Blessed Daniel Brotier was born on 7 September 1876 at La Ferté-Saint-Cyr, diocese of Blois, France. He was ordained
in 1899. Taught at the college of Pontlevoy. Entered the Congregation of the Holy Ghost at Orly in 1902. Missionary to Saint-Louis,
Senegal in 1903. His health suffered, and he returned to France in 1911.
At the request of Bishop Jalabert, he conducted a fund-raising campaign to build a cathedral in Dakar, Senegal; he promoted
the structure as a way to honour Africans who had died for France, French who had died for Africa. The cathedral was consecrated
on 2 February 1936, just a few weeks before his death.
Chaplain in the French army in World War I. Cited six times for bravery, awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of
Honour; he attributed his survival on the front lines to the intercession of Saint Therese of Lisieux, and built a chapel
for her at Auteuil when she was canonized. After the war he administered the Orphan Apprentices of Auteuil. Honoured in his
life and today as a man who put the family of God above considerations of nationality or race.
He died on 28 February 1936 of natural causes at Paris, France of natural causes; 15,000 Parisiens turned out to honour
him, and Cardinal Verdier preached his funeral homily. Venerated on 13 january 1983 by Pope John Paul II and beatified on
25 November 1984 by Pope John Paul II in Rome, Italy. His canonization is pending.
