Prêtres et paroisses dans le diocèse de Beauvais : (1535-1650)
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Abstract EN:
Situated in an intermediate region both provincial and close to paris, the diocese of beauvais has not been studied so far from the angle of the history of religion. In the 16th century, the reformation was not very successful in convincing the local population who remained deeply attached to the cult of the deceased, the virgin, and the eucharist, even though they were not satisfied with the episcopal reform put forward by bishop chatillon. The congregation strongly disapproved of the bishops' absenteeism and suffered from a religious malaise, some among them even joining the extremist ligue. Their attachment to the most traditional cults, added to their disappointment in the reforms of the clergy explain why the catholic reform, though long delayed, was obediently welcomed around 1620. Through the impetus given by bishop potier, an efficient administrator who could use the experience gained by the church during the 50 years since the council of trent, the catholic reform was focused on the numerous yet unsettled parochial clergymen. Their moralisation and intellectual improvement allowed a successful diffusion of new sacerdotal standards. The catholic reform also endeavoured to regroup the religious life in the parish. The priest, whose prestige and powers increased, became the main instrument of the episcopal policy. He took over the responsibility of the sacramental and festive practices, which became more controlled. He tried to promote a new idea of the sacred and to prevent laymen from intervening in the church's affairs. Schools, catechism and missions improved the way religions was passed on. These changes did not occur without opposition, but it seems well-established that around 1650, the major principles of the catholic reform were accepted and known by everyone.
Abstract FR:
Situe dans un "entre-deux" geographique, provincial mais proche de paris, le diocese de beauvais s'inscrit dans un espace peu etudie jusque-la sous l'angle religieux. Au seizieme siecle, la reforme protestante ne rencontre que peu de succes aupres d'une population attachee au culte des trepasses, de la vierge et de l'eucharistie, et qui ne se satisfait pas non plus de la reforme episcopale proposee par l'eveque chatillon. Excedes par l'absenteisme des eveques, les fideles semblent travailles par un malaise religieux qui trouve son expression ultime dans l'extremisme ligueur. L'attachement aux formes les plus spectaculaires de la religion, joint a l'attente longtemps decue d'une renovation du clerge, explique que la reforme catholique, quoique tardive, soit accueillie avec docilite des 1620. Sous l'impulsion de l'eveque reformateur potier, administrateur efficace qui sait utiliser les acquis de cinquante annees d'experience post-tridentine, la reforme catholique vise d'abord le groupe nombreux et encore instable du clerge paroissial. La moralisation, la stabilisation et l'amelioration intellectuelle de celui-ci permettent de diffuser avec succes un nouvel ideal sacerdotal. La reforme catholique s'efforce aussi de recentrer la vie religieuse sur la paroisse : le cure, dont le prestige et les pouvoirs se renforcent, devient le relais essentiel de la politique episcopale. Il regne sans partage sur des pratiques sacramentelles et festives plus strictement controlees, cherche a promouvoir une nouvelle conception du sacre et exprime une mefiance grandissante a l'egard des interventions de laics dans l'eglise. Les ecoles, le catechisme et les missions permettent d'ameliorer les formes de transmission de la foi. Si ces mutations s'operent rarement sans resistances, il semble etabli que, vers 1650, les grands principes de la reforme catholique sont admis et connus de tous.