Louis de Sabran
Encyclopedia
Louis de Sabran was a French Jesuit
. He was associated with the court of James II of England
and engaged in vigorous theological
debates with both Anglican and Puritan
spokesmen.
in 1652 to the Marquis de Sabran of Provence
, who was a French ambassador in London during the Commonwealth
, and who visited the Catholic martyrs Ralph Corbie
and John Duckett before their executions. Louis married an English lady, was educated at the English Jesuit seminary of St. Omer, being ordained in 1679 and admitted to the Society of Jesus
in 1688.
to James II. A sermon he preached to the king on August 28 of that year on the invocation of saints
led to a pamphlet war with William Gee, a Puritan
. He also entered into a controversy with William Sherlock
, the Anglican theologian and Dean of St. Paul's. He was the assumed author of Dr. Sherlock Sifted from his Bran and Chaff in 1687, which Sherlock answered. Sabran answered the reply with An Answer to Dr. Sherlock's Preservative and then Dr. Sherlock's Preservative Considered in 1688. That same year he was made the chaplain to the infant Prince of Wales
.
When the Glorious Revolution
began, Sabran was responsible for getting the prince out of the country. They headed for Portsmouth
, but he was then ordered to return to London before being allowed to escape. He disguised himself as an attendant to a group of Polish
nobles but was discovered by a crowd and beaten and imprisoned. He was freed from prison, however, by order of the king. Dr. Sherlock coincidentally issued a reply to Sabran as the revolution was starting, entitled A Vindication: an Answer to the Cavils of Lewis Sabran.
After returning to France, Sabran was elected to be sent to Rome, Italy to the Vatican
by the council of Watten
in 1693. He was appointed visitator of the Neapolitan
Jesuits, and represented his province at Rome in the congregation of 1693, when the case of Reverend González was discussed. In 1699, the Prince-Bishop of Liège made him the president of the seminary
there to answer charges of Jansenism
among the faculty. The bishop had to enforce order with soldiers. Once the crisis was passed, Father Sabran's rule was successful, and he remained there until 1704.
In 1708/09, he was made provincial superior
. He then wrote to Reverend Metcalfe, a Jesuit in the north, about the progress of Jansenism, but his letter was intercepted, and was declared by some to portend that he intended to gain possession of the University of Douai
, as he had done that of Liège. A long-drawn and somewhat bitter controversy ensued. From 1712 to 1715 he was the headmaster of St. Omer, where he maintained a devotion to St. Melangell
. In 1717 he was made the spiritual father of the English College in Rome. He died in Rome
in 1732.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. He was associated with the court of James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
and engaged in vigorous theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
debates with both Anglican and Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
spokesmen.
Early life and education
He was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1652 to the Marquis de Sabran of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, who was a French ambassador in London during the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
, and who visited the Catholic martyrs Ralph Corbie
Ralph Corbie
Ralph Corbie was an Irish Jesuit. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929.-Life:...
and John Duckett before their executions. Louis married an English lady, was educated at the English Jesuit seminary of St. Omer, being ordained in 1679 and admitted to the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1688.
Career
In 1687 he was made the royal chaplainChaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to James II. A sermon he preached to the king on August 28 of that year on the invocation of saints
Intercession of saints
Intercession of the saints is a Christian doctrine held by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and some Anglican churches, that deceased saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for believers, and that it is possible to ask deceased saints for their prayers...
led to a pamphlet war with William Gee, a Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
. He also entered into a controversy with William Sherlock
William Sherlock
Not to be confused with William Sherlock William Sherlock was an English church leader.-Life:He was born at Southwark, and was educated at St. Saviour's School and Eton, and then at Peterhouse, Cambridge. In 1669 he became rector of St George's, Botolph Lane, London, and in 1681 he was appointed a...
, the Anglican theologian and Dean of St. Paul's. He was the assumed author of Dr. Sherlock Sifted from his Bran and Chaff in 1687, which Sherlock answered. Sabran answered the reply with An Answer to Dr. Sherlock's Preservative and then Dr. Sherlock's Preservative Considered in 1688. That same year he was made the chaplain to the infant Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
.
When the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
began, Sabran was responsible for getting the prince out of the country. They headed for Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, but he was then ordered to return to London before being allowed to escape. He disguised himself as an attendant to a group of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
nobles but was discovered by a crowd and beaten and imprisoned. He was freed from prison, however, by order of the king. Dr. Sherlock coincidentally issued a reply to Sabran as the revolution was starting, entitled A Vindication: an Answer to the Cavils of Lewis Sabran.
After returning to France, Sabran was elected to be sent to Rome, Italy to the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
by the council of Watten
Watten, Nord
-Sights:The village is famous for its old ruined abbey, and for its mill, which was restored in the 1990s. These two buildings are located on the "Mountain of Watten" . Its church dates from the thirteenth century.-References:* *...
in 1693. He was appointed visitator of the Neapolitan
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
Jesuits, and represented his province at Rome in the congregation of 1693, when the case of Reverend González was discussed. In 1699, the Prince-Bishop of Liège made him the president of the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
there to answer charges of Jansenism
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
among the faculty. The bishop had to enforce order with soldiers. Once the crisis was passed, Father Sabran's rule was successful, and he remained there until 1704.
In 1708/09, he was made provincial superior
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
. He then wrote to Reverend Metcalfe, a Jesuit in the north, about the progress of Jansenism, but his letter was intercepted, and was declared by some to portend that he intended to gain possession of the University of Douai
University of Douai
The University of Douai is a former university in Douai, France. With a Middle Ages heritage of scholar activities in Douai, the university was established in 1559 and lectures started in 1562. It closed from 1795 to 1808...
, as he had done that of Liège. A long-drawn and somewhat bitter controversy ensued. From 1712 to 1715 he was the headmaster of St. Omer, where he maintained a devotion to St. Melangell
Melangell
Saint Melangell, was a Welsh virgin, , whose Feast Day is celebrated, and originally established on May 27, 590. The daughter of an Irish king, she went to Powys, in central Wales, to become a hermitess. Prince Brochwel, the prince of Powys, granted her land after meeting her on a hunting trip, and...
. In 1717 he was made the spiritual father of the English College in Rome. He died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1732.