Jacques Bonnaud was a Jesuit priest and theologian born in Saint-Domingue in 1740. Moving to France at a young age, he became a prominent academic, possibly serving as the first person of Haitian descent to hold a professorship in Europe. Throughout his career, he engaged in various theological debates and served in several ecclesiastical roles, including vicar general. His life ended during the French Revolution when he was killed in Paris during the September Massacres of 1792.
Life and work
After joining the Society of Jesus in 1758, Bonnaud studied theology and law in both Paris and the Southern Netherlands. He held several significant positions, such as vicar general for the Archbishop of Embrun and later in Lyon. He was an active writer, producing pamphlets to defend the Catholic Church and debating religious matters, including the legitimacy of certain papal documents and the rights of Protestants.
Death and veneration
During the Reign of Terror, Bonnaud refused to sign the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. He was imprisoned in the Carmes Prison, where he was killed by mobs in September 1792. He is honored as a martyr for his loyalty to the Church. Pope Pius XI beatified him in 1926, making him the only beatified person of African descent from North America.