Napoleon and the Lazarists

197 Pages·1974·11.045 MB·English

by  John W. Carven C.M. (auth.)

NAPOLEON AND THE LAZARISTS
ARCHIVES INTERNATIONALES D'HISTOIRE DES IDEES
INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE HISTORY OF IDEAS
JOHN W. CARVEN, C. M.
NAPOLEON AND THE LAZARISTS
Directors: P. Dibon (Paris) and R. Popkin (Washington Univ., St. Louis)
Editorial Board:]. Aubin (Paris);]. Collins (St. Louis Univ.); P. Costabel (Paris); A.
Crombie (Oxford); I. Dambska (Cracow); H. de la Fontaine-Verwey (Amsterdam);
H. Gadamar (Heidelberg); H. Gouhier (Paris); T. Gregory (Rome); T. E. Jessop (Hull);
P. O. Kristeller (Columbia Univ.); Elisabeth Labrousse (Paris); A. Lossky (Los Angeles);
S. Lindroth (Upsala);]. Orcibal (Paris); I. S. Revaht (Paris);]. Roger (Paris); H. Rowen
(Rutgers Univ., N.].); Ch. B. Schmitt (Warburg Inst., London); G. Sebba (Emory Univ.,
Atlanta); R. Shackleton (Oxford);]. Tans (Groningen); G. Tonelli (Binghamton, N.Y.).
NAPOLEON AND THE LAZARISTS
by
JOHN W. CARVEN, C.M .
•
MARTINUS NI]HOFF - THE HAGUE - 1974
© 1971: by Martinus Nijlwff, The Hague, Netherlands
Sojtcoverreprint oJtlie liarticover 1st edition 1974
All rights reserved, including the right to translate or to
reproduce this book or parts thereof in any form
ISBN-I3: 978-94-010-1619-3 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-010-1617-9
001: 10.1007/978-94-010-1617-9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface IX
PART I
THE CONCORDAT OF 1801
THE NEXUS OF THE RELIGIO-POLITICAL POLICY
OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
I. THE CONCORDAT OF 1801 3
A. General Idea of a Concordat 3
B. Church-State Relations in France Prior to 1801 4
C. Concordat of 1801 7
II. BONAPARTE'S MOTIVES FOR NEGOTIATING THE CONCOR-
DAT 10
A. Religious Situation in France Prior to 18 Brumaire 10
B. Religious Climate at the Beginning of the 19th Century 17
C. Bonaparte's Evaluation of the Religio-Political Climate 20
III. NEGOTIATION OF THE CONCORDAT 27
A. Preparations for the Negotiations 27
B. Summary of the Negotiations 33
IV. THE CONCORDAT PROVIDED A MODUS VIVENDI ON QUES-
TIONS BASIC TO THE POWER OF EACH RULER 40
A. Papacy - Privileged Position 40
B. Bonaparte - A Subservient Clergy 43
V. RATIFICATION AND PROMULGATION OF THE CONCORDAT 52
A. Ratification 52
B. Promulgation 59
C. European Reaction 59
VI. OBSERVATIONS ON BONAPARTE'S RELIGIOUS POLICY 61
A. Bonaparte Satisfied Public Opinion 61
B. He Consolidated His Regime 63
C. He Enhanced His Gloire 66
D. Summary 67
PART II
THE CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION WITHIN THE
NAPOLEONIC RELIGIO-POLITICAL POLICY
Introduction 71
I. HISTORICAL SURVEY OF PRE-NAPOLEONIC LAZARISTS
1625-1800 73
A. Who and What Are the Lazarists? 73
B. Geographical and Numerical Extent of the Lazarists 79
II. EARLY RELATIONS OF THE LAZARISTS WITH BONAPARTE 84
A. Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul 84
B. Lazarists' Foreign Missions Vis-a-Vis Bonaparte 90
III. THE LEGAL REESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
OF THE MISSION 96
A. Decree of Reestablishment 96
B. Decree Conferred Legal Existence on the Lazarists 100
IV. THE LAZARISTS SUBSEQUENT TO THEIR REESTABLISH-
MENT - EXTERNAL PROBLEMS 108
A. Motherhouse 108
B. Resumption of Former Works 115
V. THE LAZARISTS SUBSEQUENT TO THEIR REESTABLISH-
MENT - INTERNAL PROBLEMS 125
A. Government of the Congregation of the Mission 125
B. Personnel 145
VI. SUPPRESSION OF THE LAZARISTS IN FRANCE 150
A. State of the Lazarists in 1809 150
B. Reasons for the Suppression of the Congregation of the Mission
in France 154
C. Suppression of the Congregation of the Mission 158
PART III
SEQUEL TO THE NEPOLEONIC REESTABLISHMENT
OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION
Introduction 169
1. THE CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION IN THE POST-NA-
POLEONIC PERIOD 170
A. France 170
B. Europe 178
II. RECAPITULATION 180
Bibliography 185
Index 188
PREFACE
Neither in English nor in French is there a published study of Napoleon
Bonaparte's reestablishment in France of the Congregation of the Mis
sion, whose members are generally known in France as Lazarists.1 This
study, Napoleon and the Lazarists, 1804-1809, examines the reestablish
ment of the Congregation of the Mission in France and its subsequent
relations with the Napoleonic Government. Because religion played an
important role in the policies and plans of Napoleon, this study is set with
in the framework of Napoleon's general religio-political policy. Since the
Concordat of 1801 was the legal instrument by which the Catholic
Church was reestablished in France and also a necessary preliminary to
and a model for the reestablishment of the Lazarists, its negotiation is
treated in detail. The examination of the reestablishment of the Congre
gation of the Mission in France under Napoleon Bonaparte and its sub
sequent history between 1804 and 1809 follows. It is a study in microcosm
which reflects Napoleon's general religio-political policies.
Who are the Lazarists? The name Lazarist originates from St. Lazare,
the original Motherhouse in Paris of the Congregation of the Mission of
St. Vincent de Paul. St. Vincent de Paul founded the Congregation of
the Mission in 1625. With the cooperation of St. Louise de Marillac, he
also founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. Until his
death in 1660, he was, according to the Constitutions of both religious
communities, the Superior General of the two Congregations whom he
referred to as the Double Family. Moreover, his successors as Superior
General continued to direct both Congregations since both the Lazarists
and the Daughters of Charity vow obedience to the Superior General of
the Congregation of the Mission. Within the lifetime of St. Vincent de
Paul the Lazarists preached missions in the countryside of France, di
rected seminaries for the education of the diocesan clergy, conducted re-
I In English speaking countries the Lazarists are known as Vincentians.
x PREFACE
treats for priests and laymen, and labored in the foreign missions in Al
giers, Tunis and Madagascar. During his lifetime both Congregations
spread to other countries in Europe. St. Vincent de Paul and his suc
cessors governed this worldwide Double Family.
Prior to the French Revolution these two Congregations proved useful
instruments to both the Church and the French Kings. The Lazarists
were greatly esteemed for their seminaries and missionary work. The
Daughters of Charity were similarly lauded for their hospital work. Ne
vertheless, both the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of
Charity were dissolved by the Government during the French Revolu
tion. Under Napoleon Bonaparte both were reestablished. Although the
Lazarists were reestablished specifically for foreign mission work, N apo
leon allowed them to resume their former works within France. He re
established the Daughters of Charity so that his Government would bene
fit from their hospital work. Thus, both Congregations played a part in
the practical working out of the Emperor's religio-political policy.
This study specifically narrates the reestablishment of the Congrega
tion of the Mission in 1804 and its relations with the Napoleonic Govern
ment. It is limited to the Lazarists, except in those matters in which the
relationship between the Lazarists and the Daughters of Charity affected
the relations of the Congregation of the Mission with Napoleon's Govern
ment. The Lazarists' reestablishment and the problems they encountered
subsequent to their reestablishment brought them into close contact with
Napoleon's Government. The attempts by the Lazarists to solve these
problems show, in microcosm, various aspects of Napoleon's policies:
his control and management of religious affairs in France, and his poli
tical Gallicanism.
To place the Lazarists in this historical perspective I have divided this
study into three parts. Part I is a restatement of a well-known and much
narrated aspect of French history, the Concordat of 1801. A discussion
of the Concordat must form the basis of any study of Napoleon's religious
policy. Only after he promulgated the Concordat did Napoleon's control
over French religious affairs extend itself to the reestablishment of the
Congregation of the Mission. Therefore, I have considered it necessary to
recapitulate what other authors have written about the religious history
of this period and about the Concordat itself in order to present the study
of the Lazarists in its proper context. Use has been made of a selected bi
bliography of published works dealing with the religio-political affairs
of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Most noted of these pub
lished works are the five volumes of P. de la Gorce, Histoire Religieuse
PREFACE XI
de la Revolution Fran~aise, Simon Delacroix's La Reorganization de
L'Eglise de France apres La Revolution (1801-1809), and Boulay de la
Meurthe's indispensable compilation of the documents relating to the
Concordat of 1801, Documents sur La Negociation du Concordat et sur
les Autres Rapports de la France avec Le Saint-Siege. Since Part I is in
tended to be a recapitulation necessary to highlight Napoleon's religio
political plans, no attempt has been made to consult and develop an
exhaustive bibliography or to investigate archival material other than
that contained in Boulay de la Meurthe's six volume compilation.
This synthesis of Napoleon's religio-political policy provides the over
view necessary to discuss the reestablishment of the Lazarists. Except for
a brief survey of the history of the Congregation of the Mission prior to
the French Revolution, Part II deals with the reestablishment of the
Lazarists in France by Napoleon Bonaparte, the problems they encount
ered in revitalizing themselves, and their dissolution in 1809 by the Em
peror. I have endeavored to explain the reasons for their reestablishment,
their usefulness to the Napoleonic Government, the involvement of the
Government in the affairs of the Lazarists, and the reasons why Napoleon
judged that they were no longer useful to his Government. The history
of the Congregation of the Mission thus provides an insight into Napo
leon's relations with the Holy See, his general religio-political policy, and
the effect of the European unrest on the Congregation of the Mission.
For this study of the Lazarists I have consulted all the pertinent ma
terial contained in the archives of the Congregation of the Mission, 95
rue de Sevres, Paris, France. Some of these documents have been publish
ed in Actes du Gouvernement Fran~ais Concernant la Congregation de la
Mission, but this book is not generally available except in some houses of
the Congregation of the Mission. These specific documents and all the
other pertinent documents used in this study, whose translations are my
own, are catalogued in the archives of the Congregation of the Mission
under the title of Vicaires Generaux.2
While the subject of this study is the period of 1804-1809, I have deem
ed it necessary to add Part III in order to bring to a suitable conclusion
several problems discussed in Part II since these problems were solved
only after the fall of Napoleon. Under the restored Bourbon Monarchy
2 According to the Constitutions of the Congregation of the Mission an appointed
Vicar General governs the Lazarists after the death of a Superior General until a new
General can be elected. Because of the international unrest of the Napoleonic period
the Lazarists were unable to convene a General Assembly of the Congregation of the
Mission whose purpose would be the election of a Superior General. Therefore, the
Vicars General of this period performed all the functions of a Superior General as
provided by the Constitutions and the directives of the Holy See.