Charles de Foucauld

About Charles de Foucauld

Charles de Foucauld was a French aristocrat, soldier, explorer, and eventually hermit-priest among the Tuareg people in Algeria. After a dissolute youth, Charles converted, became a Trappist monk, then left to live alone in Nazareth in poverty. Ordained a priest, he settled in the Sahara among the Tuareg, learning their language and living with them. He envisioned communities of "Little Brothers" and "Little Sisters" living contemplative lives among the poor (realized after his death). Charles was killed by bandits in 1916. His spirituality of presence and fraternity influenced many. Canonized 2022.