Anniversary of the birth of Fr. Dehon

On March 24, 1843, in the small church of La Capelle (Aisne, France), an elderly priest, Abbot Prosper Hécart, baptised a 10-day-old child, a little Dehon, named Léon Gustave. On the first page of his Memoirs Father Dehon writes :

«I was born on March 14, 1843 […]. I was baptised on March 24 […]. It was the first Vespers of the Feast of the Annunciation. Later I was happy to unite the memory of my baptism with that of the Ecce venio of Our Lord. I drew great confidence from this union. The Ecce venio of the Heart of Jesus protected and blessed my entry into the Christian life. Our Lord will certainly not be angry with me for seeing it as an attention of His Providence in view of my present vocation as Priest- Oblate of the Heart of Jesus» (NHV 1/1.2).