Paschase Broët

Paschase Broët (1500?- 14 September 1562) was a Catholic priest, and one of the first Jesuits.

Broët was born in the town of Bertrancourt, Picardy around 1500. Broët was one of six children of a wealthy farmer who was in a position to provide for his son's education as a priest. He was ordained a priest on March 12, 1524 but his father's generosity meant that he could live titulo patrimonii which meant he would live off a patrimony rather than have his living provided for by a parish (sub titulo). he remained in Picardy until at least 1532. Between 1532 and 1533 he started his studies at the University of Paris. It's known that he was a member of the faculty of Arts where he studied philosophy and he resided at the Collège de Calvi. Three years later he received his licentiate alongside Simão Rodrigues and Jean Codure. It was around this time that along with Rodrigues he came into contact with Peter Faber who introduced him to Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. On 15 August 1536 along with Codure they bound themselves with the same vows that the original seven Jesuits took while at the same time those original members still in Paris renewed their vows. Claude Jay had joined the previous year so Codure and Broet brought the number to ten.

Along with the other members Broët went to work in Venice especially in the Hospitals of Ss John and Paul and the Incurables. While the others, most of whom were not yet priests, did much of the cleaning and nursing Broët attended them with the sacraments. Broët went with his brothers to Rome in 1537 where Pope Paul III granted him, along with his companions, permission to go to Jerusalem and along with his clerical companions the unusual permission to hear confessions and preach without the permission of the local diocesan bishop. In the summer of 1537 he went to Verona for a few months and went with Alfonso Salmeron to Sienna before they were both recalled to Rome by Ignatius in 1539. Later that year they offered themselves in service to the Pope and promised to go anywhere they were asked. Broët was the first to receive a specific request by Paul III who sent him to Sienna with the task of solving a controversy that had arose among a community of Benedictine nuns. After the Society of Jesus received official approval Broët was one of only sis members on hand to elect a superior. During this period he acted as head of the new society for a week.

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