SOLMINIHAC, ALAIN de, Venerable. — Bishop of Cahors, one of the restorers of French Catholic life in the 17th century, born 12 Nov. 1593 at the ancestral castle of Belet, died 31 Dec. 1659 at the episcopal castle of Mercués.
Having received a basic humanistic education at the castle of Belet (Périgord), at the age of 21 he became abbot of the monastery of Chancelade, of the Canons Regular, through the renunciation of his uncle. Alain resolved to live as a religious and to restore the fortunes of the abbey, which had been destroyed by the Huguenots. After completing his intellectual formation at the University of Paris, where he formed friendships with St Vincent de Paul and Olier, he rebuilt the conventual buildings of Chancelade and, followed only by one of the old canons, restored regular life there according to the new Constitutions he had written, with an accentuated rigour of ascetic practices.
Many monasteries of Canons Regular sought Alain’s help in extending his reform to them, but this expansion was hindered by the LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, FRANÇOIS DE (v.) to unite all the Canons Regular into a single “Congregation of France.” Thanks to Solminihac’s energy, the abbey of Chancelade remained autonomous and persevered in this state until the Revolution. In 1636, compelled to accept the bishopric of Cahors, he continued to live as a religious together with five of his Canons Regular; indeed, he increased his austerity.
In the spirit of Trent, he set about reforming his diocese; he carried out uninterrupted pastoral visitations, preceded by his Canons Regular who preached missions at his expense; he rebuilt hospitals, opened orphanages, and met the needs of the people by expending all his revenues during periods of famine or plague. He composed a catechism so that the faithful might more easily learn the truths of the faith. Each year he convened the synod; he compelled the parish priests to reside in their parishes, founded the seminary, imposed monthly retreats and annual spiritual exercises upon the clergy. Ever vigilant against the Protestant danger, he supervised books, preachers and teachers, removing from positions of responsibility all who were suspected of heresy. He did not rest until he saw Jansenism condemned and the *Traité des droits et libertés de l'Église gallicane* of the Dupuy brothers proscribed. His body rests in the cathedral of Cahors. Universally venerated as a great saint, the people invoke him with the singular title of “Bienheureux Jérusalem.” Pius XI declared the heroicity of his virtues on 19 June 1927.