Congrégation de France

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The Congrégation de France was a congregation of French monasteries in which the Augustinian rule was lived. The congregation was founded by Cardinal François de La Rochefoucauld , Commendatarabbot of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris on behalf of King Louis XIII. and with a breve from Pope Gregory XV. founded on April 8, 1622. His aim was to restore that rigorous observance in the Augustinian monasteries that had been preached by the Catholic Church after the Council of Trent (1542–1545).

La Rochefoucauld's first idea was to create the Congregation from the monasteries under the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Paris , but he soon abandoned this plan in favor of a more pragmatic approach: it was decided to start reforming the 40 monasteries who were closest to Paris and subordinate them to Sainte-Geneviève and thus to the cardinal. La Rochefoucauld commissioned two monks from the Saint-Vincent in Senlis , Robert Baudouin, prior of the monastery, and Charles Faure , with an inventory of the conditions in these monasteries and asked for suggestions for remedying grievances. The visitation trip of Baudouins and Faures lasted until October 12, 1623, the results of which formed the basis for the foundation of the congregation.

Charles Faure was elected the first superior of the congregation and held the office until his death in 1652. Faure sent monks from his monastery to the other monasteries in the congregation to implement the reforms that had been decided. On August 10, 1628, he held the first general chapter of the order in Saint Vincent in Senlis.

53 monasteries joined the congregation - often not voluntarily - in the 18th century there were 107 monasteries with 1,300 monks, who were mainly active in hospitals and charitable institutions. The seat of the congregation was the Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris. The members of the congregation were therefore called Genovéfains. They wore a white habit and a black coat outside the convent .

literature

  • Pierre Féret, L'Abbaye de Sainte-Geneviève et la Congrégation de France: précédées de la vie de la patronne de Paris, d'après des documents inédits (1883)