DE ANDREIS, FELICE. - Born at Demonte (Cuneo) on 12 Dec. 1778, died at the "Barrens" (Louisiana, U.S.A.) on 15 Oct. 1820. At the age of 19 he entered the Congregation of the Mission (1 Nov. 1797) at Mondovì. Because of the Napoleonic suppression of religious communities in Piedmont, De A. took refuge in Piacenza, where he continued his theological studies. Ordained a priest (19 June 1802), after a period of preaching he was requested in 1815 by Msgr. L. Du Bourg, bishop of New Orleans, to work with other confreres in his diocese. After a journey of 2 years, the missionaries reached their destination, settling at St. Louis in Missouri. In a short time they created a compact religious organization. De A. also went several times among the Redskins.

His name remains linked above all to the "Barrens," a steppe region 80 miles from St. Louis, transformed by him into a flourishing center of life. Here he opened the first American house of his Congregation, which he directed until his death. On 25 July 1918 the cause for his beatification was introduced.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: R. Ricciardelli, Vita del servo di Dio F. De A., Rome 1923; A. Bozuffi, F. De A., Piacenza 1929.

Annibale Bugnini

@incollection{ec4_de_andreis_felice, author = {Bugnini, Annibale}, title = {De Andreis, felice}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {IV}, pages = {1252--1253}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/de-andreis-felice} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

De Andreis, Felice

About this entry