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Congregation of Saint Maur

December 15, 2023

The Congregation of St. Maur, often known as the Maurists, were a congregation of French Benedictines, established in 1621, and known for their high level of scholarship.[1] The congregation and its members were named after Saint Maurus (died 565), a disciple of Saint Benedict credited with introducing the Benedictine rule and life into Gaul. The congregation was suppressed and its superior-general executed during the French Revolution.[2]

History edit

At the end of the 16th century the Benedictine monasteries of France had fallen into a state of disorganization and laxity. In the Abbey of St. Vanne near Verdun a reform was initiated by Dom Didier de la Cour, which spread to other houses in Lorraine, and in 1604 the reformed Congregation of St. Vanne was established, the most distinguished members of which were Ceillier and Calmet. A number of French houses joined the new congregation; but as Lorraine was still independent of the French crown, it was considered desirable to form on the same lines a separate congregation for France. At the suggestion of Laurent Bénard[3] in 1621 thus was established the famous French Congregation of St. Maur.[2][4]

Most of the Benedictine monasteries of France, except those belonging to Cluny, gradually joined the new congregation, which eventually embraced nearly two hundred houses. The chief house was Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris, the residence of the superior-general and center of the literary activity of the congregation.[2]

The primary idea of the movement was not the undertaking of literary and historical work, but the return to a strict monastic régime and the faithful carrying out of Benedictine life; and throughout the most glorious period of Maurist history the literary work was not allowed to interfere with the due performance of the choral office and the other duties of the monastic life. Towards the end of the 18th century a tendency crept in, in some quarters, to relax the monastic observances in favor of study; but the constitutions of 1770 show that a strict monastic régime was maintained until the end.[2]

The course of Maurist history and work was checkered by the ecclesiastical controversies that distracted the French Church during the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of the members identified themselves with the Jansenist cause; but the bulk, including nearly all the greatest names, pursued a middle path, opposing the lax moral theology condemned in 1679 by Pope Innocent XI, and adhering to those strong views on grace and predestination associated with the Augustinian and Thomist schools of Roman Catholic theology; and like all the theological faculties and schools on French soil, they were bound to teach the four Gallican articles.[2]

Towards the end of the 18th century a rationalistic and freethinking spirit seems to have invaded some of the houses. The congregation (along with all Catholic religious orders) was suppressed in 1790 during the French revolution, and the monks were scattered. The last superior general of the order (Ambroise Chevreux) and forty monks died on the scaffold in Paris[2] in 1792, during the September Massacres.[note 1]

Works edit

Their historical and critical school produced a number of works of scholarship which still are of permanent value. The foundations of this school were laid by Dom Tarisse, the first superior-general, who in 1632 issued instructions to the superiors of the monasteries to train the young monks in the habits of research and of organized work. The pioneers in production were Ménard and Luc d'Achery.[2]

The full Maurist bibliography contains the names of some 220 writers and more than 700 works. The lesser works in large measure cover the same fields as those in the list, but the number of works of purely religious character, of piety, devotion and edification, is very striking. What was produced was only a portion of what was contemplated and prepared for.[2]

Some of their most important contributions are:

The French Revolution cut short many undertakings, the collected materials for which fill hundreds of manuscript volumes in the Bibliothèque nationale de Paris and other libraries of France. There are at Paris 31 volumes of Berthereau's materials for the Historians of the Crusades, not one in Latin and Greek, but in the oriental tongues; from them have been taken in great measure the Recueil des historiens des croisade whereof 15 folio volumes have been published by the Académie des Inscriptions. There exist also the preparations for an edition of Rufinus and one of Eusebius, and for the continuation of the Papal Letters and of the Concilia Galliae. Dom Cafflaux and Dom Villevielle left 236 volumes of materials for a Trésor généalogique. There are Benedictine Antiquities (37 vols.) (Claude Estiennot de la Serre), a Monasticon Gallicanum and a Monasticon Benedictinum (54 vols.) Of the Histories of the Provinces of France barely half a dozen were printed, but all were in hand, and the collections for the others fill 800 volumes of manuscripts. The materials for a geography of Gaul and France in 50 volumes perished in a fire during the Revolution.[2]

The output was prodigious, coming from a single society. The qualities that have made Maurist work proverbial for learning are its critical tact and its thoroughness.[2]

Prominent Maurists edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The former French Congregation of Benedictines, now the Solesmes Congregation, initiated by Dom Prosper Guéranger in 1833, was a new creation and has no continuity with the Congregation of St. Maur.

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Knowles, M.D. (1959). "Presidential Address: Great Historical Enterprises II. The Maurists". Transactions of the Royal Historical Society. 5th ser. 9: 169–187. doi:10.2307/3678810. JSTOR 3678810.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Butler, Edward Cuthbert (1911). "Maurists". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 911.
  3. ^ Alston, Cyprian (1907). "Laurent Bénard" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  4. ^ Toke, Leslie Alexander St. Lawrence (1911). "Maurists" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Sources edit

The chief source of information on the Maurists and their work is Dom Tassin's Histoire littéraire de la Congrégation de Saint-Maur (1770); it has been reduced to a bare bibliography and completed by de Lama, Bibliothèque des écrivains de la congrégation de Saint-Maur (Münich and Paris, 1882). The two works of de Broglie, Mabillon (2 vols., 1888) and Montfaucon (2 vols., 1891), give a picture of the life of the great Maurists of the earlier generation. Sketches of the lives of a few of the chief Maurists will be found in McCarthy's Principal Writers of the Congregation of S. M. (1868).

Useful information about their literary undertakings will be found in Léopold Delisle's Le Cabinet des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque impériale; Fond's Saint-Germain-des-Prés. General information will be found in the standard authorities: Helyot, Histoire des ordres religieux (1718), vi. c. 37; Heimbucher, Orden und Kongregationen (1907) i. 36; Wetzer und Welte, Kirchenlexicon (ed. 2) and Herzog-Hauck's Realencyklopädie (ed. 3), the latter an appreciation by the Protestant historian Otto Zückler.

December 15, 2023
congregation, saint, maur, congregation, maur, often, known, maurists, were, congregation, french, benedictines, established, 1621, known, their, high, level, scholarship, congregation, members, were, named, after, saint, maurus, died, disciple, saint, benedic. The Congregation of St Maur often known as the Maurists were a congregation of French Benedictines established in 1621 and known for their high level of scholarship 1 The congregation and its members were named after Saint Maurus died 565 a disciple of Saint Benedict credited with introducing the Benedictine rule and life into Gaul The congregation was suppressed and its superior general executed during the French Revolution 2 Contents 1 History 2 Works 3 Prominent Maurists 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 SourcesHistory editAt the end of the 16th century the Benedictine monasteries of France had fallen into a state of disorganization and laxity In the Abbey of St Vanne near Verdun a reform was initiated by Dom Didier de la Cour which spread to other houses in Lorraine and in 1604 the reformed Congregation of St Vanne was established the most distinguished members of which were Ceillier and Calmet A number of French houses joined the new congregation but as Lorraine was still independent of the French crown it was considered desirable to form on the same lines a separate congregation for France At the suggestion of Laurent Benard 3 in 1621 thus was established the famous French Congregation of St Maur 2 4 Most of the Benedictine monasteries of France except those belonging to Cluny gradually joined the new congregation which eventually embraced nearly two hundred houses The chief house was Saint Germain des Pres Paris the residence of the superior general and center of the literary activity of the congregation 2 The primary idea of the movement was not the undertaking of literary and historical work but the return to a strict monastic regime and the faithful carrying out of Benedictine life and throughout the most glorious period of Maurist history the literary work was not allowed to interfere with the due performance of the choral office and the other duties of the monastic life Towards the end of the 18th century a tendency crept in in some quarters to relax the monastic observances in favor of study but the constitutions of 1770 show that a strict monastic regime was maintained until the end 2 The course of Maurist history and work was checkered by the ecclesiastical controversies that distracted the French Church during the 17th and 18th centuries Some of the members identified themselves with the Jansenist cause but the bulk including nearly all the greatest names pursued a middle path opposing the lax moral theology condemned in 1679 by Pope Innocent XI and adhering to those strong views on grace and predestination associated with the Augustinian and Thomist schools of Roman Catholic theology and like all the theological faculties and schools on French soil they were bound to teach the four Gallican articles 2 Towards the end of the 18th century a rationalistic and freethinking spirit seems to have invaded some of the houses The congregation along with all Catholic religious orders was suppressed in 1790 during the French revolution and the monks were scattered The last superior general of the order Ambroise Chevreux and forty monks died on the scaffold in Paris 2 in 1792 during the September Massacres note 1 Works editTheir historical and critical school produced a number of works of scholarship which still are of permanent value The foundations of this school were laid by Dom Tarisse the first superior general who in 1632 issued instructions to the superiors of the monasteries to train the young monks in the habits of research and of organized work The pioneers in production were Menard and Luc d Achery 2 The full Maurist bibliography contains the names of some 220 writers and more than 700 works The lesser works in large measure cover the same fields as those in the list but the number of works of purely religious character of piety devotion and edification is very striking What was produced was only a portion of what was contemplated and prepared for 2 Some of their most important contributions are a revision of Gallia Christiana L art de verifier les dates l Histoire litteraire de la France The French Revolution cut short many undertakings the collected materials for which fill hundreds of manuscript volumes in the Bibliotheque nationale de Paris and other libraries of France There are at Paris 31 volumes of Berthereau s materials for the Historians of the Crusades not one in Latin and Greek but in the oriental tongues from them have been taken in great measure the Recueil des historiens des croisade whereof 15 folio volumes have been published by the Academie des Inscriptions There exist also the preparations for an edition of Rufinus and one of Eusebius and for the continuation of the Papal Letters and of the Concilia Galliae Dom Cafflaux and Dom Villevielle left 236 volumes of materials for a Tresor genealogique There are Benedictine Antiquities 37 vols Claude Estiennot de la Serre a Monasticon Gallicanum and a Monasticon Benedictinum 54 vols Of the Histories of the Provinces of France barely half a dozen were printed but all were in hand and the collections for the others fill 800 volumes of manuscripts The materials for a geography of Gaul and France in 50 volumes perished in a fire during the Revolution 2 The output was prodigious coming from a single society The qualities that have made Maurist work proverbial for learning are its critical tact and its thoroughness 2 Prominent Maurists editDom Jacques Alexandre 1653 1734 Luc d Achery 1609 1685 Dom Bedos de Celles 1709 1779 Ambroise Chevreux 1728 1792 Charles Clemencet 1703 1778 Pierre Coustant 1654 1721 Maurus Dantine 1688 1746 Leger Marie Deschamps 1716 1774 Ursin Durand 1682 1771 Michel Felibien 1665 1719 Jacques Du Frische 1640 1693 Robert Guerard 1641 1715 Guy Alexis Lobineau 1666 1727 Jean Mabillon 1632 1707 Edmond Martene 1654 1739 Nicolas Hugues Menard 1585 1644 Bernard de Montfaucon 1655 1741 Antoine Joseph Pernety 1716 1796 Thierry Ruinart 1657 1709 Claude Estiennot de la Serre 1639 1699 Rene Prosper Tassin 1697 1777 Charles Francois Toustain 1700 1754 Joseph Vaissete 1685 1756 Notes edit The former French Congregation of Benedictines now the Solesmes Congregation initiated by Dom Prosper Gueranger in 1833 was a new creation and has no continuity with the Congregation of St Maur References editCitations edit Knowles M D 1959 Presidential Address Great Historical Enterprises II The Maurists Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 5th ser 9 169 187 doi 10 2307 3678810 JSTOR 3678810 a b c d e f g h i j nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Butler Edward Cuthbert 1911 Maurists In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 17 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 911 Alston Cyprian 1907 Laurent Benard In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 2 New York Robert Appleton Company Toke Leslie Alexander St Lawrence 1911 Maurists In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 10 New York Robert Appleton Company Sources edit The chief source of information on the Maurists and their work is Dom Tassin s Histoire litteraire de la Congregation de Saint Maur 1770 it has been reduced to a bare bibliography and completed by de Lama Bibliotheque des ecrivains de la congregation de Saint Maur Munich and Paris 1882 The two works of de Broglie Mabillon 2 vols 1888 and Montfaucon 2 vols 1891 give a picture of the life of the great Maurists of the earlier generation Sketches of the lives of a few of the chief Maurists will be found in McCarthy s Principal Writers of the Congregation of S M 1868 Useful information about their literary undertakings will be found in Leopold Delisle s Le Cabinet des manuscrits de la Bibliotheque imperiale Fond s Saint Germain des Pres General information will be found in the standard authorities Helyot Histoire des ordres religieux 1718 vi c 37 Heimbucher Orden und Kongregationen 1907 i 36 Wetzer und Welte Kirchenlexicon ed 2 and Herzog Hauck s Realencyklopadie ed 3 the latter an appreciation by the Protestant historian Otto Zuckler Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Congregation of Saint Maur amp oldid 1069904667, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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