Pierre François Xavier de Ram
Encyclopedia
Pierre François Xavier de Ram (September 2, 1804, Leuven
- May 14, 1865, Leuven), was a Belgian churchman, and historian, best known for being the first rector of the new Catholic University of Mechlin
(1834) and then of the new Catholic University of Leuven
(1835).
, where he was ordained in 1827. He was appointed professor of poetry at the seminary
of Mechelen and archivist of the diocese
.
During the period when King William I
was carrying on his campaign against the Catholic
faith and traditions of the Belgians, and while de Ram was still young, he took an active part in the struggle maintained by the Belgian clergy against the government of the Netherlands
, republishing eighteenth century works, in which, in a series of historical studies refuting the doctrines of Joseph II
, he combatted the latter's disciple, King William I
.
He was next appointed keeper of the diocesan records and professor in the episcopal seminary at Mechelen. In order to stay the spread of Protestantism
in the Netherlands he collaborated with a movement for the publishing of religious works, bringing out Levens von de voornaemste Heyligen en roemweerdige peersonen der Nederlanden (Lives of the most prominent saints and celebrities of the Netherlands). His chief study for many years was hagiography
, and he published an edition of Butler's
Lives of the Saints (Leuven, 1828-35). Between 1828 and 1858 appeared the Synodicon Belgicum, a collection of unpublished documents upon the ecclesiastical history of the Netherlands since Philip II (Leuven, 4 vols., in quarto).
During the years immediately before the Revolution of 1830
, de Ram, who was much influenced by Lamennais, was active in bringing about a coalition of Liberals and Catholics against the Dutch government established by the Powers on the fall of Napoleon, and in endeavoring to give a democratic character to the policy of his church. He declined to stand as a member of the Belgian assembly, and applied himself wholly to teaching and to editing or composing historical books.
De Ram was an active member of the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
and a foreign associate of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities
. When the monumental project of the Acta Sanctorum
, interrupted in 1794, was resumed by the so called New Bollandists in 1838, De Ram, who as a young man had bought the whole corpus - to this time 53 volumes in folio - and who himself was considered as a possible member of the board of editors, gave his expert opinion to the Commission royale d’histoire of the Royal Academy recommending warmthly the prosecution of the much discussed project. As professor of philosophy at Mechelen he succeeded in bringing about the foundation of a local catholic university in 1834, which was transferred to Leuven in 1835, thus re-establishing the Catholic University of Leuven. He was rector of the university till his death in 1865.
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
- May 14, 1865, Leuven), was a Belgian churchman, and historian, best known for being the first rector of the new Catholic University of Mechlin
Catholic University of Mechlin
The Catholic University of Mechlin was a university that was founded in Mechelen , Belgium, on November 8, 1834 by the bishops of Belgium.The bishops aimed to create a university "to accommodate any doctrine from the Holy Apostolic See and to repudiate anything that does not flow from this august...
(1834) and then of the new Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
(1835).
Biography
De Ram entered the seminary at MechelenMechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
, where he was ordained in 1827. He was appointed professor of poetry at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of Mechelen and archivist of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
During the period when King William I
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
was carrying on his campaign against the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
faith and traditions of the Belgians, and while de Ram was still young, he took an active part in the struggle maintained by the Belgian clergy against the government of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, republishing eighteenth century works, in which, in a series of historical studies refuting the doctrines of Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, he combatted the latter's disciple, King William I
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
.
He was next appointed keeper of the diocesan records and professor in the episcopal seminary at Mechelen. In order to stay the spread of Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
in the Netherlands he collaborated with a movement for the publishing of religious works, bringing out Levens von de voornaemste Heyligen en roemweerdige peersonen der Nederlanden (Lives of the most prominent saints and celebrities of the Netherlands). His chief study for many years was hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
, and he published an edition of Butler's
Alban Butler
Alban Butler , English Roman Catholic priest and hagiographer, was born at Appletree, Northamptonshire.He was educated at the English College, Douai, where on his ordination to the priesthood in 1735 he held successively the chairs of philosophy and divinity...
Lives of the Saints (Leuven, 1828-35). Between 1828 and 1858 appeared the Synodicon Belgicum, a collection of unpublished documents upon the ecclesiastical history of the Netherlands since Philip II (Leuven, 4 vols., in quarto).
During the years immediately before the Revolution of 1830
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
, de Ram, who was much influenced by Lamennais, was active in bringing about a coalition of Liberals and Catholics against the Dutch government established by the Powers on the fall of Napoleon, and in endeavoring to give a democratic character to the policy of his church. He declined to stand as a member of the Belgian assembly, and applied himself wholly to teaching and to editing or composing historical books.
De Ram was an active member of the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
There are two Royal Academies for Science and the Arts in Belgium, corresponding to the two main languages of the country, Dutch and French . The Academies are located in the Palace of Academies in Brussels....
and a foreign associate of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities is an independent public institution, located in Munich. It appoints scholars whose research has contributed considerably to the increase of knowledge within their subject...
. When the monumental project of the Acta Sanctorum
Acta Sanctorum
Acta Sanctorum is an encyclopedic text in 68 folio volumes of documents examining the lives of Christian saints, in essence a critical hagiography, which is organised according to each saint's feast day. It begins with two January volumes, published in 1643, and ended with the Propylaeum to...
, interrupted in 1794, was resumed by the so called New Bollandists in 1838, De Ram, who as a young man had bought the whole corpus - to this time 53 volumes in folio - and who himself was considered as a possible member of the board of editors, gave his expert opinion to the Commission royale d’histoire of the Royal Academy recommending warmthly the prosecution of the much discussed project. As professor of philosophy at Mechelen he succeeded in bringing about the foundation of a local catholic university in 1834, which was transferred to Leuven in 1835, thus re-establishing the Catholic University of Leuven. He was rector of the university till his death in 1865.