pope Pius IX. Jacob Libermann was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Saverne, Alsace, France in 1802. As a young man, Libermann prepared to follow in the footsteps of his father, the Chief Rabbi of Saverne. He would later relate how he lost his faith in Judaism after entering a yeshiva. Treated with disdain by two of the professors there, he began to read French literature, especially Rousseau, with the result that he became an agnostic. Later during this period of agnosticism, another rabbinical student gave him a Hebrew translation of the Gospels. Being always a very moral person, Libermann was captivated by the high moral tone of Jesus' discourses, though he could not accept the supernatural elements in the Gospels. Then, however, his eldest brother first, and afterwards two other brothers, embraced Catholicism. Although Jacob deeply resented their change of religion, he gradually came to recognize their happiness, which was in strong contrast with his own distracted frame of mind. After arriving in Paris, where his father had sent him to pursue his studies, he made the acquaintance of David Paul Drach, a convert from Judaism, who had him received into the College Stanislas. The knowledge of his conversion was long concealed from his father, who was horrified to learn of his favorite son's actions. When the news of his baptism reached Saverne, his father mourned him as dead. Jacob Libermann was baptized on 24 December 1826, taking the name François Marie Paul.