LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-BAYERS, PIERRE - Louis de, Blessed. - French bishop and martyr, b. 12 Oct 1744 at the château of Viviers, d. 2 Sept 1792 at Paris. A student of theology at the Seminary of St Sulpice, in 1771 he became vicar general to his brother François-Joseph, Bishop of Beauvais. In 1775 he was elected as one of the general agents of the clergy of France. Bishop of Saintes in 1781, he took care to direct his seminary, encouraged every work of charity aimed at aiding one’s neighbour and especially alleviating the sufferings of the poor, and always professed an absolute and unconditional obedience to the Holy See, an attitude that made him odious to the Jansenists. On 26 Mar 1789 the clergy of Saintes designated him as their representative to the États-Généraux. In the National Assembly he opposed every reform tending to assert the dependence of the Church on the State. He exhorted his faithful to accept the papal brief of 13 Apr 1791 and condemned the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. Accused of anti-revolutionary activity, he was arrested and imprisoned at the Carmelites together with his brother François-Joseph. Both were massacred by a mob of fanatics. He was beatified by Pius XI on 17 Oct 1926.
LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-BAYERS, PIERRE
BIBL.: A. Robert–E. Bourloton–G. Cougny, Dictionnaire des parlementaires français, III, Paris 1890, p. 604. See especially the bibliography cited under the heading La R., François-Joseph.