Les episcopats de monseigneur constant guillois et de monseigneur thomas boutry. Contribution a l'etude de la separation de l'eglise et de l'etat dans le diocese du puy -1894,1914-
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Abstract EN:
In 1894, mgr constant guillois was appointed bishop of le puy. A peaceful man of limited calibre, long since rallied to the republic and a strong supporter of the concordat, he found a flourishing rural diocese with booming religious organisations and vocations in great numbers. His teaching, mainly apologetic, revealed a personality tormented by the dread of an anticlerical policy. After a period of calm, the episcopate of mgr guillois sank into the storm. The laws of 1901 and 1904 heavily struck the many religious orders of the diocese. For many of them this meant exile or secularisation. Finally, the law of separation was passed in 1905. To the end guillois had hoped for the upholding of the concordat, a factor of stability in his view. The implementation of the law brought about the revolt of the greater part of the diocese, with a bloody resistance at the time of the "inventories". The forced evacuation of the seminaries and the bishop's house eventually led the prelate, paralysed by those events, to offer his resignation in february 1907. His successor, mgr thomas boutry, vigorously took over the government of the diocese, by his firmness, he restored his peaple's courage and confidence. He strengthened the work for the collection for the clergy, reinforced the religious organisations of the diocese, encuraged the vocations which were badly affected by the consequences of the separation. His severe teaching and his daring condemnations, against secular education for example, materialized a rather negative attitude on the road to peace. Turning to the past for security, with no appreciation of the present day, boutry appeared as the "defender of the city". The religious festivals which marked his episcopate were as many demonstrations of revenge for the policy of separation. Never did he catch a glimpse of the new opportunities being offered to the church in france. The war of 1914 mollified the passions.
Abstract FR:
En 1894, mgr constant guillois est nomme eveque du puy. C'est un homme pacifique, sans grande envergure, rallie de longue date et partisan du maintien du concordat. Il trouve un diocese rural florissant, des oeuvres en pleine expansion, de nombreuses vocations. Son enseignement surtout apologetique reflete une personnalite tourmentee par les apprehensions d'une politique anticlericale. Apres une periode de tranquillite, l'episcopat guillois sombre dans la tourmente. Les lois de 1901 et de 1904 frappent severement les nombreuses congregations du diocese. Pour beaucoup c'est l'exil ou la secularisation. Enfin, c'est la loi de separation de decembre 1905. Jusqu'au bout guillois avait souhaite le maintien du concordat, facteur de stabilite a ses yeux. L'application de cette loi entrainera la revolte dans une grande partie du departement, avec une opposition parfois sanglante lors des inventaires. L'expulsion des seminaires et de l'eveche conduiront le prelat, paralyse par les evenements, a demissionner en fevrier 1907. Son successeur, mgr thomas boutry, reprend avec energie les renes du diocese. Par sa fermete, il redonne courage et confiance. Il consolide l'oeuvre du denier du clerge, fortifie les oeuvres diocesaines, encourage les vocations qui subissent le contre-coup de la separation. Son enseignement severe et la hardiesse de ses condamnations, contre l'ecole laique par exemple, cristallisent une attitude bien negative dans la voie de l'apaisement. Replie sur un passe securisant, sans ouverture au monde contemporain, boutry se presente comme le defenseur de la cite. Les fetes religieuses qui jalonnent son episcopat sont autant de manifestations de revanche contre la politique de separation. Jamais il n'entrevoit les nouvelles chances de liberte offertes a l'eglise de france. La guerre de 1914 attenue les passions. L'ardeur combative de l'eveque se transforme en efforts d'apaisement et de reconciliation.