Gaspard Mermillod

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Gaspard Mermillod (born at Carouge, Switzerland, 22 September 1824; died in Rome, 23 February 1892) was a Swiss Bishop of Lausanne and Cardinal.

1 Life
2 Works
3 See also
4 External link

[edit] Life

He studied at the Jesuit College at Fribourg, Switzerland; became a priest in 1847, and was soon after a curate in Geneva, where he established two periodicals: L'observateur Catholique and Les Annales Catholiques. In 1857 he became parish priest of Geneva and at the same time Vicar-General of the Bishop of Lausanne for the canton of Geneva. The church of Notre-Dame was built by him from 1851 to 1859.

In 1864 he became titular Bishop of Hebron, and auxiliary of the Bishop of Lausanne for the canton of Geneva, with residence at Geneva. He was especially active for Catholic education, founding with Marie de Sales Chappuis the female Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales at Troyes for the protection of poor working girls.

When the Holy See made him independent Administrator of Geneva, the Radical Government of the canton protested, and a long and serious conflict ensued. He was at first forbidden to exercise any episcopal functions whatever, and later was declared deposed even as regarded his functions as a parish-priest. When the Bishop of Lausanne renounced unconditionally the title of the See of Geneva, the pope appointed Mermillod to be Vicar-Apostolic of Geneva. The City Council, then, caused his expulsion from Switzerland, whereupon he repaired to Ferney, in French territory, from which place he governed his diocese as best he could.

At the cessation of the religious conflict Pope Leo XIII made the newly elected Bishop of Lausanne also Bishop of Geneva, without, however, depriving Mermillod of his office. Mermillod could return to Switzerland only after the death of the bishop whose successor he became. The conflict was, however, by no means at an end, for the canton of Geneva refused to recognize him as bishop, and normal relations were resumed only when Mermillod became cardinal in 1890.

He founded in 1885 the "Union Catholique d'études sociales et économiques".

[edit] Works

His Lettres à un Protestant sur l'autorité de l'église et le schisme (Paris, 1860) made a great impression. Another important work was his "De la vie surnaturelle dans les ames" (Lyons, 1865; Paris, 1881). His collected works were edited by Grospellier (Paris, 1893) in three volumes.