Jean-Michel Gelmetti, C.S.Sp., holds an MA in Multimedia Studies from Duquesne University (2005–2008). Before that, he completed a License Ès Lettres, Littérature & Sciences Humaines (1973) at Metz before joining the Spiritans in 1980. After a Licensia Docendi in philosophical and theological studies at Sêvres (Facultés Loyola Paris), he was ordained a priest on 28 August 1988. From 1988–1996 he was a missionary in Angola, from 1996–2005 he was editor of Pentecôte sur le Monde magazine, from 2008–2011 he was pastor in Lorraine France in the diocese of Metz. In 2011 and 2012, Gelmetti was part of the formation team in Tanzania. From 2013–2019 he worked at Duquesne University on the production of videos for the US Spiritan Province and later worked at the Duquesne Center of Spiritan Studies for Spiritan Horizons journal until 2024. He is now appointed to the Spiritan Community in Lille (France) where the Spiritans run a parish and a Formation House.
Laval’s originality lies in his reliance upon the catechists and treasurers he trained, which was the original reason for the pastoral success on Mauritius. Laval’s influence is evidenced by the 40,000 people who were drawn to his funeral in 1864. Through him and those who came to help him, the emancipated enslaved people discovered how much they were loved, and they responded to that love beyond all hope.
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