Jacques-Marie-Louis Monsabré
Encyclopedia
Jacques-Marie-Louis Monsabré (born at Blois
, France, 10 December 1827; died at Le Havre
, 21 February 1907) was a French Dominican
, a celebrated pulpit orator.
He had to wait four years for release from the diocese, as the bishop had received authorization from the Holy See to withhold that long his permission for newly ordained priests to enter a religious order. In May, 1855, he received his dimissorials, entered the novitiate at Flavigny
, received the habit on the thirty-first of the same month and one year later made his simple profession. A few days later he was sent to the house of studies at Chalais
, where he spent a year in solitude and prayer.
In the winter he was appointed to preach the Lenten sermons in the church of St. Nizier, at Lyon
, where he gave the first indication of his eloquence. After preaching the Lenten sermons in Lyon, Monsabré was assigned to the convent of St. Thomas, in Paris, where he began to give conferences.
After interrupting this ministry for several years he took it up again. In the Advent
of 1867 he gave conferences in the convent church. He preached then for a number of years in the principal cities of France, Belgium, and in London, conducting retreats, novena
s, and triduums. His reputation, however, was really first made by the course of Advent sermons which he preached in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, in 1869, as successor of Hyacinthe Loyson
. The success of these conferences brought the invitation to preach the Lenten sermons in Notre Dame in 1870, succeeding Célestin Joseph Félix
of the Society of Jesus.
During the siege of Paris
by the Prussian troops, the conferences at Notre Dame were interrupted. On the capitulation of Metz
, Monsabré preached from one of its pulpits. Meanwhile the Archbishop of Paris
, Monsignor Darboy, had fallen a victim to the Commune
and was succeeded by Monsignor Guibert, who lost no time in inviting Monsabré to occupy the pulpit of his cathedral. From this time on, Père Monsabré preached in the Cathedral of Notre Dame for twenty years. He conceived and executed the gigantic plan of expounding the whole system of Catholic dogmatic theology
.
The classic and elegant form of Monsabré's discourses attracted the educated class of France. "His intense love of souls and apostolic zeal made his discourses throb with life, and his clear and profoundly theological mind enabled him to shed light even upon the most abstruse tenets of the faith, while his earnest and impassioned appeals to all the noblest impulses of man always met with an enthusiastic response."
In 1890 he preached the Advent sermons in Rome. In 1891 he gave the same course in Toulouse
. On the death of Monsignor Freppel, Bishop of Angers, he was invited to fill the vacancy in the Chamber of Deputies
, but declined.
In 1871 he was sent to the General Chapter of Ghent to represent his province and in 1898 to that of Avila as Definitor. His preaching closed with the oration delivered at Reims
on the occasion of the fourteenth centenary of the baptism of Clovis, King of the Franks.
From 1903 he lived in retirement. In that year the Dominican convent in which he lived was confiscated by the government, and he was obliged to take refuge in a modest home, in which he died.
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, France, 10 December 1827; died at Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, 21 February 1907) was a French Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, a celebrated pulpit orator.
Life
He was ordained as a secular priest 15 June 1851, but soon felt he had a religious vocation. On the thirty-first of July, 1851, the feast of St. Ignatius, he celebrated his first Mass and thought seriously of entering the Society of Jesus. Four days later, however, the feast of St. Dominic, he decided to become a Dominican and immediately wrote a letter of application to Père Lacordaire.He had to wait four years for release from the diocese, as the bishop had received authorization from the Holy See to withhold that long his permission for newly ordained priests to enter a religious order. In May, 1855, he received his dimissorials, entered the novitiate at Flavigny
Flavigny
Flavigny is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Flavigny, in the Cher département* Flavigny, in the Marne département* Flavigny-le-Grand-et-Beaurain, in the Aisne département...
, received the habit on the thirty-first of the same month and one year later made his simple profession. A few days later he was sent to the house of studies at Chalais
Chalais
Chalais may refer to:* Chalais, Switzerland* Chalais, Charente, a commune in France* Chalais, Dordogne, formerly Chaleix, a commune in France* Chalais, Indre, a commune in France* Chalais, Vienne, a commune in France...
, where he spent a year in solitude and prayer.
In the winter he was appointed to preach the Lenten sermons in the church of St. Nizier, at Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, where he gave the first indication of his eloquence. After preaching the Lenten sermons in Lyon, Monsabré was assigned to the convent of St. Thomas, in Paris, where he began to give conferences.
After interrupting this ministry for several years he took it up again. In the Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
of 1867 he gave conferences in the convent church. He preached then for a number of years in the principal cities of France, Belgium, and in London, conducting retreats, novena
Novena
In the Catholic Church, a novena is a devotion consisting of a prayer repeated on nine successive days, asking to obtain special graces. The prayers may come from prayer books, or consist of the recitation of the Rosary , or of short prayers through the day...
s, and triduums. His reputation, however, was really first made by the course of Advent sermons which he preached in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, in 1869, as successor of Hyacinthe Loyson
Hyacinthe Loyson
Hyacinthe Loyson , was a controversial Roman Catholic priest, religious figure and author.-Biography:...
. The success of these conferences brought the invitation to preach the Lenten sermons in Notre Dame in 1870, succeeding Célestin Joseph Félix
Célestin Joseph Félix
Célestin Joseph Félix was a French Jesuit, known as a preacher.-Life:...
of the Society of Jesus.
During the siege of Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
by the Prussian troops, the conferences at Notre Dame were interrupted. On the capitulation of Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, Monsabré preached from one of its pulpits. Meanwhile the Archbishop of Paris
Archbishop of Paris
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris is one of twenty-three archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been created in the 3rd century by St. Denis and corresponded with the Civitas Parisiorum; it was elevated to an archdiocese on...
, Monsignor Darboy, had fallen a victim to the Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
and was succeeded by Monsignor Guibert, who lost no time in inviting Monsabré to occupy the pulpit of his cathedral. From this time on, Père Monsabré preached in the Cathedral of Notre Dame for twenty years. He conceived and executed the gigantic plan of expounding the whole system of Catholic dogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology is that part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and his works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Dutch Reformed Church, etc...
.
The classic and elegant form of Monsabré's discourses attracted the educated class of France. "His intense love of souls and apostolic zeal made his discourses throb with life, and his clear and profoundly theological mind enabled him to shed light even upon the most abstruse tenets of the faith, while his earnest and impassioned appeals to all the noblest impulses of man always met with an enthusiastic response."
In 1890 he preached the Advent sermons in Rome. In 1891 he gave the same course in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
. On the death of Monsignor Freppel, Bishop of Angers, he was invited to fill the vacancy in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of France
Chamber of Deputies was the name given to several parliamentary bodies in France in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries:* 1814–1848 during the Bourbon Restoration and the July Monarchy, the Chamber of Deputies was the Lower chamber of the French Parliament, elected by census suffrage.*...
, but declined.
In 1871 he was sent to the General Chapter of Ghent to represent his province and in 1898 to that of Avila as Definitor. His preaching closed with the oration delivered at Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
on the occasion of the fourteenth centenary of the baptism of Clovis, King of the Franks.
From 1903 he lived in retirement. In that year the Dominican convent in which he lived was confiscated by the government, and he was obliged to take refuge in a modest home, in which he died.