Abbé pierre biography english
Abbé pierre biography english
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Childhood
Henri Grouès was born on 5 August 1912 in Lyon to an upper middle class family. During his Catholic upbringing, he was instilled with values based on Christianity and solidarity.
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The fifth of eight children, Henri Grouès was born on 5 August 1912 in Lyon to an upper middle class Catholic family.
During his childhood, he was instilled with values based on Christianity and solidarity.
Abbé pierre biography english language
His father, Antoine Grouès, was Director of the Rhône foundries. Driven by the ethos of showing solidarity and sharing with others, he was involved in the work of many organisations, in particular the Hospitaliers-Veilleurs, a charitable organisation in Lyon.
At the age of 12, Henri Grouès found out what his father used to do every Sunday morning.
He would shave and cut the hair of around fifty homeless men, and serve them breakfast. He was known as the “pauper’s barber”.
Henri Grouès’s childhood was therefore very much influenced by solidarity and religion.