emmanuel bailly: advisor and friend of christian youth

Presented by: Ralph Middlecamp

EMMANUEL BAILLY

Advisor and Friend of

Christian Youth

“You have accustomed us to look upon you as the rallying point, the advisor and friend of Christian youth.

Your past favors have given us the right to count on future ones. Those you have done for me encouraged me to hope for the same for my friends.” - Frederic Ozanam, written to Emmanuel Bailly November 3, 1834.

EMMANUEL BAILLY

ADVISOR AND FRIEND OF CHRISTIAN YOUTH

Let us consider:

Ø  Who was Emmanuel Bailly?

Ø  What was his role in the founding of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?

Ø  What can we learn from his leadership?

EMMANUEL BAILLY

• Promoter and defender of Catholic faith

• College professor

• Mentor to university students

• Newspaper owner and editor

• Boarding house operator

• Catholic layperson of influence

• Father of talented children

EMMANUEL BAILLY

• Born Joseph Emmanuel Bailly in Brias, Pas de Calais March 9, 1794

• Father - André-Joseph Bailly 1750-

• Mother - Reine Fauquenois 1756-1822

• His family was devoted to St. Vincent de Paul

• His father hid papers of St. Vincent de Paul during French Revolution

EMMANUEL BAILLY

• His uncle, Nicholas-Joseph was a Vincentian Priest - rector of seminary at Amiens, died in Revolution

• His older brother Ferdinand was a Vincentian Priest -also became the rector of seminary at Amiens -controversial relationship with the Vincentian Priests

• Emmanuel attended seminary but left to teach

• He moved to Paris 1819

Seminary at Amiens

EMMANUEL BAILLY

In 1819 he opened a boarding house for seven students at 7 Rue Cassette.

He contacted a seminary classmate, George Marino Leveque, to open a second house at 17 Rue Saint-Dominique d’efer.

The two houses operated jointly, with Leveque being responsible for the administration and Bailly the studies and meetings.

Both would provide the “moral supervision” of their respective sites.

7 Rue Cassette

EMMANUEL BAILLY

Emmanuel Bailly joined an organization called “the Congregation” in April of 1820.

Its purpose was to rekindle the faith of young elite Catholic students and provide a supportive environment. This included helping them advance in careers & social status.

EMMANUEL BAILLY

Bailly would use his experience as a leader of this group as he mentored the founders of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

To understand the formation and structure of the

Society of St. Vincent de Paul (which would form in 1833) it is useful to consider the structure of the “Congregation,” its subgroups and its eventual suppression.

The Congregation lessons in organization & politics

The “Congregation” (of the Blessed Virgin Mary) was formed in Paris in 1801 by six law and medical students under the direction of Fr. Jean-Baptiste Bordier Delpuits, S.J.

Bailly becomes the 776th member on April 1, 1820.

Fr. Jean-Baptiste Bordier Delpuits, S.J.


Subgroups formed – under the heading of la Société des Bonnes Œuvres (the Society of Good Works).

Recruited from inside and outside of the Congregation.

Fr. Delpuits did not encourage these works, as he feared that this would detract from the members’ obligations to study and work.


The sub groups were dedicated to different charitable works such as prisons and hospitals. There were outreach efforts to chimney sweeps and even draft dodgers.

Emmanuel Bailly became president of one group called the Societé de Bonne Etudes

The future SSVP would not divide into such groups with a tradition stating that “there is no work of charity foreign to the Society St. Vincent de Paul.”

Home of Societé de Bonne Etudes 11 Place de l’Estrapade


As a member of the “Societé de Bonne Etudes,” Emmanuel Bailly encountered students anxious to combine their academic efforts with religious formation.

They included some of the most brilliant young people of his day: Lacordaire, Alphonse Ozanam, Lenormant, Alzon, Baudelaire and Gossin. Contacts he maintained for life.


In 1825 Pension Bailly acquired the large facility at 11 Place de l’Estrapade, which was the meeting facility of the“Societé de Bonne Etudes”.

It had lodging quarters but also a dining facility, meeting rooms and an auditorium seating 400 - 500.

There was an apartment next door, at 13 Place de l’Estrapade, where Bailly would live.

11 & 13 Place de l’Estrapade


Suppression of these sodalities grew as they increased in numbers and influence. This suppression was related to a distrust of the Jesuits, who frequently advised them.

Distrust was furthered in 1828 by a widely distributed “Memoire” by Count de Monlosier, who included a chapter on “Sodalities,” in which they were described as one of “the four calamities which were going to subvert the throne.”


He describes sodalities as “apparently a pious assembly of angels, a Senate of Sages, but in reality a circle of intriguing devils.”

Montlosier claimed there were no less than 48,000 members; the register, however, lists just 1,373.

The Congregation was repressed after the fall of Charles X.

It held the last meeting on July 18, 1830.


Bailly was married at age 36 to Marie-Apolline-Sidonie Vyrayet de Surcy on July 22, 1830 in Berteaucourt.

The marriage performed by Fr Vivian rector of the school attended by three of her brothers.

At the request of her father, to help preserve that family name, he added her surname to his. Therefore, he is frequently referred to as Emmanuel Bailly de Surcy.

EMMANUEL BAILLY BEGINS FAMILY LIFE

Only days after they married the July Revolution of 1830 broke out in Paris - that led to the downfall of Charles X

Emmanuel and his wife found refuge with her parents in Berteaucourt

His first daughter Marie-Adrienne was born there on September 4, 1831.

D’ Surcy mansion in Berteaucourt (Somme), 9 miles southeast of Amiens

in northwestern France


The activities at Pension Bailly were curtailed until Emmanuel and his wife returned with Marie-Adrienne to 13 Place de l’Estrapade in November 1831.

Marie-Adrienne contracted cholera in April, and they returned to Berteaucourt and stayed until after the birth of their second child, Andre-Marie Vincent de Paul, on December 2, 1832.



EMMANUEL BAILLY JOURNALIST AND PRINTER

It is likely that Emmanuel stayed in Paris much of the time to manage his business interests which now included the boarding house and a series of attempts to establish a successful newspaper to promote his views.

Le Correspondant (1829) Revue Européenne (1831)

La Tribune Catholique (Jan. 1832), which merged with L’Univers Religieux (Nov. 1833)

.

Bailly reopened his boarding house. An apartment was created attached to the facility for his wife and growing family. Relationship with Leveque changes and his wife become more involved.

Bailly would cautiously resurrect the Societé de Bonne Etudes and create a new, smaller “Conference of History” which met Saturday mornings in the auditorium of the boarding house.

11 Place de l’Estrapade

Ø  Frederic Ozanam and his five friends who participated in the Conference of History debates came to Bailly in 1833 to submit their plans for undertaking charitable work.

Ø  Bailly provided them with a meeting place in the editorial offices of La Tribune Catholique for the first meeting on April 21, 1833.

Ø  He agreed to be the president of this first “Conference of Charity,” later to be called the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Current location at 1 8 Rue du Petit-Bourbon St. Sulpice

From Le Taillandier, who received the first inspiration, to Blessed Frederic Ozanam, Paul Lamache, Francois Lallier, Jules Devaux, Felix Clave, all of them knew, in their humility, how to seek the wise advice and support of the one who would become the first President General of the flourishing Society, Emmanuel Bailly. (International Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul)

Ø  Provided place to meet Ø  Provided community connections Ø  Gave the group legitimacy Ø  Provided stable leadership Ø  Gently guided them around the

civil and church obstacles Ø  Knew the short comings of previous

groups with similar purposes Ø  Proposed creating the Rule for orderly expansion Ø  Shared his knowledge of St. Vincent de Paul Ø  Provided some financial help to student writers

Bailly Guides the Conference

Bailly sent the founding members to Sr. Rosalie Rendu who gave them direction and resources in their efforts to help the poor. She also instructed them in the spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul

Sr. Rosalie

Connected with Community Leaders

The question of meetings of the lay apostolate was one the Church of France approached with caution.

The Concordat and Organic Articles (Napoleon's agreement with Rome) allowed groups to meet as long as the were part of the pastoral action of the parish and structures of the diocesan church.

Bailly carefully maintained contact with the local prefecture of police and Paris clergy to tolerate his boarding house operation and the Conferences of History.

Guides Around Political Obstacles

Groups of more than 19 were not allowed to meet after the suppression of the July Revolution of 1830. After the June Revolution of 1832 famously portrayed in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables this concern was not diminished.

Bailly had a working understanding with the local Prefect of Police, Henri Gisquet, that allowed outsiders to participate in events at his boarding house.

Bailly’s caution assured that as the new Conference of Charity grew it would not be considered a threat to civil order and be suppressed by local police.

Guides Around Political Obstacles Using Community Connections

Henri Gisquet

To establish the required parish connection Bailly requested Ozanam’s group talks with the local pastor at St. Etienne, Fr. Olivier, who suggests teaching the poor children of the parish.

This direction was not accepted so Bailly checks with other priests, the abbot of Salinis, a priest who was student co-director of college Juilly, and Father Buquet, who was then director of the College Stanislas. They provide assurance to proceed cautiously.

Guides Around Political Obstacles

Bailly arranges clergy support for growing organization

Bailly invites the new pastor of St. Etienne, Fr. Faudet, to attend a meeting on June 27th 1835 where a report of the conference’s activity prepared by Colas Gustave La Noue is presented.

Fr. Faudet is impressed with the group and their work and assures Bailly that "If attacked, I will defend you."

Guides Around Religious Obstacles

“We are concerned you should recall that certain societies and assemblages seem to draw up a battle line together with the followers of every false religion and cult. They feign piety for religion; but they are driven by a passion for promoting novelties and sedition everywhere” ~ POPE GREGORY XVI

Guides Around Religious Obstacles

MIRARI VOS (ON LIBERALISM AND RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENTISM)

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE GREGORY XVI AUGUST 15, 1832

Suppression of Liberal French Theologians

Fr. Hugues-Félicité Robert de Lamennais was a principle target of this criticism. He was widely admired by young Parisian Catholics and was well know by Bailly. Pope Gregory singled him out with a follow up encyclical titled: SINGULARI NOS (On the errors of Lamennais) June 25, 1834 He would eventually be disciplined for his works.

Guides Around Religious Obstacles Suppression of Liberal French Theologians

The meetings were moved to Bailly’s boarding house in autumn 1833. He had moved his printing office to 2 Sorbonne Pl and more space was needed for the group meetings. Conference grew rapidly, to over a 100 members within a year. In December of 1834 dividing into two conferences was heatedly debated; the move was strongly pushed by Ozanam.

Provides meeting space


“Success is possible only by continual development, and that not to go forward is to fall back. I then favor innovations, subdivisions of conferences, movement, and everything it pleases the benevolent brain of M. Bailly to produce. …. I will accept whatever he wants me to do, …On my side, I will pressure him as much as I can and intend to write him incessantly to that end.” Frederic Ozanam to Henri Pessonneaux Nov. 2, 1834

Provides stable leadership

“But do you not think that our charitable society itself in order to survive ought to make changes, and the spirit of intimacy on which it is built and the daily growth it should have can only be achieved by breaking it up into groups which would have a common center and from time to time general assembly's? I am very rash to propose my young man's ideas to you who have a long experience in charity and who are so radically acquainted with our needs and those of the poor.” Frederic Ozanam to Emmanuel Bailly Nov. 20, 1834


The debate on Dec. 31, 1834, is heated, and Bailly calls it off at midnight. Brac la Perriere is the principal speaker against the split, and Ozanam advocates in favor.

Seeking to create a decision by

consensus Bailly appoints a study group to make a recommendation.

On Feb. 17, 1835, the vote favors

a split into two groups.


Paul Brac la Perriere


“As Secretary General, you are after M. Bailly, the Society’s soul. Attend assemblies frequently; see the presidents from time to time; take part in the meetings of the administrative council; prod sometimes the excessive tranquility of the President General (Bailly).”

– Ozanam in a letter to Lallier, Oct. 5, 1837 from Lyon

Provides stable leadership Which may not have always been understood or appreciated

Emmanuel Bailly recruits prominent non-student Catholic Parisians he knew from the “Congregation” to be new members for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

He did this after he was less concerned about political repression of the Society.

Baudicour Montalembert

Provides connections to community leaders

RECRUITING FIRST MEMBERS EARLY YEAR IN PARIS

Recruitment of members 1833 - 1835

Rule developed 1835 Preliminary notes written by Bailly; Lallier wrote the main body of the document. “let us love our Rule; if we keep it faithfully, we may be sure that it will keep us and our Society.”

- Bailly July 14, 1841

Note this first published rule was printed by Bailly in 1836, Place Sorbonne 2


Ø  In November 1833, Emmanuel Bailly merged his newspaper, La Tribune Catholique with Fr. Jacques Paul Minge’s L’Univers Religieux. Migne is a shrewd and unscrupulous entrepreneur.

Ø  Bailly bought him out for 5,000 francs in 1836, probably with help from his brother Fr. Ferdinand.

Ø  By 1838 the paper was in financial trouble and on the verge of bankruptcy, until Count Montalembert invested in it.

EMMANUEL BAILLY “JOURNALIST AND PRINTER”

Emmanuel’s brother Fr. Ferdinand supported his work and made questionable financial investments in Emmanuel’s businesses and properties with money which probably came from the Vincentian funds that he was managing.

He and his brother had well-publicized confrontations with Fr. Nozo, the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission because of Fr Bailly’s unwillingness to be accountable to the Congregation for questionable financial expenditures, and outright disobedience, all of which led to Fr. Nozo dismissing Bailly in 1838.

Emmanuel Bailly Financial concerns

In 1840 Emmanuel sued Fr. Nozo for publishing and widely distributing a pamphlet defaming his reputation.

Sr. Rosalie would involve herself in the case appealing to archbishop Afre to mediate the dispute.

Bailly won a settlement of damages of more than 150,000 francs. Fr. Nozo was obliged to apologize to Emmanuel Bailly, withdraw the brief from circulation, and make a public retraction of the published statements.


June 1841 - With the funds from the Nozo settlement Bailly purchases the Hotel de Clermont-Tonnerre on rue Madame on the corner of rue Fleurs, near the Luxembourg Gardens for 300,000 francs. It was an old mansion which he anticipated would provide rental revenue to support him. It was probably not a wise investment.


Luxembourg Gardens

December 1843 - One of the last projects that Emmanuel Bailly supported was the reintroduction of the Benedictines into Paris. He had a long friendship with Dom Prosper Gueranger who reestablished the monastery at Solesmes. The order’s treasurer made a poor decision to purchase a property and Bailly acted as guarantor on a real estate deal. This was a final cause of his financial ruin Dom Gueranger did not encourage Bailly in this effort. It was also opposed by Paris Bishop Affre.

Prosper Gueranger


In 1844 Bailly retired as the Society's President General. This resignation was requested by the members of the Council General and Ozanam was asked to present the request.

He was 50 years old, his business interests were strained.

He still had six children at home between the ages of 2 and 13.

EMMANUEL BAILLY STEPS ASIDE

After a difficult meeting on Feb. 25, 1844 Jean Le Prevost wrote a frank letter to Bailly encouraging him to resign.

Bailly was hurt by the request and wavered for many weeks.

When he voluntarily resigned this “forced” resignation was never mentioned publicly. Quite the opposite, he was publicly praised for his role as founder by Ozanam, which would be a source of dispute after Ozanam dies.


Jean Le Prevost

“It was he who supplied them with a place of meeting, who assisted them with his advice, encouraged them by his example: he taught them to draw near one another for mutual support, to recruit others, to help the poor… - Frederic Ozanam & Leon Cornudet farewell letter of Bailly June 11, 1844


“When our numbers had grown, and we had to reduce to Rules what had been mere usage, M. Bailly wrote those preliminary considerations, inspired by the maxims of our holy Patron, which determined the spirit of our Society.” - Frederic Ozanam & Leon Cornudet farewell letter of Bailly June 11, 1844


The presidency was placed into the capable hands of Jules Gossin, who also was an older, well-respected member of the Society.

At Gossin’s request, Bailly would remain active on the Council General almost until his death.

Jules Gossin

EMMANUEL BAILLY SSVP LEADERSHIP CHANGED

“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was begun by young men and is for young men… But, in order that it should continue recruiting among the youth in the schools and other walks of life, the young men must be in evidence among us; they must appear in the first rank.” Emmanuel Bailly Circular Letter March 1, 1844

EMMANUEL BAILLY PARTING ADVICE

Bailly’s financial difficulties lead to a series of court actions beginning on August 22, 1848 and ending with an order to liquidate his assets August of 1849. Bailly was forced to give up management of the press at 2 Place Sorbonne. His brother in law would take it over, renaming it after himself – H. Vrayet de Surcy and would publish a wide range of books including many pseudo-scientific works.

EMMANUEL BAILLY FINAL YEARS

Bailly's family was effected greatly.

His wife Sidone took charge of major financial decisions insisting that they would borrow no more money.

He had to sell the Hotel de Clermont-Tonnerre and moved into a modest apartment at 5 rue du Petite Bourbon. They would be forced to move two more times to smaller quarters.


The Society of St Vincent de Paul commissioned him to write a short biography of St. Vincent de Paul.

1850 - His old friend Fr. Migne would find a few projects for him including collaborating on a journal – “Moniteur Catholique”recently established by the new bishop of Paris.

September 1850 - He took a position at the Library of St. Genevieve as the interim conservator.

He also was making plans in 1850 to come to the United States to pursue new business interests. This would never happen.


The education of the children is interrupted and changes are made:

Ø  Nov. 1852 - Vincent de Paul enters the telegraph corps to help the family (becomes Napoleon II chief telegrapher)

Ø  May 1853 - Adrienne becomes a governess and dies in Poland a year later

Ø  Sept 1853 Bernard enters Naval School


Ò Adrienne (1831-1854), died at 22 in Poland as a governess Ò Vincent de Paul (1832 - 1912), Assumptionist Priest, founder of L’Croix Ò Bernard (1835 - 1920), Founder of Aid Society for Fishermen,

contributing editor to Cosmos (a science journal) Ò Marie (1837 -1906) Superior of the Daughters of St. Chlotilde Ò Sidonie (1840 – 1866) Ò Benjamin (Fr. Emmanuel) (1842 - 1917) Assumptionist Priest, third Superior General

Bernard Emmanuel Vincent de Paul

Emmanuel Bailly’s Children part of his legacy:

Marie

It began in 1853 after Ozanam’s death, a testimonial published by Fr. Lacordaire attributed the founding to Ozanam. Friends and family of Bailly disputed the claim publicly.

After Sr. Rosalie died in 1856 it surfaced even stronger - there was a very public debate in French newspapes about who founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Feb 25, 1856 the Council General meets with Bailly present to resolve the issue and halt the public debate.

A PAINFUL CONTROVERSY

Who founded the

Society of St. Vincent de Paul?

Emmanuel Bailly died in Paris on April 12, 1861

His death went almost unnoticed and was only after the last war when the General Council under the chairmanship of Jacques Zeillier bothered to find his grave and care renewed by the General Council.

He is buried behind the church near his wife’s family estate in Berteaucourt.


After my poor father who raised me so tenderly, God gave me two persons to take his place at Paris at an age and during a stay filled with dangers: M. Ampere and you. Of the three, only you remain. Allow me, then, to transfer to you, as much as I can, all the unbounded confidence and unreserved affection I had for them. Your respectful and devoted servant A. F. Ozanam May 20, 1837

EMMANUEL BAILLY OZANAM’S RESPECT AND AFFECTION

Ø  Provided place to meet Ø  Provided community connections Ø  Gave the group legitimacy Ø  Provided stable leadership Ø  Guided around civil & church pitfalls Ø  Aware of local history Ø  Proposed creating the Rule

to allow for orderly expansion Ø  Shared his knowledge of the spirituality

of St. Vincent de Paul Ø  Provided some financial help to student writers Ø  Provided fatherly support and encouragement

EMMANUEL BAILLY “SUMMARY OF HIS MENTORING CONTRIBUTIONS”

“Be of good courage gentlemen; united or separated, far or near, let us love each other, love and serve the poor.

Much evil is being done; let us do a little good.”

Emmanuel Bailly Final Circular Letter June 1844

JOSEPH EMMANUEL BAILLY MARCH 9, 1794 ~ APRIL 12, 1861

emmanuel bailly: advisor and friend of christian youth

Spiritual