Marcelino Champagnat, an example of overcoming adversity for all students with specific learning disorders, and especially for those with dyslexia.
Htoday they celebrate Marist Brothers Saint's Day Marcellin Champagnata saint who especially reminds me of all the boys and girls who suffer from dyslexia or reading and writing disorders. Today, therefore, students with difficulties in their school learning should also celebrate the day of Marcellin Champagnat because this saint not only founded a congregation dedicated to the education of children with economic difficulties, but he himself had serious difficulties when learning to read, which he was able to overcome due to his deep desire to be a priest.
But who was Marcellin Champagnat!
Marcelino He was born on May 20, 1789, 15 days after the start of the French Revolution, in the hamlet of Rosey belonging to the municipality of Marlhes, Loire department (France). A privileged place with a beautiful mountain landscape. He was the ninth child of the marriage between María Teresa Chirat, dedicated to the fabric trade, and John Baptist Champagnat, He was dedicated to administrative tasks and played a very important political role in his geographical area during the French Revolution. He was a Jacobin militant.
Scholarship: Her aunt Luisa Champagnat, A nun of the Order of Saint Joseph, she was expelled when the convents were closed by the revolutionaries. She tried to teach Marcelino to read, a task that proved impossible. It was his first "academic" failure. His aunt gave up on the task. Later, he started school. On his first day, the teacher called him to assess his reading comprehension, but another student spoke before him, to which the teacher responded by slapping him. Marcelino, who witnessed the scene, was frightened by the teacher's aggressive behavior. Bartolomé Moine towards his partner produces a school phobia. He decides not to return to school and dedicates himself to farm work and helping his mother.
At the request of a priest seeking seminary candidates, he decided to enter the seminary. He began his academic preparation with Professor [name missing]. Benito Arnaud, Although the results were quite poor, he still managed to get into the minor seminary of Vernières. His academic progress was very poor, which led the seminary administration to consider expelling him on several occasions. He passed his courses with tremendous effort. His desire to become a priest motivated him to overcome all academic difficulties. Finally, at the age of 24, he entered the major seminary of LyonThere he met another saint, Juan María Vianney, known as the holy Curé of Ars, who had greater learning difficulties than Marcellinus.
The Society of Mary: From a group of seminarians with a special devotion to Mary, Jean-Claude Courveille founded the Society of Mary, although Marcellin showed a particular interest in a charism dedicated to the education of poor and abandoned children, a charism that Jean-Claude did not share. Ultimately, he allowed Marcellin to create a group of brothers dedicated to education, a decision that was not well received by some members of the clergy.
Founding of the Marist Brothers: Marcelino was ordained a priest on July 22, 1816. He remained faithful to his educational project with children. He said, "The education of children and adolescents reminded me of the difficulties I had in my childhood due to a lack of educators," A small lie. It wasn't due to a lack of educators, but rather to his difficulties with school learning. Nowadays, he would have been a student in support classes and, more than likely, diagnosed with "Literacy disorder."
His learning difficulties did not prevent him from creating a religious order dedicated to teaching spread throughout the world and focused primarily on teaching children and teenagers with a spirit based on love and high standards.
I want to conclude by stating that, although there have been some bad apples, very bad apples, (see these two links):
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Marcelino Champagnat, the Marists of Barcelona and pedophilia
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The Spanish Church is not exempt from the abomination of child sexual abuse. 2) Barcelona
The spirit and work of Marcellin Champagnat remain a Christian model of personal growth in the face of adversity. An example for all children and adolescents with learning difficulties.
Marcelino He died on June 6, 1840 at the age of of 51 years
Notre Dame de l'Hermitage
