Augustus Thébaud
Encyclopedia
Augustus Thébaud was a French-American Jesuit educator and publicist.
, France. He studied at first in the preparatory seminary at Nantes, then entered the grand séminaire and was ordained to the secular priesthood at the usual age. After three years of parochial work in his native city, he entered the Society of Jesus in Italy, on 27 November 1835, whence he returned to France in 1837 to pursue a course of scientific studies at the Sorbonne
under Ampère
and others.
He landed in the United States on 18 December, 1838, and was called to the chair of chemistry at St. Mary's College, Kentucky, where he became rector in 1846. Before the end of that year however the Jesuits left Kentucky to take charge of St. John's College, Fordham, New York
, which had been transferred to them from the Diocese of New York
by Bishop Hughes
. Father Thébaud was the first Jesuit President of St. John's, a position which he held from 1846 to 1851 and again from 1860 to 1863.
In the interval he taught the sciences for two years, 1851- 52, under Father Larkin, and the following eight years he spent as the pastor of St. Joseph's Church, Troy. To this charge he returned after his second rectorship at Fordham and filled the position from 1863-69, and again from 1873-74. The intervening years we find him at first in Montreal
and then at St. Joseph's Church, Hudson City, New Jersey. After spending another year at Fordham, he was assigned to St. Francis Xavier's parish, New York, where he passed the rest of his days. He died at St. John's College in 1885.
His more important works are:
From 1875 to his death, he also prepared his reminiscences in three volumes. Of these the United States Catholic Historical Society published volume III (1904), giving an account of his American experiences, and volume I (1911), containing the recollections of his life in France.
Life
Thébaud was born at NantesNantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, France. He studied at first in the preparatory seminary at Nantes, then entered the grand séminaire and was ordained to the secular priesthood at the usual age. After three years of parochial work in his native city, he entered the Society of Jesus in Italy, on 27 November 1835, whence he returned to France in 1837 to pursue a course of scientific studies at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
under Ampère
André-Marie Ampère
André-Marie Ampère was a French physicist and mathematician who is generally regarded as one of the main discoverers of electromagnetism. The SI unit of measurement of electric current, the ampere, is named after him....
and others.
He landed in the United States on 18 December, 1838, and was called to the chair of chemistry at St. Mary's College, Kentucky, where he became rector in 1846. Before the end of that year however the Jesuits left Kentucky to take charge of St. John's College, Fordham, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, which had been transferred to them from the Diocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
by Bishop Hughes
John Hughes (archbishop)
John Joseph Hughes , was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fourth Bishop and first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, serving between 1842 and his death in 1864....
. Father Thébaud was the first Jesuit President of St. John's, a position which he held from 1846 to 1851 and again from 1860 to 1863.
In the interval he taught the sciences for two years, 1851- 52, under Father Larkin, and the following eight years he spent as the pastor of St. Joseph's Church, Troy. To this charge he returned after his second rectorship at Fordham and filled the position from 1863-69, and again from 1873-74. The intervening years we find him at first in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and then at St. Joseph's Church, Hudson City, New Jersey. After spending another year at Fordham, he was assigned to St. Francis Xavier's parish, New York, where he passed the rest of his days. He died at St. John's College in 1885.
Works
Thébaud wrote a series of books on religious and historical subjects and published, besides numerous articles in the "Catholic World" and the "Catholic Quarterly Review", two novels, "Louisa Kirkbridge, A Tale of New York" (1879), and "Twit Twats, An Allegorical Story of Birds" (1881).His more important works are:
- The Irish Race in the Past and in the Present (1873);
- The Church and the Gentile World (2 vols., 1878);
- The Church and the Moral World (1881).
From 1875 to his death, he also prepared his reminiscences in three volumes. Of these the United States Catholic Historical Society published volume III (1904), giving an account of his American experiences, and volume I (1911), containing the recollections of his life in France.