Bl. Charles de Foucauld, c. 1907 – Exclusive Photo Restoration – Catholic Art Print – Archival Quality – Catholic Gift

Bl. Charles de Foucauld, c. 1907Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) has fascinated us for a long time. He was from a rich French family and had been a cavalry officer and famous explorer. He lived an indulgent, dissipated lifestyle but returned to the Faith in 1886 and soon after became a Trappist. In 1901 he went to live as a hermit in the middle of the Sahara Desert. There he faced years of mortifications, sleeping on rocks, living in utter poverty. Even by the standards of the local Tuareg people-for whom he translated the Gospel into their language-it was a severe life. He did it because he believed God had called him to do it. He thought he would gain brothers to make a monastery and gain converts among the Muslims. He was in the desert, with his Order's approval, for 15 years. His total number of monks joining him in the hermitage: Zero. His total number of converts: ZeroMost of us look for God's confirming signs, and the fruitlessness of the mission might have lead us to believe we