A rmed with three more academic degrees — one each in philosophy, theology, and church law — he returned to his home diocese. His bishop, surprisingly, assigned him to a large urban parish in the blue-collar town of Saint-Quentin. It had a population of about 35,000, most of whom were so poor that they were barely able to earn their daily bread. The majority were nominally Catholic, but few went to church or saw a priest. Almost immediately Father Dehon saw that the Church was losing the people because its pastoral methods were out of sync with the times. He knew that it was not enough to simply celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments; the priest had to get out of the sacristy and go to the people. Father Dehon began by organizing a youth group. At first only a handful of teenagers were involved but in a few years the group had its own building and playgrounds for over 400 active members.
At St. Joseph's Youth Club, the 13 to 17-year-olds could play games and participate in sports; a lending library brought books and magazines into homes that could not afford them; a savings bank initiated them into the ways of money management; remedial and supplementary classes were offered, and always Leo Dehon was a kind, fatherly presence who consoled, cajoled, encouraged, and inspired the youth as they struggled to navigate their way through the bumpy ups and downs of their adolescent years. Each week he gave them a talk about one of his journeys or he presented the life of a saint as a role model for them to imitate. The day ended in the chapel with evening prayer or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
After the success of the youth club he turned his attention to young adults, the 18 to 25-year-olds who were just starting out in the work world. He saw to it that they could find a safe haven away from the bars and street life that threatened their future and where they could enjoy the fellowship of like-minded people their own age. He taught them about their rights as workers, encouraged them to save for the future, and instructed them in the ideals of Christian marriage. And since all of these efforts needed money and manpower, he met periodically with business and civic leaders to keep them informed of the good work that was being done, and they responded favorably when he solicited their support.
Will You Take It?
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