Born: 1575, Arras, France
Entered: 16 March 1602, Tournai, France - Belgicae Province (FL BELG)
Final Vows: 1615
Died: 07 November 1625, St Omer’s College, France
Official Catalogus Defuncti MISSING
◆ Old/15 (1) has an entry saying RIP 06/09/1625
◆ CATSJ I-Y has RIP 06/09/1625 not ordained
◆ The English Jesuits 1650-1829 Geoffrey Holt SJ : Catholic Record Society 1984
1575 Arras France
Entered 16/03/1602 Tournai (Fl Belg)
1604-1624 English College St Omer
◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
LOMBARD, JOHN. This Temporal Coadjutor, and mirror of gentleness and unaffected piety, died at St. Omer, on the 7th of November, 1627, aet. 48. Soc. 23. See p. 460ofMore s Hist.
◆ Menology of the Society of Jesus: The English Speaking Assistancy
November 7
Brother John Lombard, Temporal Coadjutor, was a native of Arras, born in 1575. He entered the Society in 1602, and had spent twentv-three vears in it when he died at St. Omers College, on the 7th of November, 1625, aged fifty. He is described in the Summary of the Deceased Members of the English Province, as “a perfect model of a lay- brother, one after the heart of St. Ignatius”. He spent all his religious life at the College, in which he had charge of the linen and wardrobe for upwards of twenty years. He was remarkable for his habitual serenity of mind ; this he never allowed to be ruflled or interrupted, although in a school of nearly two hundred boys there must have been numberless occasions on which his patience was necessarily put to a very trying test. His spiritual conversations with the scholars and other inmates of the house, of which his position afforded many occasions, gave him great weight and influence with them, and he daily offered up to God both his labours and prayers for the students, who, knowing the efficacy of these, constantly begged him to pray for them, when in any trouble or anxiety. Several even of his fellow-Religious, after laying their difficulties before God, referred matters of the highest moment to his judgment.
When Belgium was divided into two Provinces, he was given the option of living in that which contained the brethren of his own country, and in which he would be free from the irksome and laborious duties of a school, but he begged to be allowed to spend the remainder of his life at St. Omers. During an alarming storm, accompanied by unusually loud thunder and a slight earthquake, the terrified boys rushed in the night to the church, and surrounding the Brother, fell upon their knees, declaring they were sure to be safe when near the “Holy Brother”, as they habitually called him. For the last twelve years of his life Brother Lombard was a great sufferer from asthma and severe bodily pains, but he concealed their existence and continued working until compelled to take to his bed. He bore his afflictions with perfect resignation, and when at last he became bed-ridden, he regarded himself as mere useless lumber, and ardently desired to be released from the body and to enter upon his eternal rest. The report given of him in the Summary records the particulars of his holy death, which came to him so sweetly and gently that those beside him could not tell at what moment it occurred.
◆ Henry Foley - Records of the English province of The Society of Jesus Vol VII
LOMBARD, JOHN, Temporal Coadjutor, was a native of Arras, born 1575 or 1577; entered the Society 1602, and was made a formed Coadjutor 1615. He is eulogized in the Summary of the Deceased of the English Province as a perfect religious, modelled according to the heart of our holy Father St. Ignatius. He spent all his religious life in St. Omer's College; was remarkable for his habitual composure under all the trials to which his numerous duties connected with the schools exposed him, and he daily offered to God both his labours and prayers for the students, who, knowing the efficacy of them, constantly begged them of him. During an alarming storm accompanied by unusually loud thunder and a slight earthquake, the terrified scholars rushed in the night to the church, and surrounding the Brother, fell upon their knees, declaring that they should be safe when near the "holy Brother," as they styled him. He suffered severe bodily pains for twelve years, but concealed them and continued his work, until compelled to take to his bed. He suffered much from asthma, but bore all his pains with the utmost patience. He died at St. Omer's College, November 7, 1625, æt. 50.
