Saint John Eudes was born in Normandy, France, to a farming family. As a child, he was consecrated to the Blessed Virgin and at the age of 14, he took a vow of chastity. The Jesuits taught him and he was a good student. He became a priest and ministered to the countrymen during an outbreak of the plague. Later, he became a missionary priest and travelled around France, preaching in churches, fields, and in the royal and noble courts. He was well known for his preaching and spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary in France, especially during a time when people were turning away from religion. He influenced the Church to have these two devotions become liturgical feasts, writing the Mass and Office for them. He also founded organisations including the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, that provides shelter for prostitutes that repent their past life, and the Society of Jesus and Mary, also known as the Eudist Fathers, which improves the training of seminarians by promoting virtue and the preaching of parish missions.
