1. The Missionary
  2. Illness and death

Born at Bordères (Hautes-Pyrénées), April 9, 1831.
Taking of the habit at Notre-Dame de l’Osier, November 27, 1851.
Oblation at Marseilles, December 8, 1852. (no. 337)
Ordination to the priesthood at Marseilles, June 8, 1856.
Died at Bordères, December 24, 1881.

Paul Marie Duclaux (AG).

Paul-Marie Duclos was born at Bordères in the diocese of Tarbes on April 9, 1831. He made his secondary studies at the minor seminary of Saint-Pé and, in 1848-1851, at the Saint-Palais college in the diocese of Bayonne. During the summer of 1851, he met a few Oblates, made a retreat at Bétharram and began his novitiate at Notre-Dame de l’Osier on November 27. During his novitiate, he was a source of worry for Father Richard, the master of novices, because of his bouts of high fever and the severe mortifications he practiced followed by discouragement. In Father Duclos’ obituary, Father Fabre wrote: “From this we can understand what Brother Duclos was lacking to make of him a perfect novice. His prayer life was keen; his heart was generous, but he did not understand moderation. This lack of reflection gave his relations with God a particularly uncommon quality, I would even say of singularity, and has pushed him on to excesses which more than once compromised his health.”

He made his oblation in Marseilles on December 8, 1852, after having been admitted to vows at the November 22 session of the General Council with the following comment: “The brother has always merited the novice master’s praise from the time of his entry into the novitiate and the comments he has provided show him as an excellent candidate under every aspect, and especially with regard to his solid virtues and an outstanding prayer life. As for his attachment to his vocation and his love of the Congregation, they leave nothing to be desired.”

He then studied theology at the major seminary of Marseilles from 1852 to 1854, then at Montolivet from 1854 to 1856. Several times during the year in his reports on the Oblates, Father Mouchette, moderator of the scholastics, wrote a few lines about Brother Duclos. For example, we read: “(1853) health sound enough, too enthusiastic in everything, he tires himself out a great deal in his exercises of piety […] He is not in control of his fervor; he tells me that he cannot control it;” (1855) “health better, filled with courage, he has more need of restraint rather than to be urged on; “ (1856) “very good and always assiduous with regard to perfection; he has to be restrained…” In his comments on a few scholastics, Bishop de Mazenod wrote: “A visceral attraction for the foreign missions, but more advanced in the ways of God, the attraction has given way to the general readiness to do the will of God as manifested by the voice of his superiors.”

The Missionary
After his ordination by Bishop de Mazenod on June 8, 1856, Father Duclos always functioned as a mission preacher. He was a member of the community of Talence from 1856 to 1860, the community of Angers from 1860 to 1864, the community of Notre-Dame de Cléry in 1864-1865, the community of Nancy in 1866-1867, then of the community of Talence up until 1878. “At Talence where he lived many years under the direction of various superiors, “ wrote Father Fabre, “his apostolic works made a great impact and won for him the special esteem of Cardinal Donnet who was, as we know, such a good friend of fine missions and good missionaries. […] Reverend Father Duclos was a genuine missionary and he was lacking very little to make him complete. For this ministry, he possessed some incomparable aptitudes. Noble and graceful in appearance, he had a piercing gaze and gave the impression of a great gentleness. His speech was always elegant and colourful. His gestures were sober, well diversified, energetic. His voice was mellow, resilient, evoked pathos and reached the depths of the souls of his hearers. He possessed all of that and possesed it to a high degree…” He was a good singer and could carry his audience along with him. Mr. Gignoux, the vicar general of Bordeaux, used to say of him: “That priest could make the pews themselves sing.”

Illness and death
Father Duclos suffered more and more from kidney stones (calcified salts in the kidneys and the bladder), an illness that had claimed the life of his father. In 1878, they sent him to take some rest at Angers. The Oblates were chased out of this house in 1880. Father Duclos sought refuge at his sister’s home in Bordères where, for several years already, he had often gone to rest. That is where he died on December 24, 1881 at the age of 50. His body was laid to rest in the cemetery in Bordeaux near the plot where his parents were buried.

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.