Blessed Frederic Ozanam

Blessed Frederic Ozanam

真福費德力·奧撒南

紀念日 / Memorial date

九月九日

/

September 9

Blessed Frederic Ozanam

Blessed Frederic Ozanam

真福費德力·奧撒南

紀念日:

九月九日

Memorial Date:

September 9

真福費德力·奧撒南

真福費德力.奧撒南,原籍法國,於 1813 年生於意大利米蘭(Milan);1815 年回到里昂定居。真福喜歡思考,在中學時期曾陷入信仰的迷惘之中,幸得賢師神父幫助,重獲堅固的信德。他曾說:「沒有天主教會提供的信仰及權威,心神便不能安妥。」他又說過:「學術要加上信仰;否則,學習變得自我中心,結果是沒有『愛心』。」所以,他曾寫信給主教,力爭要有天主教老師在學校授課。

真福奧撒南 20 歲大學畢業,26 歲獲取博士學位,論文是「但丁的哲學」。真福曾在里昂大學教授「商業法」。27 歲在 Sorbonne 任外語文學教授,28 歲娶 Amelie Soulacroix 為妻,生有一女孩。真福常在歐洲各地講學。當時,很多人,尤其知識分子,對宗教失去信心,或抱懷疑態度,真福奧撒南,作為學者,固然可以用理論去說服他們,但真福卻選擇以行動來作福音見證。

1848 年,真福 35 歲,在報刊「新時代」,刊載了不少文章,為工人階級請命。他積極尌當時的社會問題,為當時的教會,提供了鮮為人知的觀點;他提出要成立

「工會」等。真福可說是教會社會訓導的先驅,為此,他還寫下了不少著述。

事實上,真福早在 20 歲時,已糾集同道,探訪窮人,收集物資,賙濟有需要的人,且成立了「聖雲先會」,目的是推動教友,為社會上飽受不公義的窮苦大眾服務。「聖雲先會」在歐洲迅速興起,且遍布全球,亦傳到香港。從此,教友們不用加入修會,也可在日常生活中,奉獻時間、物資、金錢,具體為窮人服務,如同事奉基督。

真福奧撒南看見十九世紀歐洲的工業革命,表面上社會好像富裕起來,但貧富懸殊卻越來越大,且造成不少衝突。真福認為「強者」與「弱者」的差距,不單是政治因素使然,而最主要的,還是人心的自私,只有眾人懷有「犧牲精神」,才可確保窮人的福祉,也能保護窮人不受剝削。

真福一直健康欠佳,終於在 1853 年 9 月 8 日在馬賽病逝,終年 40 歲。教宗若望保祿二世於 1997 年普世青年節,宣布將他列入真福者的行列。

真福奧撒南所創立的聖雲先會,自1863年便在香港服務,發揮在弱小者身上服侍基督的精神。

集禱經

天主,你恩賜真福費德力.奧撒南,充滿你愛的精神,使他敢於糾集同伴,以平信徒身分,致力幫助窮人。求你幫助我們,效法他的榜樣,實踐你吩咐我們彼此相愛的命令,在人群中作酵母。因你的聖子、我們的主耶穌基督,祂和你及聖神,是唯一天主,永生永王。亞孟。

Blessed Frederic Ozanam

Ozanam, born on April 23, 1813 in Milan, was a virtuous man who lived both the theological and cardinal virtues. He is a model for humankind, for the Church and for civil society.

Frederic, as a son, student, brother, professional, husband, father and friend, was gifted with a great sensitivity and because of his ability to enter into solidarity with others, deeply impressed all those who knew him. He gave witness to charity in his personal, family, professional and civic life. He expressed an ardent desire to “envelop the world in a network of charity”.

A writer, lawyer, journalist and author of books, he was a faithful defender of the poor, the sick and the Holy Church. He was a professor of commercial law at the University of Lyon and later professor of foreign literature at the Sorbonne. He is considered by the Vatican to be one of the forerunners of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church.

After a long illness, he died at the age of 40 in Marseille on September 8, 1853, in an attitude of total dedication to God. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on August 22, 1997. 

Prayer

Lord, you made Blessed Frederic Ozanam a witness of the Gospel, overwhelmed by the mystery of the Church.

You inspired his struggle against poverty and injustice, and gave him tireless generosity in the service of all who suffer. In his family, he was an exceptional son, brother, husband and father. In the world, his burning passion for truth illuminated his thinking, his teaching, and his writings. Within our Society, which he founded as a universal network of charity, he instilled the spirit of love, courage and humility, inherited from Saint Vincent de Paul.

His short life was marked throughout by his prophetic vision of society, together with his many virtues. For these many reasons, we thank you Lord, and if it is your will, grant the grace of a miracle, through the intercession of Blessed Frederic Ozanam. May the Church proclaim his sanctity, so providential for the present times. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen