Showing posts with label Institute of the Good Shepherd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Institute of the Good Shepherd. Show all posts

Monday, 23 August 2010

Solemn Pontifical Mass in São Paulo, Brazil

by Shawn Tribe

One of our readers has sent in photos from a Solemn Pontifical Mass celebrated August 11th according to the usus antiquior in São Paulo, Brazil at Saint Paul the Apostle Church.

It is reported to us that it is the first Solemn Pontifical Mass celebrated by His Excellency, Fernando Guimarães, the Bishop of Garanhuns, who was recently made a bishop. (See previous NLM posts on this bishop here and here.)

The NLM is also told that the Brazilian seminarians of the Institute of the Good Shepherd served the Mass, while the M.C. was Father Almir de Andrade of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

A photo album has been made available. Here are a few selections.















(reposted from The New Liturgical Movement)

Friday, 23 July 2010

Institute of the Good Shepherd Ordinations

by Shawn Tribe

The Institute of the Good Shepherd have some photos from recent ordinations in Courtalain (France) which occurred this month. A full photo gallery is available at the website of their seminary, the Seminaire Saint Vincent de Paul.

Here, however, are some selections.
























(reposted from The New Liturgical Movement)

Saturday, 26 June 2010

Brothers of the Good Shepherd

Having informed readers of the foundation of the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd, the sister congregation of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, and also the first reception of the veil, we have the greatest pleasure in informing you of another excellent initiative of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, a congregation of brothers, the Institute of the Angelus, as an house of formation for brothers ad experimentum under the moderation of M. l'Abbé Regis Spinoza.


The Institute proclaims its belief that the vocation of male religious should be better known to raise a revival among younger generations who too often think of brothers as "people who failed to become priests." This is obviously wrong, they rightly say, because the brothers are souls who are chosen of God to serve His Church and by the evangelical counsels of obedience, poverty and chastity who are, like the Lord, giving their lives for the glory of God and the salvation and sanctification of souls. Thus, the image of the friar "tuck" in Robin Hood and other images having a similar purpose to destroy the real meaning of the gift of self through various ministries in which the brothers can thrive from any point of view.


The Brothers of the Good Shepherd will be in two branches, first, the teaching Brothers. Some of them have opted to serve young people by introducing them to art or crafts. The Institute of the Angelus is developing this educational project. The brothers teachers will receive adequate training to their condition. In fact, over two years, which correspond to the "year of formation" and "novitiate", they are trained in spiritual, liturgical and doctrinal teaching. It is required for the Brothers secondary education. Some are going to university by correspondence at the end of "noviciate", after receiving the habit, at least for the standard license to teach in secondary schools. Others will deal with the administrative organization of the school. In the third year, following their commitment to the Institute and private vows, to be renewed every five years, they will receive additional training depending on the educational choices they have made.


The second branch will be coadjutor Brothers, who will receive training in their own spiritual state ("Catechism of the vows") and in areas of liturgical and doctrinal instruction. They will mostly develop their ability to perform manual activities serving not necessarily in a school.

Saturday, 5 June 2010

Prise d'Habit - Petites Soeurs du Bon Pasteur

On 19th June 2009, two foundresses of the excellent Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd were received in simple vows and took the veil in the Church of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, St. Eloi in Bordeaux. With a number of professed Sisters and a new home at Bargemon near Cannes, the Little Sisters are now ready to receive postulants.




Notre Seigneur, Bon Pasteur, nous Vous prions de protéger les Petites Soeurs!

Saturday, 29 May 2010

Petites Soeurs du Bon Pasteur - Nouvelles


The Institute of the Good Shepherd have informed us that their excellent initiative, a congregation of Apostolic Sisters known as the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd, whose foundation has previously been reported in CHRISTVS REGNAT, now situated in the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, is ready to admit candidates to a year of spirituality to begin in September, 2010. Young ladies who are less than 35 years of age and of good character can contact the Little Sisters:

By e-mail at: soeursdubonpasteur@hotmail.frBy telephone at: 00.33.06.66.06.47.94
By post at: Les Petites Soeurs du Bon Pasteur,
Presbytere,17, Rue Marceau,
83830 Bargemon,
FRANCE.


The Little Sisters are affiliated to the Institute of the Good Shepherd and are directed by M. l'Abbé Henri Forestier, I.B.P., formerly rector of the Institute's Seminary at Courtalain. The Spiritual Life of the Sisters is founded upon the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Please spread the news to all!


Notre Dame de la Bergerie, priez pour nous!

Thursday, 12 November 2009

IBP Resources for the English Language

by Shawn Tribe

The Institute of the Good Shepherd have started up a blog and a Facebook group which is directed toward the English speaking audience under the guidance of Abbé Hugues Beaugrand, one of their recently ordained priests.

(reproduced from The New Liturgical Movement)

Saturday, 10 October 2009

New IBP House of Formation in Chile

Eight new acolytes of the IBP in March 2009
The IBP South American blog carries more good news of the expansion of the Institute of the Good Shepherd. (Google Translation)
Having run out of space in their Seminary in Courtalain in France and being rather short of space in their House of Studies in Rome, the Institute of the Good Shepherd has found it necessary to convert its house in Chile into a House of Formation. Thus, this is the first Spanish Language House of Formation of the IBP, something of a relief, no doubt, to the professors of the extremely polyglot Seminaire St. Vincent de Paul. You can contact the new House of Formation by contacting:

P. Rafel Navas
Froilán Roa 4594,
Macul,
Santiago- CHILE.
Telf.: (56-02) 2949184

Monday, 7 September 2009

News from the Seminaire St. Vincent de Paul

After only four years, the Institute of the Good Shepherd's Seminary of St. Vincent de Paul has seen remarkable growth both in numbers and in strength. Recently, news was posed in French on their website. It translates roughly as follows:

After the ordinations of July 4 at St. Anne d'Auray, where Fathers Beaugrand and Raffray were ordained, the seminary has (almost) emptied of its occupants for a well deserved holiday before a sizeable inflow. Indeed, the seminary is entering its fourth year and this means that we open the cycle of theology in September 2009. For the more senior seminarians who have completed their year of spirituality and their two years of philosophy Courtalain will be able to continue their training on site by commencing the study from September of Catholic theology. This is a milestone because it shows that the seminary of St. Vincent de Paul has reached a certain maturity that allows it to provide comprehensive training for future priests.

The venture commenced three years ago when there opened in France a traditional seminary under the auspices of the Institute of the Good Shepherd that we hoped would be successful and that, by the Will of God, we would be able to answer the call of the Pope who recalled the necessity of the seminary in the life of the Church during his catechesis on 19 August:

"Foundations laid during seminary training, are the irreplaceable "spiritual soil", in which we can "learn Christ" by gradually letting ourselves be configured to Him, the one true High Priest and Good Shepherd. Time at the seminary should be regarded as the realization of the moment when the Lord Jesus, after calling the apostles before sending them to preach, granted their request to stay with him (cf. Mk 3 14).

The faculty of the Seminaire St. Vincent has changed this year as l'Abbé Henri Forestier, IBP, having successfully undertaken for three years the heavy task of the foundation of this house, has left the seminary to direct the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd full time; l'Abbé Yannick Vella leaves the faculty to join the staff of the parish of Saint-Eloi in Bordeaux. We wish to express our gratitude for the work they have completed while at the seminary.

Providence is good. Since l'Abbé Emmanuel Ducla, IBP has been conferred with his licentiate in Canonical and Dogmatic Theology this month, he will begin to teach these subjects to the Fourth Year Seminarians. l'Abbé Leszek Krolikowski will continue to give courses in philosophy and moral theology, in addition to his PhD in philosophy at the Angelicum in Rome. The younger generation of the Institute is will represented by l'Abbé Stefano Carusi who will undertake the teaching of Latin and Greek and Ecclesiastical History. l'Abbé Matthew M. Raffray begins his first year of priesthood by teaching our courses in philosophy and theology.

Finally, I will assume the office of rector of the seminary and undertake particularly the education of first-year seminarians and ensuring the general introduction to Sacred Scripture. We will be aided by some outsiders who transmit their knowledge and apostolic flame, especially l'Abbé Paul Aulagnier through his course on the recent history of the Church.

Seminarians return to Courtalain Saturday, September 19 and will begin the year with a retreat preached by l'Abbé Chanut which will launch the Holy Year of Priests of the Holy Father. Then we receive the fourteen new candidates that come from around the world to increase the Institute of the Good Shepherd. With twenty-seven seminarians, three brothers and five teachers, the house begans to crack at the seams and this presents us with difficulties of all kinds. It is urgent for us to make the investments necessary to accommodate these young people open to God. Also, we are asking for your generosity to give us the means to carry out the noble work of training future priests.

l'Abbé Roch Perrel, IBP
Rector

Saturday, 25 July 2009

Sacerdotal Ordinations for the Institute of the Good Shepherd

In another splendid step forward for this young Institute, which approaches the third anniversary of its foundation, two Priests have been ordained for the IBP in the Basilica of Sainte-Anne d'Auray, a magnificent example of Breton neo-Romanesque architecture. The City is a stronghold of the Breton language.


The Basilica was built to honour St. Anne, the patroness of Brittany, who appeared to Yves Nicolazic during the years 1624-5. The apparitions were approved by the Local Ordinary and pilgrimages, known locally as pardons began. The Basilica was particularly favoured by Queen Anne of Austria and her husband, Louis XIII, especially by the donation of a relic of the Saint brought from the Holy Land during the Crusades, and the sponsorship of the erection of a Confraternity of St. Anne there. The miraculous statue of St. Anne was publicly burnt at Vannes during the Revolution. The Shrine continued to be popular in spite of athiestical machinations and reached its zenith during the reign of Blessed Pius IX, who raised to Confraternity to an Archconfraternity, commanded the image of St. Anne to be crowned, once the new Basilica, begun in 1866, was complete, and donated the High Altar.

C'est notre mère à tous;
mort ou vivant, dit-on,
A Sainte-Anne, une fois,
doit aller tout Breton.


The ceremony was performed on 4th July, 2009, by Mgr Ennio Appignanesi, the Archbishop Emeritus of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo in Italy, who had just celebrated his 84th birthday and will celebrate the 60th anniversary of his own ordination early next year. In May last, Archbishop Appignanesi, who is a Canon of St. Peters Basilica, ordained three members of the IBP to the Subdiaconate in the Church of Santa Lucia in Rome.

Sunday, 12 July 2009

New Priests for the IBP

by Shawn Tribe

From Vannes.maville.com, in turn by way of Le Forum Cathoiique comes news of the ordination of two new priests of the Institute of the Good Shepherd in the basilica of Sainte-Anne d'Auray on July 4th.

The ordaining prelate was Msgr. Appignanesi, archbishop emeritus of Potenza, Italy.


(reproduced from The New Liturgical Movement)

Friday, 29 May 2009

Institute of the Good Shepherd Ordinations in Rome

by Shawn Tribe

On the 23rd of May, the Institute of the Good Shepherd had ordinations to the subdiaconate for three of their members. These were held in Rome at the church of Santa Lucia in Selci. Msgr. Ennio Appignanesi, Archbishop emeritus of Potenza celebrated the Solemn Pontifical Mass in which the ordinations occurred.

A full photo album is available upon their Roman site, but here is a sampling.








(reproduced from The New Liturgical Movement)

Friday, 22 May 2009

The IBP in Ireland

Fr. Yannick Vella, I.B.P., the Professor of Moral and Positive Theology of the Institute of the Good Shepherd's Seminary in Courtalain, France, visited Ireland a couple of months ago. It is understood to be the first visit of the member of the Institute to Ireland.

Founded on 8th September, 2006, by a decree of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the Institute has grown rapidly from 5 founding members to more than 30 Priests and a similar number of Seminarians in only 3 years. The Institute has apostolates in several countries.


As well as its Seminary of St. Vincent de Paul in Courtalain, the Institute also has a House of Higher Studies in Rome. The Roman House of Studies is reported to have been described by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos thus: "This project is one of the greatest of which I know! It extends beyond the interests of Institute of the Good Shepherd, as it is of immense value to all communities, but also for the whole Church."

Just over a week ago, on 28th February, four Seminarians of the Institute received Minor Orders in the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro in Rome at the hands of Archbishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

The Institute has also established a community of sisters known as the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd based in Arrou, the next village to Courtalain.

Saturday, 7 February 2009

A day in the life of the Good Shepherd students in Rome

by Fr Tim Finigan

Thanks to NLM for this video of a day in the life of the students of the Institute of the Good Shepherd in Rome. There is much here with which to be impressed - the devout celebration of Lauds and Mass in the morning, the friendly engagement with the lay students at the University Santa Croce, the parish priest's sensible recognition that here are some chaps who can help him with parish catechesis, the community gathered for a festive meal (prepared with consummate ecological correctness from natural ingredients) and the sense of hope and joy in the priesthood. Hey! there are even some scenes featuring the house mascot "Gustave" the cat.


L'Institut du Bon Pasteur à Rome
by KTOTV (French language)

(reproduced with permission from The Hermeneutic of Continuity)

Thursday, 8 January 2009

The Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd

On 8th September, 2008, M. l'Abbé Philippe Laguérie, I.B.P., celebrated Mass in the small chapel of the Chateau of Arrou.

L'Abbé Laguérie, is the Moderator General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd. The Mass marked the foundation of the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd, les Petites Soeurs du Bon Pasteur, something akin to the 'second order' of the Institute of the Good Shepherd.

The Little Sisters are seen above with M. l'Abbé Forestier, I.B.P., who is the Rector of the Institute's Seminary at Courtalain, during a pilgrimage made to the shrine of the Little Flower at Lisieux on 8th December, 2008. The formation of the Little Sisters is taking place at the Chateau of Arrou, which you can see below, not far from Courtalain, to the west of Chartres.

The sisters, now four in number, have come together to be formed in the spirit of the Institute of the Good Shepherd as apostolic sisters in accord with the vision of St. Vincent de Paul, the great Apostle of Charity.

Their beginnings, like those of the Good Shepherd, Himself, and like the beginnings of the works of St. Vincent de Paul, are humble and hidden.

However, they promise great things for the future. The Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd have entered upon an heroic journey to create a religious Institute, living the burning zeal of apostolic Charity while maintaining the great traditions, not only of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, but also that traditional religious life that was so often France's great gift to the Church.

Their website states that, as with the Institute of the Good Shepherd, itself, the proper Rite of the Little Sisters will be the Traditional Roman Rite contained in the Liturgical Books of 1962. May the good God grant them increase of holiness and increase of sisters!

Wednesday, 17 December 2008

The Story of a Seminary...

The following is a translation of the account in French of the foundation of the House of Formation of the Institute of the Good Shepherd in Rome that is to be found on their website:

"From the foundation of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, Father Philippe Laguérie, Superior General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, wanted to give a specific training of our seminarians: they follow their studies of philosophy in our 'first cycle' Seminary, to receive, in silence and prayer, a solid education and a knowledge of the Aristotelian and Thomist school. The 'second cycle', that of theology, takes place in Rome at the Pontifical Universities, in conjunction with many courses given by members of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, in order to seal our scholastic specificity and to give them a better understanding of the contemporary issues and the intellectual challenges that lie ahead of them.

There are various reasons for studies in Rome:

- It is important that these future priests, proud of their beliefs and their commitment, in line with the statutes of the Institute complete, their training in Rome, close to the See of Peter. Indeed, studying in Rome is always a source of many graces and forever mark the priests who have had this opportunity, giving them a depth of vision, at once Catholic and universal.

- Since the Institute of the Good Shepherd wishes to train priests who can work at the heart of the parishes but also address the serious intellectual and cultural crisis today, it is fundamental that they can study at the Pontifical faculties and obtain university degrees.

- By receiving this training, both of the University (3 hours per day) and our theology courses (3 hours per day), they will have the privilege to understand all the issues and challenges of the major problems of today.

Based on these motivations, the Abbé Laguérie sent to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, on 26 March 2008, a letter introducing the Roman project. Less than 10 days later, the personal secretary of the Supreme Pontiff, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, advised, by telephone, that the attention of the Pope had been given to the letter of Abbé Laguérie and his keen interest in the project, and his personal support for it. A week later, our community in Rome was received by His Eminence Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos who, in the presence of all the officials of his Commission: "This project is one of the greatest of which I know! It extends beyond the interests of Institute of the Good Shepherd, as it is of immense value to all communities, but also for the whole Church."

Thus, with his close collaboration, and that of the Secretary General of the Vatican and the Vicariate of Rome, a new home was found to receive the 2008-2009 academic year, our new theologians.

But this house, desired and supported by the Holy Father, is very costly: we need you to meet this challenge with great energy. This is a bold project with the promise that your future priests receive training outside the common and that traditional vocations will be still more numerous in Rome and much better known. The price of rent reaches 2,500 euros per month, excluding various expenses, caretaking, fresh water, electricity, heating. This brings the annual budget to 50,000 euros. This is a colossal sum and the subject of great concern. We are very confident because, with faith firmly fixed, we follow the advice of the Divine Master, who commanded us not to worry about those things that concern the pagans ... But the other great reality is that we greatly need your help, both through your prayer and through your material support. Your help is the future of this promising enterprise!

House of Formation in Rome

The website of the Institute of the Good Shepherd House of Formation in Rome has recently been updated. It is in French but here is an unofficial translation of part of a recent update:
"If I go back on the events of this past November, I focus specifically on the catechetical responsibility which was entrusted to our seminarians and my appointment as vicar of the parish on the territory of which we reside . We would like first to thank the Parish Priest of the parish, Monsignor Sancha, and the Vicariate of Rome. This gives us great confidence that they thus honour us."

The pause between University Classes is always appreciated!

"This also shows how our specificities and the commitment of our Institute do not prevent a frank and full cooperation with parishes. There is great hope in recent years, and we must show that we can indeed work together for the greater service of souls and the Church. A reception was given for us and the fact that we are honoured with a number of tasks within the parish territory is not merely a cordial facade or a matter of convenience, but a mission with which we have entrusted."

L'Abbé de Cazenove with some of his students

"Is not it a heavy responsibility that one of our seminarians teaches thirty young people catechism every evening? For my part, there are countless confessions entrusted to me, lectures to give my new colleagues of the parish, tours of visitation to the sick, etc.. It is deeply significant to see how the Parish Priest sincerely respects our constitution and our statutes. The Roman House of the Institute of the Good Shepherd was originally intended to be the House of Formation for our seminarians studying for our second cycle of studies. Gradually, many fields of apostolate are opening to us, thus allowing these young future priests to be trained in the practice of their future apostolate at your service."

Sunday, 7 December 2008

IBP Seminary Pilgrimage to Lisieux

The Basilica at Lisieux

On Friday, 5th December, the Seminary of the Institute of the Good Shepherd made a pilgrimage to the Basilica at Lisieux, built over the tomb of St. Therese of Lisieux, 'the Little Flower' who became a Doctor of the Church because of her writings on 'the little Way'.
Mass in the Crypt of the Basilica

Surely, St. Therese, as well as being Patroness of the Missions is a heavenly Patroness of Vocations. Throughout her short life she strived to discern and to live a vocation. When her elder sisters Pauline, Marie and Leonie left the devout home of the Martin family to become enclosed nuns, Therese felt compelled to follow, even to the extent of approaching Pope Leo XIII, while on a pilgrimage to Rome, to beg him to allow her to enter Carmel before the canonical age. Her zeal was admirable but her docility to authority was exemplary: "Well, my child, do what the superiors decide" was the Pope's reply and it was not until a year later that she was received as a postulant.

Gospel of the Mass

In proposing her 'Little Way', St. Therese proposes to us the eternal truth that sanctity is the vocation of every Catholic. She wrote: "Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love."

Seminarian Pilgrims and Schola

St. Therese made her religious profession on 8th September, 1890, at the age of 17. That is, upon the same day, the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, precisely 116 years before the foundation of the Institute of the Good Shepherd.

The Relics of Bl. Louis and Bl. Zelie Martin
In the Crypt of the Basilica at Lisieux

The Beatification, on 19th October last, of both of her parents, Blessed Louis and Blessed Zelie Martin is a sign, also, of the call to sanctification in the married state and to sanctification within the Catholic family founded upon Marriage.

The tomb of St. Therese of Lisieux

St. Therese died on 30th September, 1897 at the age of 24 years. She had written: “Until the end of the world, I will spend my heaven doing good upon the earth" and "I will let fall from Heaven... a shower of Roses". Let those Roses be faithful and persevering vocations!

Images taken from the website of the Seminary of Saint Vincent de Paul, IBP: http://www.seminairesaintvincent.fr/

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

First Mass of a Priest of the Institute of the Good Shepherd

A First solemn Mass was celebrated by newly ordained M. l'Abbé Stefano Carusi, IBP, in the Cathedral of Camerino, 18 October 2008, in the presence of His Excellency, Archbishop Francesco Giovanni Brugnaro, Archbishop of Camerino-San Severino Marche, who encouraged the young Priest during his homily.


The Entrance into the Cathedral

The city of Camarino was given to the De Varano family in the 13th Century. The University was founded in 1336. The last of the De Varano were killed under Cesare Borgia in 1502 and by 1545, the city had come within the Papal States. The Archdiocese, elevated to Metropolitan status in 1797 and united with San Severino in 1986, has a splendid number of Sanctuaries honouring Our Lady. Camerino was the cradle of the Capuchin Order.

The Ministers enter the Cathedral

The present Cathedral of Camarino was built in the early 19th Century to replace the Cathedral that had fallen into ruins in 1799, while revolutionary armies swept across Italy. It contains a 13th Century wooden crucifix and a 15th century image of Our Lady of Mercy, as well as the 'Arch of St. Ansovinus', who was bishop of Camerino in the 9th Century.


The Gloria of the Mass

The Episcopal Vicar of Camerino, Msgr. Blanchi, and members of the venerable chapter of the cathedral were also present in choir for the Mass.

The Assistant Priest was Don Francesco Gregori, pastor of the Cathedral; Deacon of the Mass was Don Matteo, IBP; Sub-deacon of the Mass was Don Ugo, IBP; Master of Ceremonies was Giorgio Lenzi, seminarian of the IBP; thurifer was Edward Van der Berg, of the London Oratory.

The Offertory of the Mass

The "Cappella del Duomo" beautifully interpreted the Missa Pontificalis of Perosi, before a crowd of faithful, many members of the Confraternities of the city, and members of the Sovereign Order of Malta.


Knights of Malta

This young Priest was ordained for the Institut du Bon Pasteur, the Institute of the Good Shepherd, which was erected as a Society of Apostolic Live of Pontifical Right on the beautiful feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, 8th September, 2006. In its Statutes, as approved by the Holy See, the Traditional Latin or Gregorian Liturgy is given to the Institute as its proper Rite, not merely an indulgence or exception.


The Ministers after Mass

The Institute has grown in only two years from the five founders to twenty members and about thirty seminarians. The Church of St. Eloi in Bordeaux is the Mother House of the Institute and it has Churches also at the Centre Saint-Paul in Paris, just north of the Louvre, at the Chapel of 'Bon-Jesus' at Marsailles, and two abandoned Parish Churches at Courtalaine and Ramboise, as well as foundations in Chilie, Colombia and Poland.


A Member of the one of the Confraternities of Camarino
Receives the Priest's 'First Blessing'

The Institute maintains two houses of formation, it's Seminary of Saint Vincent de Paul at Courtalain to the South West of Paris, outside Chartres, in a property formerly belonging to the Marquis de Gontaut Biron, and a House of Studies in Rome, close to the Vatican.

Ministers and Acolytes with the Archbishop after Mass

Interestingly, the Marquises de Gontaut Biron are related, through the Princesse de Marnay who married Charles de Gontaut-Biron, Marquis de Gontaut Biron et de Saint-Blancard, in 1837, to Cesare Borgia. However, of greater note is the lineal descent of the House of Gontaut from Geoffroi, Seigneur de Biron in the 12th Century.

The title of Duc du Biron, created in 1598 for Charles de Gontaut, both Marshal and Admiral of France, became extinct by the execution of Armand-Louis de Gontaut who, having participated in the Revolution and commanded an army against the heros of the Vendée, fell victim to the reign of terror. The arms of the House are a simple quartering of red and gold.

The Seminary of Saint Vincent de Paul can be contacted at:

Séminaire Saint Vincent de Paul,
18, place Alexandre Rillié,
28290 Courtalain,
FRANCE.
http://www.seminairesaintvincent.fr/