French Martyrs beatified at Notre Dame in Paris born in Alberta, Canada- Blessed Father Louis Doumain
https://www.stalbertgazette.com/local-news/former-sturgeon-county-man-on-road-to-sainthood-11619809
Blessed Father LOUIS DOUMAIN 1920–1944 — Louis Doumain, shown here, was born in Cardiff, Alberta, and baptised in Morinville. He was beatified Dec. 13, 2025, as a martyr after dying in a Nazi disciplinary camp for his faith. PHOTO COURTESY TRINI PINCA
Former Sturgeon County man on road to sainthood
Rev. Louis Doumain died in Nazi camp for his faith.
Rev. Louis Doumain died in Nazi camp for his faith.
Father Louis Doumain was featured as the Catholic Man of the Month in the December 2025, issue of Columbia Magazine (the Knights of Columbus publication) because he was recently beatified as a martyr, recognized for dying for his faith under the Nazis during WWII, despite being born in Canada and living most of his life in France.
His story highlights radical love and holiness, with Columbia celebrating his journey to sainthood, especially following his December 2025, beatification in Paris alongside other martyrs.
A French priest who was baptized in Morinville, Alberta, Canada, has taken a significant step toward sainthood.
Father Louis Georges Doumain (1920-44) was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church in a ceremony at Notre-Dame de Paris on Dec. 13. He was one of about 50 martyrs beatified that day who died for their faith during the Nazi occupation of France in the Second World War.
Although he lived most of his life in France, Doumain was born in Cardiff, Alberta, and baptized in the St. Jean Baptiste Church in Morinville, said Father Trini Pinca of the St. Jean Baptiste Parish. Doumain’s beatification adds a new blessing to the congregation’s new church, which officially opened Dec. 18.
“It teaches us that the sanctity of life is among us in the ordinary things we do,” he said of Doumain’s beatification.
“Every one of us is called to holiness.” Morinville martyr.
Beatification is part the process the Roman Catholic Church uses to establish a heroic, virtuous, deceased person as a saint, Britannica reports.
Church officials first investigate the person’s life for signs of holiness. If they find such evidence, the person is declared Venerable. Bishop Vital Grandin and Brother Antoine Kowalcyzk of St. Albert have both reached this step, Vino Vipulanantharajah of the Musée Héritage Museum said.
Venerable candidates can be declared Blessed (beatified) if they have at least one verified miracle attributed to them, or if they become martyrs by voluntarily suffering death rather than denying their religion.
Blessed candidates can be canonized as Saints if at least two confirmed miracles (or one plus martyrdom) are attributed to them.
Doumain was born Feb. 7, 1920, to French immigrants in Cardiff, the Diocese of Viviers website reports. He and his family moved to France in 1926, where he became a priest in 1942.
Doumain was conscripted into forced labour in the Second World War and sent to work in a chemical factory near Leipzig, Germany. There, he served as a secret priest for his fellows, holding masses, study groups, and prayer circles. When the Gestapo arrested him in 1944, they offered to let him go if he promised to no longer celebrate mass. He refused, saying, “Anything you want, but not that. That’s why I was made a priest.”
Doumain died in a Nazi disciplinary camp on Dec. 20, 1944, at age 24.
Doumain was born Feb. 7, 1920, to French immigrants in Cardiff, the Diocese of Viviers website reports. He and his family moved to France in 1926, where he became a priest in 1942.
Doumain was conscripted into forced labour in the Second World War and sent to work in a chemical factory near Leipzig, Germany. There, he served as a secret priest for his fellows, holding masses, study groups, and prayer circles. When the Gestapo arrested him in 1944, they offered to let him go if he promised to no longer celebrate mass. He refused, saying, “Anything you want, but not that. That’s why I was made a priest.”
Doumain died in a Nazi disciplinary camp on Dec. 20, 1944, at age 24.
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| BAPTISED — Blessed Father Louis Doumain was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church on Dec. 13, 2025. Doumain was born in Cardiff, Alberta, and baptised in Morinville’s St. Jean Baptiste Church. Shown here is the church as it would have looked around the time of Doumain’s baptism. MORINVILLE BOOK OF PICTORIAL HISTORY/Photo |
Doumain’s baptismal record was recently discovered in the Diocese of St. Paul archives, the diocese reports. A copy of it will be featured in an upcoming exhibit on Doumain in France.
Pinca said he hoped Doumain’s link to Morinville would encourage others to find God in their lives. He also hoped to get a relic of Doumain to add to the altar at St. Jean Baptiste Church.
In a statement from the diocese, Bishop Gary Franken gave thanks for Doumain, “whose faith took root here in Morinville and blossomed into heroic love in France.
“His life reminds us that holiness transcends time and international borders.”
Pinca said he hoped Doumain’s link to Morinville would encourage others to find God in their lives. He also hoped to get a relic of Doumain to add to the altar at St. Jean Baptiste Church.
In a statement from the diocese, Bishop Gary Franken gave thanks for Doumain, “whose faith took root here in Morinville and blossomed into heroic love in France.
“His life reminds us that holiness transcends time and international borders.”
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