Duvergier or Duverger, Jean De Hauranne

Duvergier Or Duverger, Jean De Hauranne abbot of St. Cyran, was born at Bayonne, France, in 1581. He studied theology at Louvain. Here he made the acquaintance of Jansenius, with whom he went to Bayonne to continue their studies together from 1611 to 1616. In 1609 he began to distinguish himself as a casuist by his treatment of the Question royale. In 1617 he wrote in defense of his friend the bishop of Poitiers, who had been blamed for heading the troops sent against the Protestants. After going to Paris, where he carried on an extensive correspondence with Jansenius, who had returned to Louvain, and continuing to apply himself still more to the study of the fathers, especially of St. Augustine, he was called to England by Henrietta of France, wife of Charles I. He then conceived the idea of organizing the Roman Catholic Church of England on the plan of the Gallican Church. This brought him into conflict with the Jesuits, against whom he wrote (1631), under the assumed name of Petrus Aurelius, a book, which the Assemblee Generale of the French clergy approved and ordered to be printed (Petri Aurelii theologi opera, jussu et impensis cleri gallicani denuo in lucem edita, Paris, 1641; new edit. 1646). Duvergier and Jansenius soon after decided to form a congregation of their own. They attempted to win over the fathers of the Oratory, and had made some progress in that direction, when, in 1635, Duvergier was appointed spiritual director of the abbey of Port Royal (q.v.). Here the effect of his principles was apparent in the pure morals of his charge, which contrasted strongly with the general laxity of the time. He soon, however, incurred the displeasure of Richelieu (q.v.), who had him arrested and transferred to Vincennes, May 14, 1638. He was released in February, 1643, after Richelieu's death. He continued to labor as confessor and writer until his death, October 11, 1643. Parts of his body were preserved in the abbey of Port Royal as sacred relics. Besides the above mentioned works, he wrote also Somme des fautes (1626, against the Jesuit Garasse, who had accused the casuists of atheism), and other occasional pamphlets. See Sainte Beuve, Hist. de Port Royal; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 3:577; Hoefer, Nouv. Biogr. Generale, 15:542.