GAUTRELET, François-Xavier. – Jesuit, born on 15 Feb. 1807 at Sampigny (Saône-et-Loire), died on 19 July 1886 at Montluçon. Spiritual director of the scholasticate at Vals (1842–52), on the feast of St Francis Xavier in 1848 he launched the first idea of the “Apostleship of Prayer” (v.), developing the thesis—later deepened theologically by Fr Ramière—that apostolate is exercised not only by word and action but more especially by prayer and sacrifice. The idea was then spread by G. in his work *L’apostolat de la prière* and further concretized with the approval of Fr Roothaan in the association of the same name.
In 1852 he was named rector at Vals; in 1853 instructor of third probation at Fourvière; provincial of Lyons (1857–61); thereafter he went to Algeria as superior general of the mission. In 1863 he was apostolic visitor to the mission in Syria, prepared the way for the foundation of the University of Beirut, promoted Catholic printing with the Arabic edition of Holy Scripture and the newspaper *Le Béchir*. In 1869 he was recalled to Fourvière; after serving as rector of the Lycée at Lyons, he took charge of the Parisian review *Études* (1876). G. left many ascetical pamphlets, among which saw many editions the *Manuel de la dévotion au Sacré Cœur* (Paris 1890); the *Traité de l’état religieux* (2 vols., Lyons 1847); and *Le prêtre de l’auteur* (ibid. 1874).