One of the leading Catholic figures at the turn of the twentieth century, Jean-Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O. (1858–1935), was a French Trappist abbot and religious writer. He was integral in the expansion of his Cistercian Order, even achieving the purchase of Cîteaux Abbey in France, where Cistercianism began around 1100. Chautard was later responsible for new foundations in Belgium and Latin America. He is best known for his book, The Soul of the Apostolate, which has been translated into many languages. Several popes have recommended Chautard’s work, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who cited it during his visit to Lourdes in 2008.
