Salut L'Abbe et Merci!

L'Abbé Pierre (born Henri Antoine Grouès in Lyon) (August 5, 1912 - January 22, 2007), France. Abbé (which means father and is also found in abbot) is a courtesy title given to Catholic priests.

In 1930 Henri entered the Capuchin Order but had to leave after severe lung infections, which made the strict and hard monastic life under the Rule impossible.

He founded the Emmaüs movement which has the goal of helping poor and homeless people, and refugees. He was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest in 1938.

His pseudonym dates from his work with the French resistance during the Second World War, when he operated under several different names. He saved thousands of lives during the war, both Jews and politically persecuted, by helping them in their escape to Switzerland or Algeria.

Emmaüs was started in 1949. Abbé Pierre has also the distinction of having been voted France's most popular person for many years, and in (2003) he beat Zinedine Zidane into second place. Besides founding Emmaüs, he has also been somewhat controversial. He was a friend of the philosopher and convicted Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy. On the other side some conservatives have criticized his support of gay adoption and admission of once having had casual sex with a female despite his vow of chastity.[1]

Abbé Pierre maintained a strong relationship with the controversial, ultraprogressist French Catholic Clergyman Bishop Jacques Gaillot.

In 2005 Abbé Pierre came third in a television poll to choose Le Plus Grand Français (The Greatest Frenchman).

Abbé Pierre was also awarded the [[Balzan][1]] Prize “for having fought, throughout his life, for the defence of human rights, democracy and peace. For having entirely dedicated himself to helping to relieve spiritual and physical suffering. For having inspired – regardless of nationality, race or religion – universal solidarity with the Emmaus Communities.”

Many of his publications are translated; except, par example, his book for children (at least over ten years), title: "C'est quoi la mort ?" - concerning a lot about life - suits for French lessons (partly very much in the style of le petit prince de Saint Exupéry).

He died on January 22th, 2007 in the Val-de-Grace hospital, France, following a lung infection, aged 94.

Links :
Fondation Abbé Pierre
Emmaus International

Emmaüs is a homelessness charity that was founded in France in 1949 by the priest Abbé Pierre. The charity takes many different forms around the world, but in the United Kingdom it provides otherwise homeless people with a home and a job, usually recycling donated products and selling them on. The name is a reference to the biblical story of the supper at the town of Emmaus, described in the Gospel of Luke.

From the Universal Manifesto of Emmaus International : "Our guiding principle is one which is essential to the whole human race if there is to be any life worth living, and any true peace and happiness either for the individual or society."



French leaders are attending a funeral ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for the priest Abbe Pierre, who championed the homeless.</b>

One of France's most revered figures, Abbe Pierre died on Monday, aged 94.

President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin were among the mourners on Friday.

The Roman Catholic priest was France's leading champion of the destitute and homeless, topping a national popularity poll year after year.

Abbe Pierre will be buried in a private cemetery in the Normandy village of Esteville, on a day of "national homage".

The last Frenchman to be honoured in such a way was the environmentalist and inventor, Jacques Cousteau, in 1997.

Example for nation

Former President Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe were among the mourners, as were cultural celebrities including Robert Hossein, Laetitia Hallyday, Jean Reno and Lambert Wilson.

Earlier mourners paid their respects before his open coffin in the 17th-Century Val-de-Grace church in Paris, beside the hospital where he died.

"Abbe Pierre showed us the way of the heart, of generosity, of the spirit of rebellion to help the most vulnerable," Mr Chirac said.

"His message must stay alive in each of us and it is up to all of us to follow it through."

Abbe Pierre was the codename he used - abbe is a title traditionally given to priests - during his work with the French Resistance, smuggling Jews out of occupied France during World War II.

Born Henri Groues, he founded the Emmaus association in 1953, and fought for a law to stop parliament expelling tenants during the winter months after a freezing spell hit the country.

He demanded the nation act when he went on the radio in the winter of 1954, highlighting the case of a three-month-old baby who had frozen to death in inadequate housing and a woman who had died on the streets clutching an eviction order.

In the subsequent decades, he continued his tireless campaign for the destitute - and his hostels started to appear around the world in the 1970s.

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