Nicolas Roland

Blessed Nicolas Roland
Official Portrait of Nicolas Roland, from the Livre du Choeur Hannesse, 1888
Priest and founder
Born	December 8, 1642 Baslieux-les-Reims, Champagne, Kingdom of France
Died	April 27. 1678 Reims, Champagne, Kingdom of France
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church (Diocese of Reims and Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus)
Beatified	October 16, 1994 by Pope John Paul II
Major shrine	Cathedral of Reims, Reims, Marne, France
Feast	April 27

Nicolas Roland (December 8, 1642 - April 27, 1678) was a French priest, canon and educator. He was a friend, contemporary and spiritual director of Saint John Baptist de La Salle.

Nicolas Roland was born on the small town of Baslieux-les-Reims in the ancient province of Champagne, 9 kilometers away from Reims, son of Jean-Baptist Roland (1611–1673), Commissioner for wars and old cloth merchant. His godfather, July 23, 1643, was his uncle, Matthieu Beuvelet.

In 1650 he joined the Jesuit College at Reims, by the church of St. Maurice, where he shows an active intelligence and the wish to become a priest. In 1653 he obtained the tonsure from the bishop Pouy at the abbey of Saint Pierre les Dames. Completing his preliminary studies, he traveled around France for while. A particularly difficult sea voyage persuaded Roland to return and complete his studies.

The young student moved to Paris in 1660 to continue his studies in Philosophy and Theology, staying at the college of Bons Amis. He joined several pious associations such as the “Friends Association” of the Jesuit Jean Bagot and one of Vincent de Paul. He even considered joining the Jesuits. He was also quite interested in the work of the missionaries for a time and considered going to Siam after finishing his doctorate on theology. He was given a well-endowed canonry at Reims Cathedral, before being ordained a deacon and was highly regarded as a preacher, but realized that his elegant style reached few of the faithful. In 1664 he received the diaconate and on March 3 of 1665 he was ordained a priest.

In 1666 he leaves his parents house, moving to a house on Barbâtre Street, in Reims, where he begins a life of poverty dedicated to charity. He established contacts with the Saint Nicolas-du-Chardonnet seminary where his uncle worked, and there he is exposed to the ideas of Adrian Bourdoise, Jean-Jacques Olier and the movement for the renewal of the French clergy. Of all his apostolic activities, education is the activity the young canon to which he is most attracted, especially after the publication in 1668 of “Bans” by Charles Démia, an early advocate the schools for the poor.