Eugène de Mazenod , more commonly known as Eugène de Mazenod, was a French Catholic priest. At the age of eight, the Mazenod family was forced to flee the French revolution, leaving their considerable wealth behind. As refugees in Italy, they were very poor, and moved from place to place. At the age of twenty, he returned to France and became a priest. Mazenod founded the congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Initially focused on rebuilding the Church in France after the Revolution, their work soon spread, particularly to Canada. Mazenod was appointed Bishop of Marseille in 1837, and Archbishop in 1851. He was beatified on 19 October 1975 by Pope Paul VI, and canonized on 3 December 1995 by Pope John Paul II. His feast day is 21 May.
