François de Bonal
Encyclopedia
François de Bonal was Bishop of Clermont.
He had been Vicar-General of the diocese of Agen and Director of the Carmelite Nuns in France when he was made Bishop of Clermont, in 1776. On the eve of the French Revolution
, as he was warning his diocesans against the license of the press, he predicted that visitations of God were coming.
He went as one of the deputies of the clergy to the Estates-General of 1789
. To Target
, who spoke of the "God of peace," he replied that the God of peace was also the God of order and justice.
From his prison Louis XVI sent for his opinion as to whether he should receive Paschal
Communion. In reply, he was sympathetic, but advised the monarch to abstain "for having sanctioned decrees destructive of religion". Bonal was alluding chiefly to the civil constitution of the clergy
.
Having declined to take the loyalty oath to the constitution, he was compelled to leave his diocese and country. He passed to Flanders
and later to Holland, was captured and sentenced to deportation by the French, but succeeded in making his escape and spent the last years of his life in various cities of Germany. He was the author of a Testament spirituel.
He had been Vicar-General of the diocese of Agen and Director of the Carmelite Nuns in France when he was made Bishop of Clermont, in 1776. On the eve of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, as he was warning his diocesans against the license of the press, he predicted that visitations of God were coming.
He went as one of the deputies of the clergy to the Estates-General of 1789
Estates-General of 1789
The Estates-General of 1789 was the first meeting since 1614 of the French Estates-General, a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the nobility, the Church, and the common people...
. To Target
Gui-Jean-Baptiste Target
Gui-Jean-Baptiste Target was a French lawyer and politician.Born in Paris, he acquired a great reputation as a lawyer, less by practice in the courts than in a consultative capacity. He strenuously opposed the "parlement Maupeou", devised by Chancellor Maupeou to replace the old judiciary bodies,...
, who spoke of the "God of peace," he replied that the God of peace was also the God of order and justice.
From his prison Louis XVI sent for his opinion as to whether he should receive Paschal
Paschal
Paschal is a variant spelling of the name Pascal , from Latin Paschalis. Two popes and two antipopes have taken this name:* Antipope Paschal * Pope Paschal I * Pope Paschal II...
Communion. In reply, he was sympathetic, but advised the monarch to abstain "for having sanctioned decrees destructive of religion". Bonal was alluding chiefly to the civil constitution of the clergy
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government....
.
Having declined to take the loyalty oath to the constitution, he was compelled to leave his diocese and country. He passed to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and later to Holland, was captured and sentenced to deportation by the French, but succeeded in making his escape and spent the last years of his life in various cities of Germany. He was the author of a Testament spirituel.