Saint Marcellin Champagnat
Marcellin Champagnat was born on 20 May 1789 at Le Rosey,
a hamlet in the mountains of central France. He was ordained on 22 July 1816 and sent as curate to the parish of La Valla. His ministry there included visiting the sick, catechising children, helping the poor, and helping families to live a Christian life. Only six months after his arrival in La Valla, he realised his dream to found the Little Brothers of Mary, now known as the Marist Brothers, on 2 January 1817. He died at the Hermitage in France on 6 June 1840 at the age of 51. He was canonised a saint of the Church by Pope John Paul II on 18 April 1999.