RIGOLEUC, JEAN. - Missionary and spiritual writer, b. at Quintin (Côtes-du-Nord) on 24 Dec. 1595, d. at Vannes on 27 Feb. 1658. Having entered the Society of Jesus at Rouen (1617), and completed his third year of probation under Fr. L. LALLEMANT, LOUIS (v.), he himself became a highly experienced spiritual director.
Having been assigned to missionary work, he was at times a companion of Bl. Maunoir, and with Fr. V. Vannes, where he devoted himself entirely to this kind of ministry, taking particular care of priests, for whom he wrote several spiritual works, subsequently collected in two volumes: Instructions ecclésiastiques sur les principaux devoirs des confesseurs et des catéchistes... et sur l'usage du sacrement de Pénitence avec une retraite de 8 jours (Caen 1749). Some remained in manuscript: Abrégé des principaux devoirs des évêques; Mémoires sur l'état des paroisses, devoirs des prêtres et des recteurs; Abrégé de la doctrine du b. Jean de la Croix et du traité du card. de Bérulle de l'abnégation intérieure.
R. has the merit of having collected and preserved Lallemant’s doctrine (v.). A similar service would be rendered to him by
Fr. P. Champion, who, in writing R.’s life, would report several points of his eminently Christocentric doctrine, especially in the chapters: L'aimable Jésus ou exercice d'amour envers N.-S. Jésus-Christ; L'homme d'oraison; Le pur amour ou les moyens d'y arriver et ses effets.
Arnaldo M. Lanz