Blessed Marie-Jean Joseph Lataste, O.P.

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A Dominican priest, Father Marie-Jean Joseph Lataste is the founder of Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of Bethany. As a working layman, he was an active member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and credited the Society with planting the seeds of his religious vocation. He entered the Dominican Novitiate at Flavigny in November 1857 and was ordained on February 8, 1863. He began his apostolate after giving a retreat to incarcerated women in Cadillac, France in the year 1864. He had a great devotion to Saint Joseph and wrote to Pope Pius IX, telling him that he would offer his life so that the name of St. Joseph be added to the Canon of the Mass.(2) He did not live to see his request granted but on November 13, 1962, Pope John XXIII, added St. Joseph’s name to the First Eucharistic Prayer. Father Lataste was declared blessed on June 3rd, 2012,(3) the forty-ninth anniversary of Saint John XXIII’s death. On the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1st, 2013, Pope Francis decreed that the Saint’s name be added to Eucharistic Prayers II, III and IV. (4) 1. Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin “A Call to a Deeper Love the Family Correspondence of the Parents of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1864-1885)” (Alba House, June 2011) p. 147. 2. Clairval.com February 8 2012. 3. Ibid. 4. Vatican Roman Curia Congregations 130501 May 1, 2013.

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