Jacques-Melchior Villefranche
Encyclopedia
Jacques-Melchior Villefranche (b. at Couzon-sur-Saone, 17 December 1829; d. at Bourg
, 10 May 1904) was a French editor, writer, and publicist working for Roman Catholic causes.
, he entered the telegraphic service. In that capacity in 1855, during the Crimean War
, he directed the telegraphic bureau of Varna
, the first landing-place of the Franco-Russian troops.
In 1870 as telegraphic director at Versailles
he was attached to the service of telegraphic communications of the army of Le Mans
. In 1875 he left the telegraphic service, and assumed the editorship of the Journal de l'Ain, in which he defended the cause of religious liberty, and campaigned against the laws of scholastic secularization.
His major works are historical:
In the controversial pamphlet published in 1891 and entitled "Le Concordat, qu'on l'observe loyalement ou qu'on le dénonce", Villefranche argued against the policy of strict application of the Concordat
, limiting the Catholic Church's rights on the basis that matters were not explicitly contained in the concordatory text.
Bourg
Bourg is the French rendering of the Germanic root *burgs , related to the Germanic root *bergan "to protect, shelter"; and may refer to:-In France:* Bourg, Aisne, a defunct commune in France, now part of Bourg-et-Comin* Bourg,...
, 10 May 1904) was a French editor, writer, and publicist working for Roman Catholic causes.
Life
After classical studies at the lesser seminary of LargentièreLargentière
Largentière is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Ardèche department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southern France.It is located in the narrow valley of the Ligne River, approximately ten kilometres southwest of Aubenas....
, he entered the telegraphic service. In that capacity in 1855, during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, he directed the telegraphic bureau of Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
, the first landing-place of the Franco-Russian troops.
In 1870 as telegraphic director at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
he was attached to the service of telegraphic communications of the army of Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
. In 1875 he left the telegraphic service, and assumed the editorship of the Journal de l'Ain, in which he defended the cause of religious liberty, and campaigned against the laws of scholastic secularization.
Works
He was prolific. His "Fables" (1851) and his "Fabuliste Chrétien" (1875) were pedagogical works. A number of historical and judicial romances included "Cineas, ou Rome sous Néron" (1869), which was translated into several foreign languages.His major works are historical:
- "Pius IX, son histoire, sa vie, son siècle" (1874), reprinted nineteen times;
- "Vie de Dom Marie-Augustin, Marquis de Ladouze, fondateur de la Trappe de Notre Dame des Dombes" (1876);
- "Vie de l'abbé Olivieri, fondateur de l'oeuvre du rachat des jeunes negresses" (1877);
- "Histoire des Martyrs de Gorcum, du Japon et autres canonisés par Pie IX" (1882);
- "Vie de Dom Bosco" (1887);
- "Vie du Père Chevrier, fondateur du Prado à Lyon" (1894);
- "Histoire de Napoleon III" (2 vols., 1896).
In the controversial pamphlet published in 1891 and entitled "Le Concordat, qu'on l'observe loyalement ou qu'on le dénonce", Villefranche argued against the policy of strict application of the Concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
, limiting the Catholic Church's rights on the basis that matters were not explicitly contained in the concordatory text.