Joseph-Marie Cassant was born on the 6th of March, 1878, at Casseneuil, Lot-et-Garonne, France. After a trial period, Joseph entered the Cistercian Abbey of Sainte-Marie du Désert, in the diocese of Toulouse, France, on December 5, 1894. Not a brilliant student, he did well enough to pass his examinations and was ordained a priest on October 12, 1902. At that point it became clear that he had contracted tuberculosis, and he died on June 17, 1903.