Blessed Daniel Brottier
Blessed Daniel Brottier (born September 25, 1876 AD in La Ferté-Saint-Cyr, Loir-et-Cher, France; died February 28, 1936 AD in Paris, France) was a French Catholic priest of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) who served as a missionary in West Africa (Senegal), as a chaplain in World War I, and as the director of the Orphans' Apprentices of Auteuil — one of the most famous Catholic charitable institutions for orphaned and at-risk boys in France. Known for his indomitable energy, his complete trust in Divine Providence, and his deep devotion to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, he restored the Basilica of Saint Thérèse at Auteuil as a memorial to the fallen of World War I. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 25, 1984. His feast day is February 28.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Daniel Brottier
| Blessed Daniel Brottier | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | February 28 |
| Profession | Catholic priest (Congregation of the Holy Spirit/Spiritans); missionary in Senegal (1903-1911); military chaplain, World War I (1914-1918); director, Orphans' Apprentices of Auteuil (1923-1936); builder of the Basilica of Saint Thérèse at Auteuil; apostle of Providence |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans/Holy Ghost Fathers); French Catholic missionary tradition; 20th-century French Catholicism; devotion to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux |
| Patronage | Orphans; apprentices; at-risk youth; West African Catholics; World War I veterans; Senegal; Auteuil; French Catholic missionaries; those who trust in Divine Providence; military chaplains |
| Attributes | Spiritan cassock; military chaplain's insignia; Croix de Guerre; image of Saint Thérèse (the Little Flower); rose (Thérèse's symbol); February 28 feast |
| Birthplace | La Ferté-Saint-Cyr, Loir-et-Cher, France |
| Death Place | Paris, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural death following prolonged illness; died February 28, 1936, in Paris; he was 59 years old; he had suffered poor health for many years, including repeated serious illness in Senegal; he continued to work with extraordinary energy despite his ill health; he died on February 28, the last day of February (his feast day) at the Orphans' Apprentices of Auteuil in Paris; he was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 25, 1984 |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Saint Thérèse, Auteuil, Paris — the shrine he built; February 28 feast; JPII beatification November 25 1984 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; February 28 feast in France and in the Spiritan Congregation (Holy Spirit Fathers) |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Daniel Brottier was born September 25, 1876, in La Ferté-Saint-Cyr in the Loire Valley, France. He was ordained a priest and joined the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), serving as a missionary in Senegal from 1903 to 1911 before being recalled due to repeated serious illness.
During World War I he served as a military chaplain on the Western Front with extraordinary courage, earning the Croix de Guerre, the Légion d'honneur, and the Médaille militaire. After the war he dedicated himself to a memorial for the fallen.
In 1923 he became director of the Orphans' Apprentices of Auteuil in Paris, transforming the institution and expanding it dramatically to care for thousands of orphaned and at-risk boys. He built the Basilica of Saint Thérèse at Auteuil as a memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War I, consecrated in 1930.
He had a deep spiritual friendship with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and relied completely on Divine Providence in all his works.
He died February 28, 1936, in Paris, at 59 years of age. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 25, 1984. His feast day is February 28.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: La Ferté-Saint-Cyr, Loir-et-Cher, France
Death location: Paris, France
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Parishes
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Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| February 28 Blessed Daniel Brottier | Under 5 minutes | Breski1 |
| The Miraculous Journey of Bl. Daniel Brottier: From Ordinary to Extraordinary | Under 5 minutes | Christian Channel |
Shrines
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Feast day
February 28
Veneration
Blessed Daniel Brottier (1876–1936) was a French Spiritan priest — missionary in Senegal, World War I military chaplain, and apostle of orphaned youth as director of the Orphans' Apprentices of Auteuil in Paris — known for his complete trust in Divine Providence and his deep devotion to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux; beatified John Paul II, November 25, 1984. Feast February 28.
Prayers
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