Charles de Foucauld and the French unrest. He will be beatified Nov. 13, 2005.

Dorothy Day on Charles de Foucauld. Think of him during these days of unrest.

Today 19 different movements exist throughout the world of lay people, priests and religious following Foucauld’s instructions to live simply among the poor, to do the same kind of work as their neighbors do and to live the Gospel faith not so much by word as by example. Initially, most of the members of the religious communities inspired by Foucauld worked in factories or as manual laborers. These days members of the Little Brothers of Jesus or the Little Sisters of Jesus do many kinds of work, for religious specialization is the antithesis of what Foucauld thought important -- that is, humble, fraternal love for Jesus and for others. Foucauld’s originality lay in recognizing that it is not necessary to teach others, to cure them or to improve them; it is only necessary to live among them, sharing the human condition and being present to them in love.