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Life of Reverend Father Alexandre-Vincent Jandel

By Hyacinthe-Marie Cormier, OP

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Minor Seminary at Point-à-Mousson What a difference with another student, a country boy, who showed no brilliance of spirit but who had already received from heaven and preserved under the watchful eye of his parents a pure heart, worthy of loving God, able to appreciate the beautiful and

make it loved by the most faithless of men! He was known as Augustine Schoeffler. At the time, he was fourteen or fifteen years old. His growth in piety occurring under the direction of his superior was such that God blessed him by giving him a calling to the foreign missions.

 When Father Jandel [a diocesan priest - Trans.] returned to France as a religious [member of the Order of Preachers, “Dominicans” - Trans.], Augustine — as a sign of friendship, or appreciation, and of union of worthiness — sought to become his brother by joining the Third Order [of St. Dominic]. Soon after, he left for Tonkin, where he egaged in an all-too-brief apostolate, but endured a glorious martyrdom. A grand mandarin condemned him to be beheaded. This hero of the faith, only thirty-one yearsold, walked — face smiling, head held high — and held his chain high in his hands as he recited fervent prayers. “How handsome he is, exclaimed the pagans. What a man of courage. He marches towards death as others hasten to a festival.” Their admiration knew no bounds when they saw him kick off his sandals so as to run faster. It was only on the third stroke that the executioner – overcome by so much emotion — finally succeeded in chopping off his head. This was the first day of the month of Mary, 1 May 1851. This servant of God was declared “venerable” by Pope Pius IX on 24 September 1857. [Trans by GC. November 2004]

Augustine Schoeffler made his profession in the Third Order of St. Dominic on 15 July 1846. 
 

Vie du rév. Père Alexandre-Vincent Jandel,

par Hyacinthe-Marie Cormier. 3 éditioe n,

rev. et aug. Paris: Poussiègue, 1896. - P. 45

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