Name: Berrel (Berel), Maurice Pierre
Place Born: Rennes, France
Date Born: c.1809
Ordained: 12/23/ 1837
Place Ordained: Vincennes by Bishop Brute.
Served 1837-1840
Died: 12/19/ 1841
Buried: Saint Martinville Catholic Cemetery, Saint Martinsville, Louisiana.
Fr. Berel was a member of the Eudists who were brought to Vincennes to teach at St. Gabriel College, by Bishop Brute. Fr. Berel arrived as a deacon and Brute ordained him on December 23, 1837. Berel served as Vice President of St. Gabriel College, under Fr. Vabret, another Eudist.
Berel becasme seriously ill in early 1839 and Brute admistered “last rites”, but Berel’s health improved. He apparently went to New Orleans for his health and it was in Louisiana that he died. This was after the death of Brute.
Correspondence:
The Archives of the Diocese of Lafayette (Louisiana) wrote in 2020:
We were able to find the burial entry of Father Berel, which you will find attached. We found notation that he was assistant at St. Martin de Tours Church, St. Martinville from January 1841- September 1841, and was buried at this church parish on December 21, 1841. Perhaps he became ill during his stay in St. Martinville? The Diocese of Lafayette was not established as a separate diocese until 1918 when it was carved out of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Unfortunately, this is the only information we have found on file regarding Father Berel.
———–Sent: Monday, August 31, 2020 4:07 PM
Subject: RE: Frs. Berrel (Berel) and Vabret
Attached is the death entry for Father Berel. His record was at St. Martin de Tours. This is the transcription entry from SWLAR:BEREL, Rev. Maurice pretre diocesain of New Orleans. A very good & capable priest; d. 22 Dec. 1841 at age 32 years (SM Ch.: v.5, p. 105, #6)