Born at Metz (Moselle), October 21, 1833.
Taking of the habit at Nancy, October 31, 1857.
Oblation at Montolivet, June 18, 1859. (no. 487)
Ordination to the priesthood in Marseilles, June 24, 1860.
Died at Bestin, January 29, 1910.

Victor Charaux was born at Metz on October 21, 1833. He completed his secondary studies at the minor seminary of Metz. After a few months of theology, he entered the novitiate of Nancy on October 31, 1857. The master of novices wrote in the November-December notes of 1857 that this candidate is “serious minded, a man of character, quite well educated. His deportment is dignified. Good voice. The best brain in the whole the novitiate. Excellent health, strong constitution.” Later on, he found him “subject to boredom” lacking in his prayer life and not very generous because he was an only child with a “much too casual.” He progressed by leaps and bounds and made palpable progress after having met the Founder at the end of February 1858 and the provincial in August.

Sent to the scholasticate in Montolivet in September 1858, he made his oblation on June 18, 1859. Father Mouchette, moderator of scholastics found him “not very communicative” and “selfish in his outward conduct,” but recognizes he possesses “good will and a serious application to his duty.” In the month of April, 1860, he added: “exceptional character and with little consideration for others. He delivered an excellent sermon which surprised me all the more because up until this point I believed him cold and without feeling whereas his delivery is replete with majesty and feeling… I do hope that he will prove very useful to the Congregation.”

Scholastic brother Charaux was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop de Mazenod on June 24, 1860 and then spent a good part of his life preaching retreats and missions. He lived in Nancy for a few months in 1860, at Autun in 1861-1862, at Limoges from 1862 to 1864, at Talence from 1864 to 1867, at Tours from 1868 to 1872, then at Paris until the 1880 expulsions. For twenty years, he did parish work in the diocese of Rheims where he was parish priest of Thillois for several years.

In 1900, he returned to the General House in Paris. Chased out again during the expulsions of 1903, he was sent to Bestin in Belgium where he died at the age of 77 on January 29, 1910.

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.