DESHAYES, GABRIEL. - Priest, b. at Beignon (Morbihan) on 2 Dec. 1767, d. at St-Laurent-sur-Sèvre on 28 Dec. 1841. From 1821 superior general of the Missionary Priests of the Company of Mary and of the Daughters of Wisdom.
In 1816 D. founded at Auray a male congregation for the Christian education of youth, and in 1817 united it with that founded by the servant of God J.-M. de la Mennais at St-Brieuc (1817). In 1821 the Congregation was divided into two branches: the Brothers of Ploërmel and the Brothers of Christian Instruction of the Holy Spirit, based at St-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, who subsequently took from their founder the name Brothers of St. Gabriel. D. also founded at Auray the Sisters of Christian Instruction of St. Gilda (1807), and finally (1839) the Agricultural Brothers of St. Francis and the Sisters of the Guardian Angel.
He was a zealous and pious missionary and rendered especially distinguished service in the care of the deaf-mute (and deaf-blind), for whom he opened no fewer than eight institutions, entrusting them to the Daughters of Wisdom and the Brothers of St. Gabriel.