CLET, FRANÇOIS-RÉGIS, MARTIRE, BEATO

CLET, François-Régis, martyr, blessed. — Born at Grenoble on 19 Aug. 1748. As a youth he was distinguished for innocence, piety and a great love of study; his fellow pupils would later call him a “living library.” On 6 March 1769 he entered the Congregation of the Mission in Paris. Ordained priest on 27 March 1773, he was sent to the major seminary at Annecy, where he spent fifteen years teaching moral theology. In May 1788 he was placed in charge of the internal seminary (or novitiate) of the mother-house. Three years later his long-standing wish to consecrate himself to the foreign missions was granted, and he set out for China (10 Apr. 1791). For thirty years he labored indefatigably and with great fruit in the provinces of Kiang-Si, Hu-Kwang, Hupeh and Honan. He promoted with special zeal the baptism of dying children. Twice (in 1805 and 1811) he escaped death by miracle during persecutions. When the persecution against Christians flared up again, he was betrayed and captured on 16 June 1819. After courageously confessing the faith, on 17 Feb. 1820 he crowned his long apostolate with martyrdom. Leo XIII beatified him on 27 May 1900. His feast is kept on 17 Feb.