Jean-Jacques Olier

1608-1657. Founder of the Society of Priests of St.-Sulpice. Born in Paris, he studied theology at the Sorbonne. His spiritual renewal came between 1630 and 1632, and was due in part to the influence of Vincent de Paul* and a pilgrimage to Loreto. In 1641 he founded a seminary for priests at Vaugirard. As parish priest of St.-Sulpice in Paris (1642-52) he sought to reform the area with the help of the seminary which moved there in 1642. The seminary grew in size and fame, and in 1657 Olier's missionary zeal led him to send priests to Montreal. Probably his best-known book was the Catéchisme chrétien pour la vie intérieure (1656), but all his writings were valued and influenced the spiritual renewal of many clergy.