Rastignac, Louis Jacques, De Chapt De

Rastignac, Louis Jacques, De Chapt De, a French prelate, was born at Rastignac in 1684. He was the third son of Francois de Chapt, marquis of Rastignac. In 1714, after having been made prior of the Sarbonne, and also grand vicar of Lucon, he received the degree of D.D. In 1720 he was made bishop of Tulle; and in 1723 the king gave him the abbey La Couronne, in the diocese of Angouleme, and, two days afterwards, transferred him to the archbishopric of Tours. Pope Benedict XIII eulogized him in a short speech in 1725, on account of the zeal which he showed in opposing the Jansenists; but the many dissensions which he afterwards had with the Jesuits caused him to favor the Gallican body, and even the Jansenists. He had displayed so much talent in the meetings of the clergy in 1726, 1734, and 1743 that he was chosen to preside over those of 1745, 1747, and 1748; and the speeches which he delivered during the different sessions are monuments of his knowledge and eloquence. In 1746 he established the foundling hospital, Adeleille, at Tours. By a mandamus in 1747, he condemned tle book of pere Pichon, L'Esprit de l'Eiglise; and, in order to counteract the pernicious principles of this Jesuit, in 1748 and 1749 he wrote three works — one upon repentance, one upon communion, and the third upon Christian justice in relation to the sacraments of penance and the eucharist. So many complaints were made that cardinal Rohan, by order of the king, instructed four bishops to examine the work. They wrote to M. de Rastignac, asking for explanations; but he refused to make any. He used the greater part of his income in assisting the poor. He died Aug. 2, 1750. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.