Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) was a complex man: Born into French aristocracy, he failed as a military officer, but rediscovered his childhood Catholic faith and eventually lived voluntarily as an impoverished priest/hermit in the Sahara desert. Foucauld wanted to emulate the hidden life of Jesus in Nazareth and in doing so, left a spiritual legacy that attracted the likes of Dorothy Day and author, poet, and spiritual director Bonnie Thurston.