I came from a wealthy family. I made over my share of the estate to various charities.
A smile costs less than electricity, but gives much light .
Those seven years in the cloister were the key to my life.
When they are assailed by despair, young people should let universal concerns into their lives.
Illness has always brought me nearer to a state of grace.
It's true that humanity has seen a succession of crises, wars and atrocities, but this negative side is offset by advances in technology and cultural exchanges.
The process of my transformation came to a head with my discovery of St. Francis of Assisi during a pilgrimage I went on with a scout troop from my school.
Providence was well aware what lay ahead for me, and my Capuchin training was to prepare me for it.
My family background was deeply Christian.
What I would say to the young men and women who are beset by hopelessness and doubt is that they should go and see what is being done on the ground to fight poverty, not like going to the zoo but to take action, to open their hearts and their consciences.
It's not enough to attend church and pray every Sunday; you have to act.
People are needed to take up the challenge, strong people, who proclaim the truth, throw it in people's faces, and do what they can with their own two hands.
After the war, prompted by the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris, I entered Parliament so that a priest could speak out for the poor, as canon law at that time still permitted.
Author details
Abbé Pierre: Biography and Life Work
Abbé Pierre was a notable French Catholic priest. The story of Abbé Pierre began on 5 August 1912 in Lyon, France. The legacy of Abbé Pierre continues today, following their passing on 22 January 2007 in Paris, France.
Abbé Pierre (born Henri Marie Joseph Grouès ; 5 August 1912 – 22 January 2007) was a French Catholic priest . He was a member of the Resistance during World War II and deputy of the Popular Republican Movement . In 1949, he founded the Emmaus movement, with the goal of helping poor and homeless people. For several decades, he was one of the most popular public figures in France. Allegations of sexual abuse of at least 57 women, as well as several underage girls, emerged in 2024 and 2025.
Legacy and Personal Influence
Historically, their work is best remembered for Founder of.
Major Contributions
Philosophical Views and Reflections
In 1983, he spoke with Italian President Sandro Pertini to plead the cause of Vanni Mulinaris, imprisoned on charge of assistance to the Red Brigades (BR), and even observed eight days of hunger strike from 26 May to 3 June 1984 in the Cathedral of Turin to protest against detention conditions of "Brigadists" in Italian prisons and the imprisonment without trial of Vanni Mulinaris, who was recognized innocent sometimes afterwards. Italian magistrate Carlo Mastelloni recalled in the Corriere della Sera in 2007 that a niece of the Abbé was a secretary at Hyperion language school in Paris, directed by Vanni Mulinaris, and married to one of the Italians refugees then wanted by the Italian justice. According to the Corriere della Sera , it would even have been him who convinced then president François Mitterrand to grant protection from extradition to left-wing Italian activists who took refuge in France and had broken with their past.
He wrote many books and articles, including a book for children aged over ten, titled C'est quoi la mort? Many of his publications have been translated into English. All profits from authors' rights (books, discs and videos) go to the Fondation Abbé Pierre which supports homeless and hungry people.
