杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

Fr Jacques-Désiré Laval continues to perform miracles across Mauritius, says Spiritan Father Grégoire. 鈥淗e brings together people from different societies, cultures, races and religions鈥�, says Fr Grégoire, making Mauritius a 鈥渞ainbow鈥� country and making Fr Laval the 鈥淎postle of unity in Mauritius鈥�.

Jacques-Désiré Laval

Born in France in 1803, is it believed that Jacques Laval gained his spirituality from his mother, who died when he was 7. He was ordained priest in 1938 and sent as a missionary to Mauritius in 1841, where he died 23 years later.

杏MAP导航 St John Paul II, who visited Laval鈥檚 tomb in October 1989, approved a miracle attributed to his intercession, leading to his beatification in 1979.

Spiritually

Bringing all these different people together, in different parts of the country, he says, 鈥淔r Laval did that鈥�.  

This, says Fr Grégoire, is not only to be seen in the context of religion, 鈥渂ut in the context of spirituality鈥�.

He explains that 鈥渉umanly speaking鈥�, people can鈥檛 do much about their problems鈥�. So people visit the shrine of Blessed Fr Laval, because they 鈥渘eed to refer to a higher power鈥�. As one of the most venerated people in Mauritius, people go to visit his shrine 鈥渘ot because they are looking for magic鈥� but because they seek 鈥渟ome kind of miracle鈥�, for their personal lives, 鈥渇or their healing鈥�, he says.

Crossing borders

When Fr Laval arrived in Mauritius, 鈥渉e crossed borders and went to encounter the poor鈥�. Fr Laval encountered those who were marginalised during his times: the newly liberated slaves. 鈥淗e saw in them potential evangelisers鈥� says Fr Grégoire, 鈥渁nd so he trained them to be catechists.鈥�

Today, we need to be inspired by Fr Laval鈥檚 鈥減rocess of empowerment鈥� says Fr Grégoire.

鈥淚 think what Laval did,鈥� says Fr Grégoire 鈥渋s that, as soon as he came, he valued people for who they are.鈥�

Reach out to them

We must remember that 鈥渢oday, we are also kind of enslaved by many things鈥�, says Fr Grégoire, and just as Fr Laval encountered those who were marginalised then, we must reach out to those who are enslaved in today鈥檚 social problems. The 鈥減oor, the sick, the prisoners, the prostitutes, the drug addicts鈥�those facing injustices: poor living, poor housing...Go and reach out to them鈥�. That, says Fr Grégoire, 鈥渋s the vocation that Fr Laval is instilling in every one of us in Mauritius.鈥�

A message of mercy

According to Fr Grégoire, much of what Fr Laval does is reflected in 杏MAP导航 Francis.

鈥淔r Laval left his country鈥�, he says. 杏MAP导航 Francis is leaving Rome to come to us. 鈥淎nd鈥� he concludes, 鈥� he did so, to bring a message of love, a message of peace and a message of mercy 鈥� just as Fr Laval did in the past.鈥�