SÉGUR, GASTON de. — Apologetic and ascetical writer, born of the counts of S. in Paris on 15 April 1820, died there in a reputation for holiness on 9 June 1881. His mother, Sophie Rostophine, daughter of the governor of Moscow who ordered the burning of the city occupied by Napoleonic troops (1813), is the Comtesse de S., known for many fine narrative books for children (Gribouille, Mémoires d'un âne, etc.). Gaston was chiefly educated by his grandmother (also converted from Russian schism) who directed him toward the priesthood.
He was among the first to respond to the appeal of F. Ozanam and joined the “Conferences of St Vincent de’ Paoli.” He entered the diplomatic career and was attached to the embassy in Rome in 1842. But soon he left this post to enter the seminary. Ordained priest in 1847, he devoted himself to the assistance of “patronages” for apprentices. Auditor of the Rota in Rome in 1852, he enjoyed the affectionate confidence of Pius IX; but, having become blind in 1853, he resigned. He was then named apostolic protonotary and canon-bishop of the Chapter of St-Denis, without however receiving episcopal consecration because of his blindness. He later became chaplain of the Collège Stanislas, but worked also extensively as a preacher and confessor to many religious congregations. With courage he was assisted by Canon H. Chaumont (1838–96) in the founding (19 Sept. 1876) of the Society of the Fathers of St Francis de Sales.
S. wrote extensively. He left about sixty works, mostly simple booklets in a lively style, treating themes of ascetics and apologetics. All were published in Paris; some had very wide circulation and were translated into many languages. Here are the principal ones: Recueil d'an-tologies ou discussions religieuses (1843, just after entering the seminary); Réponses courtes et familières aux objections... contre la religion (1851; 1948 ed. 1881); Jésus-Christ (1856; 24th ed. 1907); La très Ste Communion (1860; 143rd ed. 1906); Le Pape (1860; 78th ed. 1899); L'Eglise (1861; 63rd ed. 1903); L'Enfer (1876; 30th ed. 1905); La Révolution (1861; 3rd ed. 1900); La piété et la vie intérieure (1864; prohibited by the Holy Office for some singular ideas); La pré-sence réelle (1866); Les francs-maçons (1867); La Ste Vierge (1867); Le Tiers-Ordre de St François (1868); Le dogme et l'infaillibilité (1872); Les trois roses des élus (1879). He also left various posthumous works: 150 beaux miracles de N.-D. de Lourdes; Journal d'un voyage en Italie (1882); Conseils pratiques sur la piété (1891); Ma mère: souvenir de sa vie et de sa sainte mort (1893).