Louis-Charles Couturier

Louis-Charles Couturier (12 May 1817 – 29 October 1890) was a French Benedictine monk, Abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Pierre at Solesmes and President of the French Congregation (now Solesmes Congregation) of the Order of St. Benedict.

Life

Couturier was born in the town of Chemillé-sur-Dême, Indre-et-Loire, on 12 May 1817. As a young boy he felt called to serve as a Catholic priest and was educated at the minor seminary of Combrée in Anjou and at the major seminary of Angers, after which he was ordained a priest on 12 March 1842. After teaching history at Combrée from 1836 to 1854, he entered the Benedictine Monastery of Saint-Pierre at Solesmes, then newly restored by Prosper Guéranger.

Guéranger appointed Couturier Master of novices one month after his religious profession in 1855, and towards the end of 1861 appointed him prior of the monastery. On the death of Guéranger, Couturier was unanimously elected to succeed him as abbot (11 February 1875). Pope Pius IX appointed him consultor of the Sacred Congregation of the Index, and granted him and his successors the privilege of wearing the cappa magna.

Couturier and his monks were forcibly expelled from their monastery by the government, on 6 November 1880, under the anti-clerical laws of the French Third Republic. Later, having attempted to reoccupy it, they were driven out a second time on 29 March 1882. During the remainder of Couturier's life the community lived in three separate houses in the town of Solesmes, using the parish church of the town as their abbey church.

Couturier encouraged writers among his monks, and restored old and deserted monasteries, as well as fostering the foundations made by Guéranger. On 28 March 1876, he raised the Priory of St. Mary Magdalene at Marseille to the dignity of an abbey; in 1880 he restored and repeopled the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos in Spain; in July, 1889, he established the Priory of Saint-Paul at Wisques, in the Diocese of Arras; and on 15 September 1890, shortly before his death, he reopened the ancient Abbey of Glanfeuil in the Diocese of Angers, deserted since the French Revolution. He died on 29 October 1890 in Solesmes.

Works

Couturier's literary labours were chiefly his collaboration in the publication of Les Actes des martyrs, a French translation of the Acts of the Martyrs from the beginning of the Christian era to ourmodern times. The third edition of the work appeared in four volumes (Paris, 1900).

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Louis-Charles Couturier — Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Pierre at Solesmes and President of the French Congregation of Benedictines; b. 12 May, 1817, at Chemillé-sur-Dôme in the Diocese of Tours; d. 29 October, 1890, at Solesmes. He was educated at the petit séminaire of Combrée in Anjou and at the grand séminaire of Angers, and was ordained priest 12 March, 1842. After teaching history at Combrée from 1836 to 1854, he entered, in the latter year, the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Pierre at Solesmes, then newly restored by Dom Guéranger. His religious zeal and ascetical learning endeared him to the latter, who appointed him master of novices one month after his profession, and towards the end of 1861 made him prior of the monastery. As prior, Couturier was so esteemed that on the death of Guéranger he was unanimously elected Abbot of Saint-Pierre (11 February, 1875). Pius IX appointed him consultor of the Sacred Congregation of the Index, and granted him and his successors the privilege of wearing the cappa magna.

Couturier was a worthy successor of the great Guéranger. Despite the persecutions of the French Government, which turned the reign of Couturier into a veritable martyrdom for the abbot and his community, the monks of Solesmes not only upheld but even enhanced the high prestige for piety and learning which they had gained during the rule of Guéranger. Couturier and his monks were forcibly expelled from their monastery by the French Government on 6 November, 1880, and, having attempted to reoccupy it, they were driven out a second time on 29 March, 1882. During the remainder of Couturier's life the community lived in three separate houses in the town of Solesmes, using the parochial church as their abbey church. Nevertheless the community continued to flourish. By word and example Abbot Couturier encouraged the numerous learned writers among his monks, and contributed to the spread of the Benedictine Order by restoring old and deserted monasteries and by fostering the foundations made by Guéranger. On 28 March, 1876, he raised the priory of St. Mary Magdalene at Marseilles to the dignity of an abbey; in 1880 he restored and repeopled the monastery of Silos in Spain; in July, 1889, he established the priory of Saint-Paul at Wisques, in the Diocese of Arras; and on 15 September, 1890, shortly before his death, he reopened the ancient monastery of Glanfeuil in the Diocese of Angers, deserted since the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. His literary labours are confined chiefly to his collaboration in the publication of "Les Actes des Martyrs", a French translation of the Acts of the martyrs from the beginning of the Christian Era to our times. The third edition of the work appeared in four volumes (Paris, 1900).

HOUTIN, Dom Couturier, abbé de Solesmes (Angers, 1899); BABIN in Revue Bénédictine (Maredsous, 1890), VII, 578-588; Bibliographie des Bénédictins de la congrégation de France (Paris, 1906), s. v.

Bibliography

Attribution

• Albert Houtin, Couturier, abbé de Solesmes (Angers, 1899)
• Gustave Babin in Revue Bénédictine (Maredsous, 1890), VII, 578-588
• Bibliographie des Bénédictins de la congrégation de France (Paris, 1906)