Adrien Bourdoise

Adrien Bourdoise (° Husks, 1584 - † July 19th 1655), is a French ecclesiastic, founder of the Séminaire of Saint-Nicolas-of-Hanging-post.

Biography

Adrien Bourdoise, wire of Adrien Bourdoise, magistrate subordinate, notary and tax prosecutor of Husks and Mathurine Luynes, is born in 1584 in this small town from the Pole, located in the diocese of Chartres.

The death of his/her father in 1590 obliges it to work early to earn its living. During about fifteen years, Bourdoise exerts more than sixty conditions, of which most important is that of clerk of notary, of which it will keep the taste of the letters.

In 1598, Adrien makes its first communion. On this occasion it takes ten resolutions; the last mark first steps of its vocations: Bourdoise decides to employ all its care “and to seek all the most effective possible ways, and, in order to excite the ecclesiastics with living holily in their profession”. In 1605, after the death of his/her mother, Adrien deals of the family businesses, in particular with his/her still minor brother.

In 1607, Bourdoise goes in pilgrimage to Notre-Dame de Liesse. Adrien meets at the time of this voyage a Dominicain which encourages it to be informed. Bourdoise takes its advice and is placed under the protection of the Doctor of Divinity Nicolas January. The same year, Bourdoise receives the tonsure and the four minor orders with the cathedral of Chartres. In 1608, the direction of the college of Chartres is entrusted to Mr. Janvier who associates Adrien Bourdoise as collaborator. It is at that time that Bourdoise is called “lord cassock”.

With the end of the year 1610, Bourdoise leaves his/her friend January to go to Paris in order to study philosophy. At the beginning of 1611, the cardinal of Bérulle gathers some priests in order to form them and inspire the spirit and the interior of Jesus-Christ to them. Bourdoise joint thus with Bérulle and finds close to him Vincent of Paul. “They solved of a common assent, which they would address to the Father Lights by retirement a ten days accompanied by fast and penitences extraordinary, in order to know its will, and to know how they could each one according to his talents contribute to the reformation of the clergy”. Bourdoise gives the account of what God agreed to do to him to hear, namely, “to seek the means of making live in community the priests of the parishes”. It appears in this account that it considered as of this moment the foundation of the small schools, place of predilection for the teaching of catechism.

Leaving the Oratorical , Bourdoise decides to live in company with some other ecclesiastics. Initially attached to the parish Saint-Christophe, they are obliged to move for lack of place. They are then received, in 1612, as clerks accustomed to the parish of Saint-Nicolas-of-Hanging-post by the priest Georges Froger. The integration of the community within the parochial framework is of the first importance. By this means, Bourdoise causes a true recovery of the parochial life. Bourdoise receives the subdiaconate, then the diaconate at Pentecost 1612. After only nine months of diaconate, it cannot observe the interstices as it would have liked, it is ordered priest saturdays of Passion 1613.

As of years 1610 up to 1640, they are the beginnings of the reform. In 1615, the assembly of the clergy publishes the decrees of the Concile of Thirty, which does not have a legal effect since the Parliament always refuses to receive them like law of the kingdom. However, the Church of France which entered the ways of the reform tridentine intends to progress well there, and it announces it. This event is important in the work of Bourdoise. Before 1615, Bourdoise endeavors to raise the ecclesiastical state in Paris and the close cities by making some missions. In 1615, it is the great mission of Husks, ninety ecclesiastics take part in it. Thereafter Bourdoise directs many missions, the diocese of Chartres remains its ground of predilection. In 1619, François Dirty comes to Paris and sermon to Saint-Nicolas-of-Hanging-post.

During the years 1640, it remains in Liancourt. The duke and the duchess of Liancourt invited it to take care of the small community located on their ground. Bourdoise then undertakes the reform of the diocese of Beauvais. However, the Jansenists draw aside it from Liancourt in 1651. Bourdoise goes back then to Paris to Saint-Nicolas-of-Hanging-post, then settles definitively with Villejuif in a small house belonging to the community since 1631. There, it takes care of the teaching of catechism in the small schools.

Adrien Bourdoise dies on July 19th, 1655. The following day, day of its funerals, six hundred ecclesiastics were present to honor the memory with that which holy Vincent of Paul called “the large servant of God”, holy François Dirty “dedicated reformer of the ecclesiastical” and holy discipline Jean-Baptiste of the Room “the model of the sacerdotal virtues”.

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