Claude Poullart des Places
Encyclopedia
Claude-François Poullart des Places, C.S.Sp. (26 February 1679 – 2 October 1709) was a French
Catholic priest
who founded the Holy Ghost Fathers
(Congregation of the Holy Ghost) in 1703 at the age of 24. The decree opening his cause of canonization
was promulgated on 1 October 1989, but has not yet proceeded to his beatification
.
, France, the son of a French aristocrat, François des Places, and his wife, Jeanne le Meneust. He was baptized
the next day. His family moved twice in his childhood. Following a relocation to Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue
, des Places entered the Jesuit Collège Saint-Thomas in October 1690. He studied further under the Jesuits at their college in Rennes and Caen
from 1693 to 1695. Des Places led a mischievous adolescence: he once narrowly missed his sister with a shot from their father's revolver—he thought it was unloaded—when she was annoying him as he studied a role for a school play. He was nearly killed himself during a hunting trip, and got into a roadside brawl in Nantes
. He was a talented student, however, and was the valedictorian
of his class. For his remarkable graduation dissertation he was invited to Versailles
as a guest of France's royal family.
s by giving them money from his allowance. Though he graduated with his degree in law from Nantes in 1700, his growing involvement with the poor inspired the young des Places to give up his career. He left the university and entered the Jesuit seminary Lycée Louis-le-Grand
in 1701. He received the tonsure
on 15 August 1702.
Seeing that many of his fellow seminarians were struggling to meet their basic needs, des Places began to support a small group of them financially. Eventually, des Places joined them in the house that he had provided for them. Soon, a dozen of these students asked des Places to set up a formal community, so on Pentecost Sunday
(27 May) of 1703, the group met in the Church of Saint Etienne-des-Grès
to dedicate themselves to the Holy Spirit
, under the special patronage of Mary. The society, which founded a new seminary—the Seminary of the Holy Spirit— had two aims: to support students on their way to the priesthood, and to serve the poor of rural France and in missions overseas. The formation process of the new society was uniquelly modelled after that of religious institutes, rather than clerical seminaries.
Des Places received minor orders
on 6 June 1705, the same year his community moved to Rue Neuve-Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
(Rue Rollin); he was ordained to the subdeacon
ate on 18 December 1706, and a deacon
on 19 March 1707. On 17 December 1707, des Places was ordained
at the age of 28.
of des Place's virtues is expected.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Catholic priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
who founded the Holy Ghost Fathers
Holy Ghost Fathers
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
(Congregation of the Holy Ghost) in 1703 at the age of 24. The decree opening his cause of canonization
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
was promulgated on 1 October 1989, but has not yet proceeded to his beatification
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
.
Early life
Claude des Places, was born on 26 February 1679 in RennesRennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, France, the son of a French aristocrat, François des Places, and his wife, Jeanne le Meneust. He was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
the next day. His family moved twice in his childhood. Following a relocation to Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue
Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue
Saint-Sauveur-en-Rue is a commune in the Loire department in central France.-References:*...
, des Places entered the Jesuit Collège Saint-Thomas in October 1690. He studied further under the Jesuits at their college in Rennes and Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
from 1693 to 1695. Des Places led a mischievous adolescence: he once narrowly missed his sister with a shot from their father's revolver—he thought it was unloaded—when she was annoying him as he studied a role for a school play. He was nearly killed himself during a hunting trip, and got into a roadside brawl in Nantes
Nantes
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....
. He was a talented student, however, and was the valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of his class. For his remarkable graduation dissertation he was invited to Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
as a guest of France's royal family.
Religious life
Des Places' life began to change when he became aware of the needs of the poor while studying law—he was soon moved to help the homeless boys and chimney sweepChimney sweep
A chimney sweep is a worker who clears ash and soot from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combustion. Chimneys may be straight or contain many changes of direction. During...
s by giving them money from his allowance. Though he graduated with his degree in law from Nantes in 1700, his growing involvement with the poor inspired the young des Places to give up his career. He left the university and entered the Jesuit seminary Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
The Lycée Louis-le-Grand is a public secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in France. Formerly known as the Collège de Clermont, it was named in king Louis XIV of France's honor after he visited the school and offered his patronage.It offers both a...
in 1701. He received the tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
on 15 August 1702.
Seeing that many of his fellow seminarians were struggling to meet their basic needs, des Places began to support a small group of them financially. Eventually, des Places joined them in the house that he had provided for them. Soon, a dozen of these students asked des Places to set up a formal community, so on Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
(27 May) of 1703, the group met in the Church of Saint Etienne-des-Grès
Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Paris
Saint-Étienne-des-Grès was a church and parish in Paris, France, formerly located in the Latin Quarter.-History:Saint-Étienne-des-Grès was one of the early centers of Christianity in Paris; it stood on the site of an oratory which was erected by St. Denis to St. Stephen...
to dedicate themselves to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
, under the special patronage of Mary. The society, which founded a new seminary—the Seminary of the Holy Spirit— had two aims: to support students on their way to the priesthood, and to serve the poor of rural France and in missions overseas. The formation process of the new society was uniquelly modelled after that of religious institutes, rather than clerical seminaries.
Des Places received minor orders
Minor orders
The minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. The most recognized minor orders are porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. In the Latin rite Catholic Church, the minor orders were in most cases replaced by "instituted" ministries of lector and acolyte, though communities that use...
on 6 June 1705, the same year his community moved to Rue Neuve-Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is a church in Paris, France, located on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in the Ve arrondissement, near the Panthéon. It contains the shrine of St. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris....
(Rue Rollin); he was ordained to the subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
ate on 18 December 1706, and a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on 19 March 1707. On 17 December 1707, des Places was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
at the age of 28.
Veneration
The decree for the cause for his canonization was promulgated on 1 October 1989. Further progress was made in 2005, when the postulator of des Place's cause presented the results of the diocesan inquiry to Rome. A decree of validity was signed on 24 May 2008. A decree of recognition of the heroic natureHeroic virtue
Heroic virtue is a phrase coined by Augustine of Hippo to describe the virtue of early Christian martyrs and used by the Roman Catholic church. The Greek pagan term hero described a person with possibly superhuman abilities and great goodness, and "it connotes a degree of bravery, fame, and...
of des Place's virtues is expected.
External links
- Our Founders: Claude Poullart des Places and Venerable Fr. Francis Libermann, CSSp. (From Duquesne UniversityDuquesne UniversityDuquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
's Center for Spiritan Studies) - Claude François Poullart des Places: Founder of the Spiritans (A detailed set of biographies of des Places from the Canadian Congregation of the Holy Spirit)
- Claude-François Poullart des Places (A biography from the French Spiritans)
- Claude-François Poullart des Places (Article from the Encyclopædia Britannica)