Blessed Pierre-Joseph Cassant

Pierre-Joseph Cassant (6 March 1878 – 17 June 1903) was a French Roman Catholic priest and professed member of the Trappists. During his novitiate he received the religious name of Marie-Joseph and was known for his strong determination to his studies to fulfil his lifelong wish of being ordained to the priesthood. Cassant suffered from extreme tuberculosis around the time of his ordination and died not long after he was made a priest. Pope John Paul II celebrated his beatification on 3 October 2004. Pierre-Joseph Cassant was born on 6 March 1878 in France to parents who were orchard-keepers as the second child born to them; his older brother was Emile (b. 1869) who was nine at the time of Cassant's birth. He was a lodger at a boarding school that the De La Salle Brothers ran and it was here that his abilities in memorizing things were quite diminished and led to increasing learning difficulties. Despite these failings he was seen as a quiet and caring child. It was at the age of 14 that he realized that he wanted to become a priest but learning difficulties prevented him from entering the seminary, so went to the parish priest Father Filhol for advice; he suggested he seek out the Trappists. Cassant entered a Cistercian convent in Sainte-Marie du Désert on 5 December 1894 where he was placed under the charge of Father André Mallet who said to him: "only trust and I will help you to love Jesus". During his novitiate he received the name of "Marie-Joseph" and he often spent time meditating upon Christ in his Passion and on the Cross, and he depended on Him for strength during his studies. To further advance his chances of studying for the priesthood, he underwent further studies of the French language and began to learn Latin. It was around this time that he formed his personal motto, "all for Jesus, all through Mary". He made his final vows on the Feast of the Ascension on 24 May 1900.