St. Peter Fourier

[CyrilSebastian]

                      St. Peter Fourier (1565-1640) was the founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame.     
                      He established the Congregation to educate young girls.     
                      He failed to win approval for a similar organization to teach boys.     
                      St. Peter's feastday is December 9th.

[Shin]

S. Peter Fourier, ora pro nobis.

[CyrilSebastian]

Peter improved the financial lives of his community by setting up a community bank. The townspeople could borrow money from the bank without paying interest.

[CyrilSebastian]

At fifteen Peter was sent to the University of Pont-a-Mousson.   
He became a Canon Regular in the Abbey of Chamousey and was ordained in 1589.

[eschator83]

After attaining his doctorate, Peter served as vicar and procurator for the Chaumousey abbey parish, then in 1597 he was sent as parish priest to a rundown and neglected parish at Mattaincourt, where he spent the next 30 years.

[CyrilSebastian]

Peter was sent back to the University of Pont-a-Mousson to further his studies.   
He became a scholastic theologian. He knew the Summa Theologica by heart.

[CyrilSebastian]

St. Peter Fourier's motto in serving the parish was to feed only one person was to of use to all.

[CyrilSebastian]

Peter had small groups of his parishoners engage in dialectics on Sundays on the various     
virtues and vices practiced by the congregation.

[CyrilSebastian]

Peter Fourier accepted the post of vicar of the parish of Mattaincourt in order to combat the indifference   
to religion widespread in the town.