Bernet, Jacques

Bernet, Jacques a French prelate, was born at St. Flour, Sept. 4, 1770. He completed his studies at rthe Seminary of St. Sulpice. The closing of this ecclesiastical establishment, which took place in August, 1792, obliged him to go to a hospital in order to recover from an illness which had attacked him. In order to obtain resources he became teacher at Meaux. His ordination was accompanied by circumstances which the time alone will explain, and which necessitated its being performed privately. He was sent to establish the Catholic religion in the parish of Antony, where he encountered a fierce Jacobin, whom he conquered by his Iirmness and energy. After the anti- religious reaction which took place in 1797, the oath of haine a la royaut having been exacted of the priests, the young Levite quitted his parish and went to Orleans to found an establishment for religious education. He did not return to his vocation until after the publication of the Concordat and the re-establishment of the religion in 1802. Being vicar of a parish in Orleans, he was called upon by the authorities of the place to pronounce a eulogy upon Joan of Arc. Called, after the restoration, to the royal house of St. Denis as first chaplain of the Daughters of the Legion of Honor, he performed these functions for several years, although rendered difficult by the want of discipline throughout the establishment. He left this position in order to become rector of the parish of St. Vincent de Paul. He was consecrated bishop of Rochelle Aug. 12, 1827, promoted Oct. 6, 1835, to the archbishopric of Aix, and was made cardinal by Gregory XVI in the consistory of Jan. 19, 1846. He died at Aix, July 5, 1846. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Biog. Universelle, s.v.