Causa of Peter-Adrian Toulorge

Living memory

The death of Peter-Adrian left a deep impression on the people of Coutances and the surrounding region. The Pastor of Muneville especially took pains to keep his memory alive through liturgical celebrations such as the 40 hours devotion, which has taken place annually since 1858. On some of the these days 260 men and 340 women received Holy Communion out of a total population of 854 inhabitants. The preaching of Eucharistic Triduums also helped to keep the memory of Peter-Adrian alive.
The popular cult is still alive today; it manifests itself especially in pilgrimages and prayer days in Muneville (his birthplace) and in the woods in which the revolutionaries took him prisoner (Holy Mass, followed by a picnic and a hike through the low lying brush).

In Muneville-le-Bingard the parish commemorates yearly the anniversary of Peter-Adrians’ death. The following are some extracts from addresses and sermons:

Fr. Bernard Ardura OPraem: Peter-Adrian is an extremely relevant Priest, who shows us how an ordinary person can become holy.
Fr. Donatian De Clerck OPraem: The saints and the martyrs form the backbone of the human family.
Fr. Gabriel Wolf OPraem: Peter-Adrian is a person through whom the sun shines.
Mgr. Thomas Handgrätinger OPraem: As Peter-Adrian daily saying and living his “adsum”.

Fr. Louis Onfroy: “I proclaim Peter-Adrian to the children and youth as a witness to the faith, as a martyr for the truth... They ask questions about him, his life, his battle for the truth and the faith. A candidate for confirmation said: “He had no fear.” For me he is a model for today in a world full of lies, self-centeredness and individualism. Young people need models from today and out of the past ... A little sign of his friendly reception among the Christians of Saint-Sauver (the Parish Center) is the decision to name a large hall after him – because a name belongs to the family! ... His presence can still be felt in the life and pastoral work with the people of today.”