BAGOT, JEAN. — French Jesuit, born at Rennes on 11 July 1591, died at Paris on 23 Aug. 1664. Received into the Society of Jesus in 1611, he taught philosophy (1620–26) and theology (1626–39), and spent some time in Rome as general reviser of books (1639–43). On returning to France, from 1655 until his death he was superior of the professed house in Paris.
B. directly opposed Jansenism from the chair and in his writings: Apologeticus fidei (2 vols., Paris 1644–1645); an extract: Dissertationes de veritate unius religionis christianae... in subsidium missionum apostolicarum (ibid. 1661); De poenitentia dissertationes theologicae (ibid. 1646); Libertatis et gratiae christianae defensio adversus Calvinum et Pelagium in Cornelio Iauzenio Batavo redivivae (ibid. 1653). He also engaged in a long controversy with the parish priests of Paris through the work Défense du droit épiscopal et de la liberté des fidèles touchant les Messes et les Confessions d'obligation (ibid. 1655), which he himself rendered into Latin as Ius episcopale (ibid. 1659).
His most notable activity, however, took place in another field, that of spiritual direction. As director at La Flèche and subsequently in Paris of Marian Congregations, with their small circles of fervor (the Aa [v.], that is, Assemblée des associés), he guided many chosen souls toward the perfect life or the foreign missions. Such was s. Isacco Jogues at La Flèche. The Aa of Paris, or « Société des bons amis », which brought together men such as Enrico Maria Boudon, Francesco di Montmorency-Laval, Francesco Pallu, and Vincenzo de Meur, cooperated with the « Compagnie du S. Sacrement » (v.) in many good works. When p. Alessandro de Rhodes returned from Tonkin in search of missionaries and especially Bishops, Fr. B.’s group provided him with the first three apostolic vicars for the Far East and gave the impetus for the foundation of the Seminary of the Society of Foreign Missions, of which Vincenzo de Meur was the first superior.