With joy we commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the birth of a man of hope: our beloved Founder of the Holy Family, Pierre Bienvenu Noailles. Born in Bordeaux, France, on October 27, 1793, he became part of a very loving family of merchants, that of M. Pierre Noailles and Mme. Madeleine Richard: a home full of tenderness, faith and unity, that was looking forward to the birth of their eighth child.
These were difficult times for France, which was still recovering from the French Revolution of 1789. Historian Peyrous B. (2005) relates that all social classes suffered greatly from the disruptions caused by revolutionary doctrines. He tells us that while the clergy were outlawed and persecuted, the nobility faced the scaffold and commerce was destroyed, plunged into financial ruin and chaos.
In the midst of this turmoil, the birth of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles occurred discreetly, but with a divine purpose. God had a plan for him, and through the shaping forces of family and time, he became a true “man of hope”—for his own time, for the spiritual family he would later found, and for countless people today. His writings and his tireless dedication to the founding of the Holy Family bear witness to this hope.
Let us consider his own words, full of compassion and inspiration:
"When you come to your Father in prayer, What do you want? What are you looking for? Some are asking for light in darkness, others want peace in the midst of anxieties, all have the desire to correspond to their vocation, to know what is expected of them, and to speak of their hopes..." (Spiritual Guide #149).
And his reflections on the simple and intimate life of the Holy Family:
"Holy Family, what a joy it is to contemplate you whom when, having having put aside the occupations of the day, you met together to pray or to rest under the humble roof of Nazareth! Then a look, from the child Jesus, a word or a caress, meant so much to Mary after all her housework, and compensated Joseph for all his hard labour. Let me place at your feet, like an acceptable offering in your sight, all the thoughts, desires, words and actions of this day. May you recognise in me and in my activities the features typical of a child of yours, who should imitate you in everything and live only your life!” (Spiritual Guide #172)
Pierre Bienvenu Noailles's hope was also evident in his first actions as a priest. On January 8, 1820, three young women expressed their desire to dedicate their lives to God. On May 28 of that same year, he had founded with them the first community of the Holy Family (A Good Man Passed This Way, 1984). This humble beginning laid the foundation for the spiritual family we know today, with its diverse vocations.
As we celebrate his life, we thank God for blessing the Church with a man of exceptional virtues, gifts and values. His legacy challenges us as members of the PBN Family: Are we living as people of hope, actively spreading the spirituality of communion in our world?
On this day, in the Jubilee Year of the Universal Church, we reflect on the vision and mission of our Founder, which continue to guide us as a pilgrim people, walking together with one voice and one heart. We ask ourselves: What invitation does his life offer us to move forward as a Charismatic and vibrant Family of Hope?
Sr. Rubeni PEJERREY
Peru