Antoine Singlin
Encyclopedia
Antoine Singlin was a French Jansenist
Catholic priest, best known as a member of the Jansenist community at Port-Royal-des-Champs and as head of the Petites écoles de Port-Royal
(set up by his friend Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
).
Antoine Singlin began his priestly career beside Vincent de Paul
, at the hospice de la Pitié in Paris
. He was then a devoted disciple of Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
, abbot of Saint-Cyran and spiritual director of the monastery of Port-Royal. When he was imprisoned in the Bastille
on the orders of cardinal Richelieu (from 1638 to 1643), he declared Antoine Singlin's spiritual training complete and made him his intermediary between prison and the nuns and Solitaires
at the monastery.
When Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
died in 1643, some months after leaving prison, Antoine Singlin accepted the post of almoner
and spiritual director of the community, despite his own wishes to live a more retired life. Even so, in 1637 he set up Port-Royal-des-Champs's famous Petites écoles de Port-Royal
, with Jean Hamon
and the other Solitaires. His correspondence, recently studied and annotated, is a valuable witness to the practicalities of the monastery's life.
Antoine Singlin continued Saint-Cyran's work spiritually, gaining a great reputation due to his words' simplicity. Uncompromising, charitable and renouncing the world, he became official confessor of Port-Royal in 1648. The problems caused by the signing of the formulary of Alexander VII in 1661 forced him to flee the monastery, then to try not to sign, all to cause as little scandal as he could. Taking refuge at the home of the duchesse de Longueville at Paris, where he died 3 years later in 1664.
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
Catholic priest, best known as a member of the Jansenist community at Port-Royal-des-Champs and as head of the Petites écoles de Port-Royal
Petites écoles de Port-Royal
The Petites écoles de Port-Royal was the name given to a teaching system set up in 1637 by the intellectuals who gathered at Port-Royal-des-Champs in the middle of the 17th century at the height of the Jansenist controversy...
(set up by his friend Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, Abbé of Saint-Cyran was a French monk who introduced Jansenism into France.In the early 17th century, Jean du Vergier de Hauranne studied theology at the Catholic University of Leuven...
).
Antoine Singlin began his priestly career beside Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul was a priest of the Catholic Church who became dedicated to serving the poor. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737....
, at the hospice de la Pitié in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was then a devoted disciple of Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, Abbé of Saint-Cyran was a French monk who introduced Jansenism into France.In the early 17th century, Jean du Vergier de Hauranne studied theology at the Catholic University of Leuven...
, abbot of Saint-Cyran and spiritual director of the monastery of Port-Royal. When he was imprisoned in the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
on the orders of cardinal Richelieu (from 1638 to 1643), he declared Antoine Singlin's spiritual training complete and made him his intermediary between prison and the nuns and Solitaires
Solitaires of Port-Royal
During the 17th century, the Solitaires were Frenchmen who chose to live a humble and ascetic life in retreat at Port-Royal-des-Champs. One of the most typical movements of 17th century France, it was closely linked to Jansenism....
at the monastery.
When Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, Abbé of Saint-Cyran was a French monk who introduced Jansenism into France.In the early 17th century, Jean du Vergier de Hauranne studied theology at the Catholic University of Leuven...
died in 1643, some months after leaving prison, Antoine Singlin accepted the post of almoner
Almoner
An almoner is a chaplain or church officer who originally was in charge of distributing cash to the deserving poor.Historically, almoners were Christian religious functionaries whose duty was to distribute alms to the poor. Monasteries were required to spend one tenth of their income in charity to...
and spiritual director of the community, despite his own wishes to live a more retired life. Even so, in 1637 he set up Port-Royal-des-Champs's famous Petites écoles de Port-Royal
Petites écoles de Port-Royal
The Petites écoles de Port-Royal was the name given to a teaching system set up in 1637 by the intellectuals who gathered at Port-Royal-des-Champs in the middle of the 17th century at the height of the Jansenist controversy...
, with Jean Hamon
Jean Hamon (doctor)
Jean Hamon was a French doctor and writer of many works on medical and religious subjects. He was born in Cherbourg. A Jansenist, he taught at the Petites écoles de Port-Royal. He died in Paris....
and the other Solitaires. His correspondence, recently studied and annotated, is a valuable witness to the practicalities of the monastery's life.
Antoine Singlin continued Saint-Cyran's work spiritually, gaining a great reputation due to his words' simplicity. Uncompromising, charitable and renouncing the world, he became official confessor of Port-Royal in 1648. The problems caused by the signing of the formulary of Alexander VII in 1661 forced him to flee the monastery, then to try not to sign, all to cause as little scandal as he could. Taking refuge at the home of the duchesse de Longueville at Paris, where he died 3 years later in 1664.