Chapter 20 : CHARLES DE FOUCAULD (Summary)

Father Charles de Foucauld reflects on his mission and the clear declarations of local figures regarding his respect for Islamic practices. To bridge the gap between Muslim tribes and Catholic France, he organizes a journey to France for a young Touareg named Ouksem, who is engaged to be married. Writing to the duc de Fitz-James, he outlines France duties in North Africa, emphasizing the urgent need for civilization, administration, and proper evangelization through dedicated priests, laity, and religious women who can build genuine trust and understanding. Before departure, the hermitage experiences notable events, including a visit from General Bailloud to test wireless telegraph communication with Paris, and the arrival of a camel sent for the poor. Following Ouksem wedding in early April, Father Charles and Ouksem set off for France, stopping briefly at Maison-Carrée before arriving in Marseille. They travel through Viviers, Lyon, Burgundy, and Périgord, staying with various family members including M de Blic and the marquis de Foucauld. Ouksem experiences French family life, learns to knit and ride a bicycle, and visits Switzerland with General Bailloud and the Father. After returning to Africa in late November following a slow desert journey, Ouksem resumes his duties while continuing to share his appreciation for France and the French language. Father Charles notes that the journey has successfully increased local trust in him and in all French people. He remains dedicated to his solitary life of prayer and service at the hermitage, occasionally welcoming visiting French officers and local families. Sahara War And Desert Defense French officers including commandant Meynier and lieutenant L visit Tamanrasset, where they meet Father Charles de Foucauld and enjoy local festivities featuring the Dag-Rali women and the famous Dassine. Father Charles continues his intense scholarly work, completing a comprehensive Tuareg-French dictionary by late summer. The outbreak of World War I brings sudden tension to the Sahara, leading to regional skirmishes and threats from Senussi forces advancing from Tripolitania. Refusing offers to retreat to fortified posts, Father Charles remains steadfastly at his hermitage in Tamanrasset to keep the local population calm and supportive of France. He corresponds regularly with general Laperrine, sharing vital intelligence regarding tribal movements and desert operations. Alongside local leaders like Ouksem and the aménokal Moussa Ag Amastane, he helps organize defensive measures, including identifying secure mountain gorges near Fort Motylinski to protect the garrison and maintain French stability in the region. Faith And Fortification In The Desert Military threats from Senussi forces lead the French authorities to construct a fortified refuge for Father Charles de Foucauld and the local population of Tamanrasset. Designed by the hermit and completed in mid-1916, the square fort features thick mud-brick walls, bastions, and a protected interior courtyard surrounding a deep water well. Despite ongoing regional unrest, forced evacuations of nearby outposts, and real dangers, Father Charles refuses to abandon his post, choosing instead to remain calm, maintain his daily routine, and continue his tireless service, scholarship, and spiritual correspondence with close friends like general Laperrine. Throughout this period, Father Charles reflects deeply on the meaning of the war, viewing the Allied struggle as a true crusade for Christian morality and the freedom of the Church against German paganism. He also reiterates his concerns regarding the future of France in North Africa, arguing that true integration and stability among the indigenous population depend upon moral uplift, dedicated service, and eventual Christianization rather than mere material progress. Although the local Tuareg population remains peaceful and loyal, rallying around the fort during false alarms, the shadow of external aggression looms closer as Senussi raiders advance into the region. As November 1916 draws to a close, Father Charles continues his solitary life of prayer, writing his final letters filled with unwavering faith, deep patriotism, and total spiritual readiness for whatever God wills. On the evening of December first, a band of armed Fellagas and local traitors approaches the fortified hermitage under the guise of delivering mail. When Father Charles opens the door, he is seized, dragged outside, and bound by the attackers, who have come to plunder the provisions and take hostages amidst the unprotected desert landscape. The Assassination And Legacy Of Charles de Foucauld On the evening of December first, 1916, armed Fellagas and local traitors arrive at the fortified hermitage in Tamanrasset, using a fabricated mail delivery to lure Father Charles de Foucauld outside. Captured and bound by the attackers, the hermit remains entirely impassable and silent while the band plunders the provisions, weapons, and supplies inside the fortin. When an alarm is raised regarding approaching military troops from Fort Motylinski, one of the guards fires his rifle directly at Father Charles, killing him instantly before he can be taken as a hostage. Following the fatal shooting, the raiders flee the area after killing two visiting soldiers and ransacking the remaining property. The local harratins subsequently bury Father Charles alongside the fallen soldiers in a shallow grave near the fort before notifying the military outposts. Captain Depommier and later general Laperrine document the tragedy, attributing the assault to a combination of fanatical holy war propaganda spread by Senussi agitators, the desire to seize hidden weapons, and the strategic objective of eliminating a powerful moral influence that stood in the way of a regional uprising. In the years following his death, the memory of Father Charles is deeply honored by close friends, military leaders, and church authorities alike, including heartfelt tributes from the Tuareg leader Moussa ag Amastane and the bishop of Viviers. General Laperrine eventually oversees the formal exhumation and reburial of the hermit's remains on a nearby hilltop marked by a large granite cross, ensuring that his sacrifice and final resting place remain visible across the desert landscape. Although the desert outposts and hermitages face shifting fortunes against the elements, the spiritual legacy of Charles de Foucauld endures as a foundational milestone for Christian missions and French presence in North Africa. The Final Plea For The Islamic World In these final reflections, the narrative reflects upon the enduring legacy and ultimate sacrifice of your servant Charles de Foucauld. He patiently bore the pride, harshness, and occasional treachery of the local populations while offering continuous prayers on their behalf. Living as a solitary monk without a monastery and a teacher without disciples, he sustained his lonely existence through the hope of a future spiritual awakening that he would never live to witness. Having died to his labors, his life serves as an inspiring example of devotion and perseverance in the desert. The text issues a heartfelt plea to show mercy to these populations for his sake. It calls upon baptised nations to share their spiritual and material riches with the poor of Islam, while urging them to forgive past greed and embrace a renewed mission of grace and compassion.