Joseph-Marie Timon-David


Father Joseph-Marie Timon-David was a French priest. He was the founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Biography

Early life

Joseph-Marie Timon-David was born on January 29, 1823 in Marseille, into a wealthy and deeply Christian family, which had experienced the trials of the French Revolution. His father spent much of Joseph's youth abroad. Joseph was the fifth child of the family, an endearing, sensitive, imaginative, willing, intelligent and intuitive boy. His mother educated him with tact and patience, which is not the case for all the teachers to whom he is entrusted during his childhood. The memory of their harsh methods of education will remain with him.
In 1833 his father died; then cholera struck Marseille. In 1835, his mother decided to send him to study at the Jesuit Collège Saint-Michel in Friborg, Switzerland. Friborg makes a deep impression on him. There he meets religious teachers in education and immerses himself in their educational methods. For him, Collège Saint Michel will be "the prototype of a house of education".

Priesthood

In 1842, Bishop Eugene de Mazenod sent Timon-David to Paris to the seminary of Saint Sulpice. At St. Sulpice Joseph will become ultramontane, a fervent defender of the Pope, in reaction to the current Gallicanism. There he meets Dom Guéranger, restorer of Solesmes Abbey, who will open to him the meaning and beauty of the liturgy.
Shortly before his ordination, providential meetings in Paris and Marseilles made him aware of the spiritual needs of the working class. He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in June 1846. On June 29, 1846, during his first Mass, he committed himself to the service of the poor.
His parishioners were mostly working-class youths. His style was festive.
Timon-David devotes the next twenty-three years to the apostolate of young workers. Gradually, through painful and unsuccessful attempts, he decided to adopt the methods a priest of Marseille, Father Jean-Joseph Allemand, had applied to train the youth of the bourgeoisie; a small religious congregation was at the service of his work.
With his training in Freiburg and Saint Sulpice, on November 1, 1847, Timon-David opened, with the collaboration of Jean Joseph Allemand's Institute of Youth Work, "the work of the working class youth". Under the guidance of his spiritual advisor, Father John of the Sacred Heart, Timon-David gives it his personal stamp, calling it the "Work of the Sacred Heart". Devotion to the Sacred Heart will characterize Timon-David's life.

Foundation of the Congregation

Seeing the quality and scope of what was being accomplished, Bishop Eugene de Mazenod urges Father Timon-David to found a religious congregation in the service of the work. Father Timon does not believe himself capable of it. But, on November 20, 1852, he founded the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Marseille. The bishop recognizes both the work and the religious community, and gives them as patron the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The community will experience some difficult tests. It was not until 1859 that the community really began to exist. The work, meanwhile, continues and grow. In 1857, Bishop Mazenod named Abbé Timon-David a canon.
1859 is a pivotal year for Timon-David. The community takes shape and stabilizes. He and his method of direction of the works of youth begin to be known. In France the concern to evangelize young workers fascinates many priests. Timon is pressed to publish an account of his methods. From that moment until the end of his life, many will come from all over France, to observe his approach. Timon, while always giving priority to the young people of his house and to his community, will travel around France to explain his Method; he will multiply his writings; he will always be the promoter of a frankly Christian education that is not afraid to invite young people to go as far as possible on the path of holiness.
In 1864 he opened, annexed to the work, the School of the Sacred Heart to widen the educative influence of the work. Inspired by Saint Joseph Calasanz, whose biography he will write, he opens a new house in Marseille. However, the small community will face ten years of difficulties with Mazenod's successors. On July 8, 1876, recognition of the Congregation as a clerical Congregation of pontifical right will put an end to all these trials.

Death

Timon continues all his work with his anti-revolutionary royalist ideas. He opens a house in Aix, and one in Beziers. The community is growing little. When he dies on April 10, 1891, in his native Marseille, he knows the work of his life can continue. Until the end, despite all the hassle and notoriety, he remained faithful to his vow of servitude to working class youth.
Avenue Timon-David located in the 13th arrondissement of Marseille is named after him.

Writings

He was the author of a hagiography of St. Joseph Calasanctius, and Method of direction of youth works: patronages, circles, schools, small seminars, etc. , 3rd ed. Marseille: Impr. E. Court-Payen, 1892.

Schools of the Work