Freppel, Charles-Émile

FREPPEL, CHARLES-ÉMILE. - French bishop and writer, b. at Obernai (Alsace) on June 1, 1827 and d. at Angers on Dec. 22, 1891. Having earned his degree in 1854, the following year he obtained, as a substitute, the chair of eloquence at the Sorbonne, of which he became full professor in 1858, remaining there for 10 years. His patristic publications, written more by an orator than by a professor, date from this time. Summoned to Rome by Pius IX as a consultor of the Vatican Council, he distinguished himself as a champion of papal infallibility. Toward the end of 1869 he was elevated to the episcopal see of Angers, where in 1875 he founded the Catholic University. From 1880 until his death he was deputy for Brest in the French Chamber. A tireless pastor, he was called "the most complete bishop of the 19th century." A fighter for the cause of God, in Parliament he courageously denounced the sectarian aims of the Masonic government for the secularization of the State in general and of the school in particular; just as he had denounced to France and to the world the insidious poison of Renan's works.

His works are numerous: Examen critique de la Vie de Jésus-Christ de M. Renan (Paris 1863); Examen critique des Apôtres de M. Renan (ibid. 1866); Oeuvres oratoires, (7 vols., ibid. 1869-88); Études sur les Pères des trois premiers siècles (11 vols., ibid. 1870); Oeuvres polémiques (9 vols., ibid. 1874-88); La Révolution Française à propos du centenaire de 1889 (ibid. 1889); Bosset et l'éloquence sacrée au XVIIe siècle (3 vols., ibid. 1894).

Vito Zollin