Peter Coudrin

Pierre Coudrin, SSCC (1 March 1768 – 1837) was a French religious priest. He was the founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious institute in the Roman Catholic Church known for its missionary work in Hawaii, Africa, Europe, Central America and the Pacific Islands.

Life Marie-Joseph-Pierre Coudrin was born on 1 March 1768, at Coussay-les-Bois, near Poitiers. His parents were farmers. His uncle was a parish priest in a neighboring village. Pierre spent his vacations with him during the years of his primary education, and his uncle prepared him for first communion. He completed his secondary studies in 1785 at Châtellerault, and at 17 years of age, entered the University of Poitiers.

During his underground ministry in 1794, Coudrin met Henriette Aymer de Chevalerie, a young aristocrat. She and her mother had been imprisoned for a time, accused of hiding a priest. "The good Father", as his confreres used to call him, governed the congregation with tact and prudence, and in spite of many difficulties, his work prospered. Several new convents and colleges were founded and opened in various towns. The institute was composed of two branches of religious, one for men and the other for women.

In 1826, Coudrin was appointed vicar general of Gustave Maximilien Juste de Croÿ-Solre, Archbishop of Rouen. In 1829, he accompanied de Croy to Rome for the 1829 conclave.

The original members of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary founded new schools for poor children, seminaries to train the priesthood of the institute and parish missions throughout Europe. At the time of Coudrin's death in 1837, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary had 276 fathers and brothers and 1125 sisters.

In 2016, there were over 1500 in the congregation made up of priests, brothers and sisters and an increasing number of lay associate members in over 30 countries.

Beatification process The beatification process on Coudrin was opened in February 1925 and received the nihil obstat in April 1995. Coudrin's spiritual writings were approved by theologians on 12 March 1930. and again in 1952. The postulator of the cause is Andrzej Łukawski, SSCC.