The Servant of God Rev. Fr. Edouard Huchant, C.SS.R. (1815 - 1888)

Reverend Father Huchant was born at Montigny-sure-Sambre in Belgium on 2 February 1815. After having studied at the Bonne-Esperance Seminary, he was ordained a priest in Tournai on 22 May, 1842, becoming later professor and vicar of Braine-le-Comte. He entered the Redemptorist Congregation and was professed on 24 May, 1845, at Saint-Trond, becoming Rector at Douai. He had frequent dealings with the Very Rev. Fr. Passent, who resided at Tournai. They were confessors to one another. The Venerable Fr. Passent said of Fr. Huchant, "That one, he's a saint."
God filled the heart of Fr. Huchant with the gifts of His love in abundance. He was of happy character, easygoing and agreeable with a solid and sure judgment. Upon these natural gifts, grace grafted rich favours. Drawn to God by a sweet and strong attraction, his soul sought in continual prayer the nourishment which alone seemed to keep him alive. Always recollected, this pious religious lived in constant union with Heaven. One could admire in this man of God a goodness, an unattainable sweetness, the most delicate charity, a profound humility, a great spirit of renunciation and of mortification, the simplicity and obedience of a child, devotion, and a zeal for souls at the cost of any sacrifice. Those who knew him applied to him these words of the Holy Scripture: "Thy memory will be held benediction." (Translated from Memorial Alphonsium)

Daily Prayer of the Servant of God, Fr. Huchant

O my Divine Jesus,

In the name of Thy sorrows,

Of Thy love, of Thy promises, and

In the name of Thy Holy Mother,

Of Thy Saints and of Thy Angels,

Grant me the grace to accomplish Thy Will perfectly,

The grace to pray unto Thee with a perfect confidence.

Make me do penance that in the end

Nothing may disquiet me at my death.
Grant unto me the great gift of Thy Pure Love

And the hatred of myself,

O Thou Who with the Father and The Holy Ghost

Lives and reigns forever and ever. So may it be.

Amen.

O Mary, my good Mother,

Bless my prayer and

Present it to thy Divine Son.

Amen.

Prayer to Beseech of God the

Glorification of the Servant of God
(Private Translation)

O God, Who didst promise the humble

That they would be exulted, and

To those who preach justice that

They would shine in Eternity like the stars,

Deign to glorify Thy Servant, Fr Huchant, and

Make his name resplendent amongst Thy Saints

Who have best taught us to love Thee.

May thy grace, O Lord,

Descend upon the faithful who cry unto Thee

In the name of the virtues that he practiced on earth.

May we one day see the Holy Church honour his memory and

Giving to us in him a model to emulate, and

In our works and crosses a protector who will help us

Most of all to come to the celestial beatitude.

Amen.

(The original French prayer held the approval of A. Cantineau,

Vicar General of Tournai, 31 July, 1923)