SOLMINIHAC, Alain de, Venerable. - Bishop of Cahors, one of the restorers of French Catholic life in the 17th century, b. 25 Nov. 1593 in the ancestral castle of Belet, d. 31 Dec. 1659 in the episcopal castle of Mercués.
Having received a summary humanistic education in the castle of Belet (Périgord), at the age of 21 he became abbot of the monastery of Chancelade, of the Canons Regular, through the resignation of his uncle. Alain resolved to live as a religious and to restore the fortunes of the abbey destroyed by the Huguenots. Having completed his intellectual formation at the University of Paris, where he formed a friendship with St. Vincent de Paul and Olier, he rebuilt the conventual buildings of Chancelade and there restored, followed only by one of the old canons, the regular life, according to the new Constitutions written by him, with a marked rigor of ascetic practices.
Many monasteries of Canons Regular asked Alain to extend his reform to them as well, but this expansion was thwarted by the plan of Cardinal de La Rochefoucauld (v.) to unite all the Canons Regular in a single "Congregation of France." Through S.'s energy, the abbey of Chancelade remained autonomous and persevered as such until the Revolution. In 1636, forced to accept the bishopric of Cahors, he continued to live as a religious together with five of his Canons Regular; he even increased his austerity.
In accordance with the spirit of Trent, he provided for the reform of his diocese; he made the pastoral visitation uninterruptedly, preceded by his Canons Regular who preached missions at his expense; he rebuilt hospitals, opened orphanages, met the needs of the people by lavishing all his revenues in periods of famine or plague. He wrote a rhymed catechism so that the faithful might more easily learn the truths of the faith. Each year he convoked the synod; he obliged the parish priests to residence, founded the Seminary, imposed on the clergy a monthly retreat and spiritual exercises every year. Most vigilant against the Protestant danger, he kept watch over books, preachers and teachers, removing from positions of responsibility all those suspected of heresy. He gave himself no peace until he saw Jansenism condemned and the Traité des droits et libertés de l'Eglise gallicane of the Dupuy brothers proscribed. His body rests in the cathedral of Cahors. Always universally exalted as a great saint, the people invoke him with the strange title of "bienheureux Jérusalem." Pius XI proclaimed the heroicity of his virtues on 19 June 1927.
Bibliography
Giorgio Idamo Scatena
