Saint of the day February 28, 2025

Daniel Brottier was born on September 7, 1876 in Ferte-Saint-Cyr in the diocese of Blois, northern France. Quite early on he showed an interest in the faith. Not surprisingly, he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on October 22, 1899. However, not content with working for the Catholics of France, he decided to give his life to bringing the gospel to unbelievers. With this in mind he entered the congregation of the Holy Ghost Fathers. He was sent as a missionary to Senegal, W. Africa where he worked with great drive and commitment in the parish of St. Louis.

He was recalled to France in 1911 and became involved in raising funds for the cathedral of Dakar, capital city of Senegal. The First World War intervened. He was enlisted in the French forces and worked in the Red Cross with the function of chaplain. In this capacity, he took part in the battles of Lorraine, the Somme, Verdun and Flanders. One of the fortunate few to survive the war, he founded the National Union of Ex-Servicemen shortly after leaving the French forces.

In 1923, the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Dubois, asked the Congregation of the Holy Spirit to take over the Orphans of Auteuil, a shelter for the many half-starved children living on the streets of Paris. Providing refuge and education for children was an early and ongoing option for the Congregation, which often had orphanages attached to seminaries and schools.

Fr. Daniel Brottier took up the task. For 13 years, Fr. Brottier lived among these abandoned children. He welcomed them, listened to them and suffered with them in their misery.

Fr. Brottier, without thinking of himself, tried to give the children at least sufficient comfort to make them want to live like everybody else.

Daniel Brottier found an ally and friend for his life and work – Thérèse of Lisieux. At Auteuil, he “plotted” with her many ways of “tempting Providence” for the running and development of the work for orphans. Although prominently a man of action, his work flowed from an interior “practical union” with God.

Father Brottier died on February 28, 1936 in the Hospital of Saint Joseph in Paris. He was buried in the Chapel of St. Thérèse in Auteuil on April 5, 1936. He was declared venerable in 1983, and beatified on November 25, 1984, by Pope John Paul II.

Reflection

Fr. Brottier understood the value of friendship.
Though he had a busy life full of work, he knew rich, authentic friendships were a beautiful part of life. Fr. Brottier understood that more than just personal happiness, following God’s will is the goal of life, even when sacrifice and suffering were temporary results.

In modern culture, there is often debate about whether prayer is enough when discussing injustice. Fr. Brottier emphasized that not just faith or action was the path towards making a difference. In Fr. Brottier’s time, people were talking about a lack of Christian belief. Even more today, we hear similar sentiments to what Fr. Brottier described. Fr Brottier’s life was an excellent example that sharing the story is fruitful on earth and even more so in heaven.

Blessed Daniel might be called “Teflon Dan” since nothing seemed to harm him while in the midst of war. God intended to use him in some pretty wonderful ways for the good of the Church and he willingly served. He is a good example for all of us.