Jacques-Désiré Laval was a French missionary of the Holy Ghost Fathers who dedicated his life to serving the people of Mauritius. Born in Croth in 1803, he first earned a medical doctorate in 1830 before being ordained as a priest in 1838. He arrived on the island in 1841, where he became known as the Apostle of Mauritius. His ministry focused on providing essential care to the impoverished and formerly enslaved populations, often working amidst various epidemics.