Saint Mutien-Marie Wiaux

 

Saint Mutien-Marie Wiaux was born Louis-Joseph Wiaux in French-speaking Wallonia, in the southern part of Belgium, on the morning of March 20, 1841, and baptized that same afternoon.  Louis-Joseph was the third of six children born to Jean-Joseph and Elizabeth Badot Wiaux. Because the household had been dedicated and devoted for generations to St. Joseph, each of the children, even the two girls, carried the middle name Joseph.  Though, he would be given a new name as a religious, Louis would always remain devoted to his namesake.

 

The Wiaux family were devout and hard-working Catholics who were well-liked by the people of their community.  Louis’ father was the town blacksmith, and his mother ran a cafe out of the family living room. No rough language or conduct was ever permitted on the premises, but the villagers enjoyed their games of cards and lotto while drinking a good mug of Belgian beer with a hearty sandwich while exchanging stories of glory.  Before closing up shop in the evenings, the rosary would always be recited and night prayer said.

 

As a child, Louis went with his family to daily Mass, and although all the Wiaux children were devoted little Catholics, Louis was the most pious.  He had a remarkable attraction for religion, a deep sense of responsibility, and was able to draw out the good in those around him. His childhood friends said that he was always carrying a rosary and at some point could usually coax his playmates into praying it together with him.  One said of him that his “favorite topic of conversation was God and the Blessed Virgin” (Simplicity, p. 20.), and another reported, ”There was nothing in him that was the least bit tainted” (Ibid.), and still another, “Louis had character, and so everybody loved him.” (Ibid.)

 

One thing Louis longed for with all his might was to make his First Holy Communion.  So much so, that he later related his happiest remembrance was of Passion Sunday, 1852, the eagerly awaited day when he received the Blessed Sacrament for the first time.

 

Louis was only 14 years old when the Brothers of the Christian Schools, an order of religious men founded by Saint John Baptist de La Salle in 1680, set up a community and school not far from Louis’ home.  At the suggestion of his pastor and confessor, Louis made firm the decision to follow the vocation he had long felt called to. On April 7, 1856, at the age of 15, escorted by his proud father and with much support from his family and friends, Louis-Joseph entered the novitiate of the Brothers situated at Namur, and was given the name, Brother Mutien-Marie, after an early, obscure saint who had given his life for the faith, coupled with the name of the Virgin Mary.

 

When Br. Mutien-Marie became a novice, he requested to be admitted as a school Brother rather than a serving Brother.  Both divisions of Brothers held equal stature, but only the school Brothers were assigned to teach in the classroom, while the serving Brothers took care of the other needs of the community such a s shopping, laundry, and gardening.  Br. Mutien-Marie felt a great desire to instruct the young in their Christian education and was granted his request to do so by the novitiate staff. He remained in residence at the novitiate house until September 1857, being trained for his teaching apostolate.  

 

Br. Mutien-Marie’s first assignment was in a primary class at St. Joseph’s School in Chimay, near the French border.  Because he was yet only sixteen years of age, and technically still a novice, he was put under the supervision of an older, more experienced Brother as he performed his teaching duties.  This was often done with new, young teachers of the order, with the effect of producing many fine teachers.

Br. Mutien-Marie, however, remained only one year at St. Joseph’s School before being transferred to St. George’s School in Brussels.  

“If, in later years, Brother Mutien never referred to his memories of Chimay, he often said how happy he had been during the year he spent with the community of 23 Brothers at Saint George in Brussels under the direction of Brother Charles.  It was, he said, a community where charity reigned and where the Rule was observed exactly.” (Simplicity, p. 36.)

 

At the age of 18, in the spring of 1859, Br. Mutien-Marie had completed his novitiate and  prepared for the written exam which was necessary to pass in order to be instated as a school Brother for a three year period upon making his first vows. Out of the several sections given, his total scored was 19/35.  All that was needed was a score above 50%. So “on September 14, 1859, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Brother Mutien-Marie consecrated himself to God to procure God’s glory as far as he was able and as God would require of him, by vowing chastity, poverty, obedience, stability in the Institute, and teaching the poor gratuitously, thus binding himself for a period of three years.” (Simplicity, p. 37.)  His new assignment would be as an assistant teacher in the elementary division of the Institute Saint-Berthuin in Malonne, a community more than half the size of his former one, with 40 Brothers living there and 400 students attending.

With the increase of student population, which included older students who were delinquent in their studies and placed among the younger ones, and who naturally acted up as they struggled against their undesired plight.  Young Br. Mutien-Marie, who had never had to be a disciplinarian in the other schools, lost control of his class more than once. This difficulty led to his being refused permission in 1860, under the strict headmaster of that Institute, Br. Maufroy, to renew his three year vows as a school Brother.  Br. Mutien-Marie’s vocation as a teacher might have ended right there had it not been for Brother Maixentis, who stepped in to interfere with the proceedings.

 

Then 32, Br. Maixentis had already distinguished himself as a professor of architecture, music and drawing, three subjects that had furthered the prestige of the school itself.  He was well thought of and a great asset to Saint-Berthuin. He also had the reputation of generously assisting the newer teachers who needed encouragement. He saw promise in young Br. Mutien-Marie, and, taking him under his wing, he not only gave him lessons in drawing, but taught him how to play the harmonium (a reed organ with one keyboard), so that his apprentice was soon able to take over some of the classes in drawing and teach the students how to play the harmonium.  A friendship grew up between the two venerable men that spanned almost 60 years. In fact, “Brother Maixentis was to die at Malonne in 1917, only two days after his companion and subordinate.” (Simplicity, p. 43.)

 

The students, as well as the rest of the staff grew to love Br. Mutien-Marie because of his great gentleness, patience and genuine holiness.  And so associated did he become with the instrument he taught, he was nicknamed “Brother Harmonium” by the students. One of his music students remembered him: “In 1913 I was lucky enough to get to know Brother Mutien rather well.  I was studying the harmonium, and two or three times a week he would come to supervise us. It usually happened that at the beginning of the school year we would enter the music room with our minds set on all sorts of frivolity. I never remember him making the least movement or showing the least sign of impatience.  He spoke with a voice full of understanding and mildness but with a firmness that none of us could resist. He would say quietly, ‘Now get down to business.’ And each of us would set about at once doing our assigned work.” (PS, 615.  Simplicity, pp. 46-47.)

 

His drawing students gave similar accounts and loved him as well, as one later testified, “As [Brother Mutien] went from one bench to the other, offering corrections, you had the feeling that here was a soul united to God and always perfectly composed.  His method for offering correction was simple: he never tried to appear learned, he took one step at a time, and this his students much appreciated, and they loved him for it. I didn’t waste my time, and I learned a great deal from him.” (MH, 69.  Simplicity, p. 54.)

 

Aside from the school curriculum he was assigned to teach at the Institute, Br. Mutien-Marie was a volunteer catechism teacher in the village school for the poor, an endeavor he secretly enjoyed more than his regular duties.  He had to receive permission to do it.

“The Brother who is always praying”, is another way in which Br. Mutien-Marie  was often, and more aptly, referred to. He held the post of being the community bell ringer for 33 years, before being relieved of the unpopular duty.  This meant that instead of rising at 4:30 a.m. with the rest of the Brothers, he had to rise at 4:00 a.m., dress (he of course began private prayer immediately), and be in the bell tower at 4:15 a.m. to ring the bell for the others to rise and dress for morning devotions in the chapel.  He then placed himself by the altar near the statue of Our Lady and remained there deep in prayer until it was time to take his place with the others.

 

Brother Mutien-Marie was completely devoted to Mary and even prayed her rosary while circulating in his classes to observe the work of his students, whom he always stopped to encourage and instruct on an assignment where needed.  And when traveling from one area of the complex to another, the holy man could be seen fingering his beads along the way. Although students and other Brothers shortened his name to “Brother Mutien”, he would always refer to himself as Brother Mutien-Marie, never leaving off the second part of his given name, especially when signing it for any reason.    Because of his continual habit of prayer, he remained recollected and composed in every situation, and emitted an aura of holiness that drew others to him, to respect him, and to love him as the years passed and this quality of peacefulness deepened in him.

 

For those devoted to Mary, intense devotion to Jesus goes hand in hand.  This was the case as well with our modest saint. Br. Mutien-Marie had the habit of spending all his free time, even during vacation days, before the Blessed Sacrament.  He had a profound devotion to Our Lord especially in the Eucharist and to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1889, he became an Honor Guard in the Archconfraternity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 “On June 21, 1889, Brother Mutien was formally inducted as a zelateur of the Guard of Honor of the Sacred Heart.  In this capacity he would go from class to class to urge the students to enroll. The members were asked to pick a specific hour each week to go either in body or in spirit before the Blessed Sacrament to express their love, honor, and consolation to the Heart of Christ.”  (Simplicity, p. 68.)

 

Although Br. Mutien-Marie kept Our Lord and Our Lady continually in thought, there were times, in private, when he was transported by God into a special union with Him experienced on earth only by the few.  On one such occasion, his student, Oswald Snappe, was a privileged witness, and later testified during the saint’s cause for beatification. The former student’s testimony is too beautiful to omit, and is given here:  

I was the witness of an extraordinary phenomenon.  On that particular day, I went to the music room at the time appointed for my hourly lesson.  I was very surprised not to find my teacher there, the more so because punctuality was one of his special characteristics.  When the chapel clock struck the hour, I realized that it was past the time. Since I was already aware of his holy ways, I said to myself that surely the worthy Brother would be found praying in the chapel.

I went down to the chapel, and my expectation turned out to be correct.  I entered by the side door. The church was otherwise deserted, but I must say that the Lord, the Prisoner of the tabernacle, never had such a visitor as his servant, Brother Mutien-Marie.  I saw him kneeling, some little distance from the altar, on a student’s prie-dieu.

 I waited for a moment near the door, thinking that the noise I made while entering would cause him to turn his head.  But he didn’t budge. I went respectfully over to him and asked in a rather loud voice to be excused for disturbing him.  All in vain. There was not a word from his lips, and he still did not move. I repeated my request, even louder this time, but still the unexplained silence.  I got no other response.

Filled with emotion, I came closer to look at the face of the Brother, and oh what a wonder it was!  I was struck to the core of my being. His hands were joined at his breast, his eyes were half closed, his wide and noble forehead, indeed his whole expression, radiant with beauty.  His eyes were fixed on the tabernacle.

This was no longer the humble old man walking across the courtyards of the boarding school; this was an angel come down to earth.  He was truly in ecstasy. His heart all on fire with love, was in direct contact with the Divine Master, who was reaching out to him from the depths of the tabernacle.  At least, that is the way it seemed to me. Brother Mutien no longer belonged to this world; his whole thought was with God. His body was in front of me, as stiff as marble; his soul, if I may put it that way, was speaking with God.  

Then I was penetrated with a strange kind of fear.  Looking up at the clock and realizing that the hour was late, I went out and then reentered the chapel to find Brother Mutien still in the same state of contemplation.  I went forward, shaking all over, and touched him on the shoulder and spoke to him. He didn’t see or hear me at all. More disturbed than ever, I tried again respectfully, and then a sigh escaped from deep in his chest.  He looked at me for a moment, understood what I wanted, got up, and followed me out. . . . He then apologized for causing me to lose the time assigned for my music lesson. . . .

 How many times, during my nights of insomnia and physical pain, this sweet vision from Malonne came back to me in memory and helped me support the trials of life here below.  I have spoken of it often to my beloved parents, to my wonderful wife, and to my dear children, trying to make them understand that this devout and holy soul had a vision of God, even in this life. (PS, 76.  Simplicity, pp. 69-70.)

 

Shortly before his 76th birthday, during the very early and bitterly cold hours of January 30, 1917, Br. Mutien-Marie went to meet his beloved Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  The Brother who was keeping watch over him in the infirmary had fallen asleep, so that no one saw exactly when he died. The funeral Mass was held in the school chapel on February 1st.

 

With customary sanctity in following duty without complaint, Br. Mutien-Marie was present at all his classes, as well as at the community devotions up to two days before his death.  By this time he was already in a severely weakened state, and had to be ordered to the infirmary when he could no longer remain sitting up for more than a few minutes during the course of the tasks he struggled to accomplish.  His concern had never been for himself, but for those around him, his family members, and all of Belgium, then under German occupation. The silent offering up of all his pains and sufferings seemed to be his continual endeavor up to the last.  Some of his final audible words were those of invoking the Sacred Heart of Jesus to save Belgium.

 

After a lengthy beatification process and the confirmation of two miracles accorded to Br. Mutien-Marie, he was beatified by Blessed Pope Paul VI on Sunday, October 30, 1977, at St. Peter’s Square.  After another cure shortly following the beatification was investigated and accorded to him, our saint was at length canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II on December 10, 1989, in St. Peter’s Basilica.  His feast day in the universal Church is on January 30th     

 

Not particularly learned, but humble, innocent, obedient, dutiful, and with a gentle and encouraging heart like unto the Heart of his Master, St. Mutien-Marie exemplifies sanctity as much for the common people of today as for those of his era who knew him, or knew of him, and held him dear, in deep esteem.  “Such was the human personality, as far as it can be reconstructed, of a man that the Church now proposes for the veneration of the faithful as a saint. By this formal act, the Church . . . wishes to convey a message to a new generation of the faithful about the meaning of holiness and the Christian life. In this case, at least, the Church seems to be telling the contemporary world, with all of its sophistication, specialization and science, that Jesus was serious when he proposed a little child as the way to the kingdom of heaven.” (Simplicity, p.130)

 

The remains of our saint are in a marble tomb set above ground in the small chapel at the base of the bell tower within the walls of the Institute Saint-Berthuin, in the town of Malonne, where he inconspicuously spent most of his life.  

 

My information on Saint Mutien-Marie Wiaux was taken largely from, Brother Mutien-Marie Wiaux, FSC: Sanctity in Simplicity by Luke Salm, FSC.  Christian Brothers Publications, Romeoville, Illinois, 1989. (Excerpts from the book are indicated by the word, Simplicity, for the sake of brevity, followed by the page number/s.)

 

Where PS follows a quote, the abbreviation for, Positio super virtutibus: Summarium. Ibid., is indicated.  These are quotes taken from sworn testimonies during the processes for beatification between the years 1923-1926, and 1937-1939, at Namur.  They are presented throughout the well-documented biography mentioned above.

 

Where MH follows a quote, the following is referenced: Alphonse M. Hermans, FSC [Brother Maurice-Auguste], Le Frere Mutien-Marie 1841-1917  (Malonne, 1982).  A modern biography based on archival documents and the testimony of witnesses in the canonical process. (Simplicity, p. 9.)

-written by Alita Ngo, Guard of Honor Member