Born: Bosco (Italy), September 16, 1813.
Took the habit: Marseilles, December 24, 1838.
Priestly ordination: Marseilles, May 25, 1839.
Vows: Bishop’s House, Marseilles, January 1, 1840 (No. 82).
Died: Everingham, England, February 22, 1848.
Frédéric Perron was born in Bosco, diocese of Alexandria, Italy, on September 16, 1813. He began his novitiate in Marseilles on December 24, 1838 and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop de Mazenod on May 25, 1839. He took vows on January 1, 1840.
He immediately received an obedience for Aix-en-Provence, where he was treasurer and preached a number of missions until his departure for England in 1845. At the beginning of January 1841, Bishop de Mazenod informed Father Courtès that Father Perron would be going to Canada and would “prepare by studying the tasks for which he was destined”. In some letters during the month of December 1844, the Founder said that Father must learn English and would soon be going to join Father Daly who was alone in Penzance in the south-west of England. He left on May 12, 1845, spent some months in Penzance and, in the month of September, was appointed superior of Grace Dieu in Leicestershire, where Mr. Ambrose Philips de Lisle had entrusted the ministry in a chapel to the Oblates. In the beginning his companions were a diocesan priest, Father Coussinier and Father John Naghten and then, from summer 1846, Fathers Robert Cooke, Louis Tamburini and John Noble.
In November 1847, Father Perron was appointed superior of the community in Everingham, Yorkshire, where a wealthy Catholic, Mr. Maxwell, had invited the Oblates. It was there, on February 22, 1848, that Father Perron died of a “severe attack of typhoid fever after sixteen days of illness”. On February 22, Bishop de Mazenod informed Father Vincens of the death and he added: “Here is another and very cruel loss, especially in circumstances where would need ten more workers in England. May God be praised at all times! This is another predestined soul of the family in heaven because it is remarkable how all those who have passed away give us assurance of their eternal beatitude”. He is buried in Sicklinghall.
Yvon Beaudoin
and Michael Hughes, o.m.i.
