Born at Châteauroux (Hautes-Alpes), January 12, 1817
Taking of the habit at Marseilles, November 20, 1838
Oblation at Marseilles, January 1, 1840 (no. 83)
Ordination to the priesthood at Marseilles, July 3, 1842
Dispensed from his vows during the summer of 1844

Jacques Nicolas Roux was born at Châteauroux, diocese of Gap, January 12, 1817. He entered the Congregation at Marseilles November 20, 1838 and made his oblation on January 1, 1840. After having studied theology with the scholastic brothers at the major seminary of Marseilles, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop de Mazenod on July 3, 1842.

The Founder sent him to Aix on July 22 with this message for Father Courtès: “Though he is timid, he does not lack good common sense. He is young, he will profit from your experience in training himself, but don’t forget that it is you who must train him, namely, that you guide not only his behaviour which has always been good, but his studies and the exercises of the different kinds of ministry in which you will employ him.” (Letters to the Oblates of France, 1837-1842, Oblate Writings I, vol. 9, no. 771, p. 230)

In 1843, the Founder invited Father Courtès to try to “get some useful work out of Father Roux” and, on January 15, 1844, he asked him to bring Father Roux along to the mission at Charleval “to shake him up a bit, to get him away from his too quiet life.” (Letters to the Oblates of France, 1843-1849, Oblate Writings I, vol. 10, no. 830, p. 52) In March of 1844, Father Courtès was unhappy with this young co-worker who was subsequently recalled to Marseilles. In an August 29, 1844 letter to Father Moreau in Corsica, Bishop de Mazenod stated that you should know “that I felt obliged to dispense poor Roux who from a state of near imbecility had fallen into lunacy. This young priest had never done anything for the Congregation and was really incapable of ever giving the slightest service.” (Letters to the Oblates of France, 1843-1849, Oblate Writings I, vol. 10, no. 852, p. 82)

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.