Jacques-Désiré Laval

In 1840, he joined the Society of the Holy Heart of Mary (the future Congregation of the Holy Spirit). In 1841, he answered the call of Bishop William Collier and embarked for Mauritius. Arriving in Port-Louis on September 14, 1841, he dedicated himself to the former black slaves, who had been liberated in 1835 but were living in misery. Adopting an extremely poor lifestyle, he learned Mauritian Creole to preach and hear confessions. His method relied on a simple catechism, the training of laypeople ("prayer leaders"), the construction of schools and chapels, and the care of the sick during the cholera (1854) and smallpox (1856) epidemics. He baptized more than 67,000 people.

Exhausted by his labors, Father Laval suffered several strokes and died on September 9, 1864, in Port-Louis. His funeral brought together nearly 40,000 people. His tomb in Sainte-Croix immediately became a place of pilgrimage for Mauritians of all religions. His cause for beatification was introduced in Rome on June 26, 1918, by Pope Benedict XV, and his heroic virtues were proclaimed by Paul VI on June 22, 1962.

The miracle accepted for his beatification is the unexplained healing in 1923 of a man suffering from acute eczema of the face and neck, after praying at the tomb of Father Laval. Jacques-Désiré Laval was beatified on April 29, 1979, by Pope John Paul II, marking the first beatification of his pontificate. Pope John Paul II visited his tomb on October 14, 1989, followed by Pope Francis on September 9, 2019.

Father Laval's spirituality is based on humility, trust in Providence, and love for the poor. His work fostered national unity and interreligious respect in Mauritius. Every year, the pilgrimage to his tomb on the night of September 8 to 9 brings together more than 100,000 people. He is the co-patron of the Episcopal Conference of the Indian Ocean (CEDOI).