Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle’s Spirituality
For many traditional Catholics, the history of French Catholicism—specifically French Catholic spirituality—calls to mind such “recent” figures as St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) and St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897). Other saints of the distant past, such as Louis IX (1214-1270) and Joan of Arc (1412-1431), stand as models of Catholic heroism. While many more names can be added, one that is often overlooked today is Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle (1575-1629). Though not formally recognized as a saint, his writings, along with those of Sts. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and Francis de Sales (1567-1622) established the so-called “French School of Spirituality” which continues to inspire Catholics to this very day.
The Life of Pierre de Bérulle
Descended from a distinguished family of magistrates, Bérulle was born in Champagne, France on February 4, 1575. Following his ordination, he became the chaplain to King Henry IV and was heavily involved in the international politics of his day. In the face of opposition from other French officials, including the notorious Cardinal Richelieu, Bérulle pressed for France to align itself strongly with Spain and Austria. Despite refusing to accept a bishopric on numerous occasions, Pope Urban VIII made Bérulle a cardinal on August 30, 1627. Unfortunately, Bérulle died on October 2, 1629, before formally receiving the red hat.
Running parallel to his political contributions were Bérulle’s contributions to French spiritual life. He founded the French Congregation of the Oratory in 1611 and modeled it after the Oratory founded by St. Philip Neri (1515-1595) in Rome. In speaking of Bérulle’s Oratory, Francis de Sales declared that there was “nothing more saintly and useful to the Church of God.” Later, when reflecting Bérulle’s work, Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704) wrote that Bérulle “made glisten in the Church of France the purest and most sublime lights of the Christian priesthood and the ecclesiastical life.”
Bérulle’s new congregation grew quickly. During his lifetime, more than 50 houses were established across France. Like Neri’s Oratory, the French version was solely for priests; did not require vows outside of those of the priesthood; and was focused squarely on perfecting the fulfillment of the priestly function. Even so, French Oratorians helped establish seminaries in France in accordance with the Council of Trent’s directives and served in teaching roles. Unlike the Italian congregation, which allowed its houses to operate independently of one another, the French Oratory was overseen by a single Superior General—a role Bérulle occupied.
The French School of Spirituality
Although some scholars contest whether there was ever a discrete “French School of Spirituality,” Bérulle, along with de Paul and de Sales, directed their writings toward an exaltation of God’s glory and man’s total dependence upon Him. Bérulle in particular eschewed what he regarded as overly abstract depictions of Christ that overshadowed His humanity, particularly His Incarnation and earthly life. While Bérulle’s works have not been widely available in English, a recent translation of his most important spiritual tome under the English title Discourses on the State and Grandeurs of Jesus: The Ineffable Union of the Deity with Humanity, was published by Catholic University Press in 2023. Bérulle also composed numerous other spiritual works and dedicated himself to bringing wayward Protestants back into the Catholic fold.
Returning to the Discourses, his 9th Discourse furnishes a moving example of Bérulle’s spirituality, rooted as it is in God’s gratuitous love for mankind through the Incarnation.
Can it be? Can God, Who is sufficient and fulfilled in Himself, God Who fills Himself and all things by the fulness of His being, love something outside Himself? . . . This is a point most worthy of astonishment: that love, so great a love, of the world might be in the Godhead. This is a secret that philosophy has not fathomed; it has indeed spoken of God’s greatness, as first cause, but little or not at all of that love toward the things that exist outside of His being and that are other to His essence. . . . For by this love, men are exalted and made gods, according to the Word of God Himself: Ego dixi, dii estis. And in loving man, God is humbled and made man, in such a way that we have, by this love’s strange and wonderous power, a God-Man on earth and men gods in heaven.
Bérulle returns to this theme throughout the Discourses. Interconnected with his reflections on God’s free self-giving are reminders that man must freely give himself to God, not passively, but actively in union with Our Lord’s will for us.
O divine interchange! O adorable communication! O wonderous counsel of uncreated wisdom that separates Jesus’s humanity from His human person so that it might give Him the divine person! O separation! O divesting that is both the preparation for the new life of the Man-God and the model of the new life of man justified according to the Spirit! For just as the eternal Son of God in His human nature has no human person, that is, has no human “me” substantially and personally, so also the son of God by adoption, led by His grace, ought not to have any “me” morally and spiritually.
Conclusion
It is a perennial temptation of the Christian life, and perhaps religious life in general, to conceive of God in purely abstract terms, placing Him at a point far beyond this cosmos without any direct relationship to His creation. Bérulle, to the contrary, reminds faithful Catholics of the truth of Christ’s coming in the flesh; of His desire to walk among us; and ultimately His willingness to suffer for our sake. Even though we may continually choose a wretched state of life, opting for sin over sanctity, Christ remains ever present as not only a model and teacher, but our savior Whose love is inexhaustible.
