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"This reprint of a life of St. Peter Eymard is intended for the general reader and its aim is
to relate the life and mission of the man who established the Congregation of the Blessed
Sacrament. St. Peter Julian Eymard lived in the nineteenth century and was canonized by Pope
John XXIII at the end of the first session of Vatican Council II. St. Peter Eymard is known as
the Apostle of the Eucharist. His story is told by a priest of the order St. Peter Julian founded.
The Church in nineteenth century France was blessed with many remarkable people who founded
religious orders and religious communities. St. Peter Julian was fascinated by the Eucharist and
established his congregation dedicated to work for the Church under its inspiration. During his
life he became increasingly aware of the value of the Eucharist in Christian life. In the tumultuous
times of the Church in France and Europe, he saw the Eucharist as the source of Catholic revival.
This belief became the keystone of his spiritual legacy. The book not only traces the spiritual
journey of St. Peter Julian but also gives us a wonderful picture of Catholicism in France in the
nineteenth century. Using photographs, excerpts from journals and letters, and personally visiting
relevant locales, Fr. Pelletier has written a very interesting little book. He has captured one
man's spiritual journey of historical significance. It also reminds us of the power of the
Eucharist in our contemporary lives. Recommended for libraries not owning the earlier edition."
--Arnold Rzepecki in Catholic Library
World, November 1, 2003
"A Saintly Life: Suffering and loss were the hallmarks of the early life of Saint
Peter Julian Eymard. He lost his mother and father within two years. Finally accepted into
school to be a priest, and he is sent home because of his fragile health. He tried to enter two
religious orders before finally being accepted as a Marist. But being a diocesan priest, he had
obligations elsewhere. And then there are his sisters -- who took care of him when he was sick
and kept gong to the bishop to try to arrange his future. In Tomorrow Will Be Too Late: A Life
of Saint Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868), his whole gripping story is laid out by author Fr.
Norman B. Pelletier, SSS. The book includes selections from his writings and prayers. An
interesting and inspirational read on the founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament."
--Crux of the News, May 12, 2003
"Some years ago France acquired the enviable title, "The Oldest Daughter of the Church." Many
of today's American Catholics do not savvy its how and why. Yet there are many invaluable services
and heroic sacrifices that French men and women, religious and lay, have rendered for the people
of God in various parts of the world. This book is about one of them -- Peter Julian Eymard.
Canonized after the conclusion of Vatican II's initial session, he established a new religious
community dedicated to increase appreciation for and devotion to the Eucharist. Written by a
Superior General of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, this book is an inspiring narrative. It is a
valuable service to anyone who welcomes Jesus' institution of this sacrament. Another value of
Fr. Pelletier's narrative is that it enhances our understanding of how our faith recovered from
the French Revolution and the subsequent secularization of French life that followed. That is
another story that American Catholics need to fathom especially since we have a comparable challenge.
This book could have been even more useful if Fr. Pelletier had added a postscript about the
main achievements of his congregation after the death of its founder. Fr. Pelletier is currently
editor of Emmanuel magazine." --Henry Mayer in
Pastoral Life, April 2003
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