CORRESPONDANT, LE. — French Catholic periodical, published from 1829 as a weekly, then twice-weekly
until 1831. From 1843 it was published in the form of a journal. An organ of the liberal Catholics, its principal aim was to harmonize Catholicism with the aspirations of contemporary society and especially with the exercise of political liberties.
In 1855 it was barely surviving under the direction of Carlo Lenormant; the count de Montalembert undertook to revive it with the assistance of distinguished collaborators, such as Dupanloup, Falloux, Alberto de Broglie, and Agostino Cochin, in order to set it against « L'univers » of Luigi Veuillot. Between « L'univers », which at that time supported the Empire, and « Le c. », an interminable struggle broke out, reaching its climax at the time of the First Vatican Council. Having opposed the definition of infallibility, it sincerely submitted after the Council’s decision (1870).
After the war of 1870, the journal, successively directed by Leone Lavedan (1876–1904), Stefano Lamy (1905–10), and Eduardo Trogan (1910–29), achieved genuine success. Able men and academicians lent it their assistance, and courageously fought in defense of religious liberties. Unfortunately, increasing material difficulties led the count de Luppé, who had taken over the reins in 1929, to announce, in Oct. 1933, the end of « Le c. » and to entrust the Jesuit journal Etudes with the task of carrying on its legacy. This disappearance was received by Catholics with unanimous regret.
The journal’s collection offers a rich selection of articles, chronicles, and bulletins concerning the most varied subjects in theology, history, politics, art, and literature; the list of writers who collaborated in it represents a considerable portion of the finest French Catholic intellectual talent from 1845 to the present day.