François Annat
Encyclopedia
François Annat was a French Jesuit, theologian, writer, and one of the foremost opponents of Jansenism
.
He was born in Rodes, and entered the novitiate
of the Society of Jesus
on 16 February 1607. He was professor of philosophy for six years, and theology for seven, in the college of his order in Toulouse
, of which he was subsequently appointed rector
. Later he filled the same office at Montpellier
. He was assistant to the General in Rome, and Provincial of Paris. In 1654 he was sent to the court as confessor of Louis XIV, and, after the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, he felt compelled to resign, owing to the King's extramarital relationship with the Duchess de la Vallière
.
He became known to the academic world in 1632, by a publication of a defense of the Jesuit doctrine of Divine grace
against the Oratorian
Gibieuf. In 1644 he began a series of more lengthy contributions of the famous controversy that sought to reconcile human freedom with Divine efficacious grace. He was prominent in defending Catholic orthodoxy against the attacks of the Port-Royal theologians, and in consequence came to the notice of Pascal
, who directed the last of the Provincial Letters
against Père Annat. A full description of his published works may be found in Carlos Sommervogel
's Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus (Jesuit Bibliography). A complete edition, in three volumes, of his writings appeared in Paris, in 1666, under the title Opuscula Theologica. He died in Paris.
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
.
He was born in Rodes, and entered the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
on 16 February 1607. He was professor of philosophy for six years, and theology for seven, in the college of his order in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, of which he was subsequently appointed rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
. Later he filled the same office at Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
. He was assistant to the General in Rome, and Provincial of Paris. In 1654 he was sent to the court as confessor of Louis XIV, and, after the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, he felt compelled to resign, owing to the King's extramarital relationship with the Duchess de la Vallière
Louise de La Vallière
Louise de La Vallière was a mistress of Louis XIV of France from 1661 to 1667. She later became the Duchess of La Vallière and Duchess of Vaujours in her own right...
.
He became known to the academic world in 1632, by a publication of a defense of the Jesuit doctrine of Divine grace
Divine grace
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
against the Oratorian
Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
The Oratory of Saint Philip Neri is a congregation of Catholic priests and lay-brothers who live together in a community bound together by no formal vows but only with the bond of charity. They are commonly referred to as Oratorians...
Gibieuf. In 1644 he began a series of more lengthy contributions of the famous controversy that sought to reconcile human freedom with Divine efficacious grace. He was prominent in defending Catholic orthodoxy against the attacks of the Port-Royal theologians, and in consequence came to the notice of Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
, who directed the last of the Provincial Letters
Lettres provinciales
The Lettres provinciales are a series of eighteen letters written by French philosopher and theologian Blaise Pascal under the pseudonym Louis de Montalte...
against Père Annat. A full description of his published works may be found in Carlos Sommervogel
Carlos Sommervogel
Carlos Sommervogel was a French Jesuit scholar. He was author of the monumental Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, which served as one of the major references for the editors of the Catholic Encyclopedia....
's Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus (Jesuit Bibliography). A complete edition, in three volumes, of his writings appeared in Paris, in 1666, under the title Opuscula Theologica. He died in Paris.