The Congregation of the Gentlemen of Lyon (French: ''Congrégation des Messieurs de Lyon'') is a Catholic organization with a

counter-revolutionary A counter-revolutionary or an anti-revolutionary is anyone who opposes or resists a revolution, particularly one who acts after a revolution has occurred, in order to try to overturn it or reverse its course, in full or in part. The adjective "c ...

ethos. It was founded in 1802 and was particularly active in

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on religious, charitable, educational, and political initiatives.

A Catholic Congregation

Counter-Revolutionary Inspiration

The violent repression of the

Revolt of Lyon against the National Convention The revolt of Lyon against the National Convention was a counter-revolutionary movement in the city of Lyon during the time of the French Revolution. It was a revolt of moderates against the more radical National Convention, the third government ...

in 1793 deeply affected the city of

, fostering a "Catholicism of refusal" during the Napoleonic era. This movement was inspired by the memory of revolutionary repression and loyalty to the

Legitimist The Legitimists () are royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession to the French crown of the descendants of the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They reject the claim of t ...

cause. On July 28, 1802, seven young men, led by stockbroker Benoît Coste, created a

Sodality of Our Lady The Sodality of Our Lady, also known as the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Latin, ''Congregationes seu sodalitates B. Mariæ Virginis''), is a Roman Catholic Marian society founded in 1563 by young Belgian Jesuit Jean Leunis (or Jan) a ...

under the spiritual guidance of Jesuit Pierre Roger. Known as the Congregation of the Gentlemen of Lyon, its spiritual activities included sacraments, prayers, and retreats, combined with an apostolic mission aimed at saving souls through social and charitable action and defending the Church by re-Christianizing elites. Initially comprising only a few dozen members, the congregation grew under the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

. In 1809, it clandestinely printed and distributed the papal bull excommunicating Napoleon. During the

Canut revolts The Canut revolts () is the collective name for the major revolts by Lyonnais silk workers () which occurred in 1831, 1834 and 1848. They were among the first well-defined worker uprisings of the period known as the Industrial Revolution. The Fi ...

of 1831, Benoît Coste joined the barricades alongside the canuts to defend fair wages and employment.

A "Catholic Freemasonry"

Reorganized in 1817, the Congregation was led by a prefect elected from among its members and operated through various sections focusing on education, charity, and religious instruction. Its activities included aid for the poor, visiting the sick at home or in hospitals, prison outreach, catechism instruction, evening classes, and literacy programs for workers. The Congregation grew while maintaining an elite recruitment policy. Membership increased from 160 in 1830 to 300 in 1850 and remained steady at around 200 by 1945, drawn primarily from Lyon's Catholic nobility and bourgeoisie. Recruitment occurred by co-option, and members maintained secrecy about their affiliation. This led to the Congregation being likened to a "Catholic Freemasonry" that became a breeding ground for counter-revolutionary Catholic elites aligned with

Ultramontanism Ultramontanism is a clerical political conception within the Catholic Church that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope. It contrasts with Gallicanism, the belief that popular civil authority—often represented b ...

and

monarchism Monarchism is the advocacy of the system of monarchy or monarchical rule. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government independently of any specific monarch, whereas one who supports a particular monarch is a royalist. ...

. The congregation's spiritual direction was provided by Jesuits, including Pierre Roger (1802), Joseph de Jocas (1852–1880), Ambroise Monnot (1881–1895),

François Varillon François Varillon (July 28, 1905 – July 17, 1978) was a French Jesuit priest and theologian whose writings on Christian theology and formation left a significant mark on 20th-century spirituality. Biography Early Life and Joining the Jesui ...

, and others. Most members were alumni of Jesuit schools such as Lycée Notre-Dame de Mongré, Institution salésienne Notre-Dame des Minimes, or Externat Saint-Joseph.

Influence in Lyonese Society

Two members of the Congregation, Prosper Dugas and Baron Amédée Chaurand, founded the Lyon Circle in 1868, a legitimist institution located at

Place Bellecour The Place Bellecour () is a large square in the centre of Lyon, France, to the north of the Ainay district. Measuring 312 m by 200 m (6.2 ha or 15 acres), it is one of the largest open squares (without any patches of greenery or ...

. The Circle was described as "an annex of the Congregation" due to its composition and religious orientation.Catherine Pellissier and Bruno Dumons, ''La congrégation des Messieurs et la Société de Saint-Vincent de Paul à Lyon sous la Troisième République,'' Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France, 1992. The Congregation also contributed to the founding of the

Catholic University of Lyon The Catholic University of Lyon (UCLy), also known as the Lyon Catholic Institute ( French: ''Institut Catholique de Lyon''), is a French private university based in Lyon and Annecy, Southeastern France. History The Lyon Catholic University has ...

in 1875. Influential members such as Lucien Brun, Prosper Dugas, and Joseph Rambaud played key roles in the university's creation. It also supported free education during the Republican educational reforms. The Congregation's positions were championed in the daily newspaper '' Le Nouvelliste de Lyon'', founded and directed by Joseph Rambaud from 1879. Many Congregation members were shareholders of the paper. Additionally, the Congregation was active in the agrarian movement, particularly through the Union du Sud-Est des syndicats agricoles, which resisted the Republicanization of rural areas.

Contributions to Catholic Action in Lyon

The Congregation was primarily centered in the

Ainay Ainay is an area within the Presqu'ile district in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon, to the south of Place Bellecour and the north of Perrache. It is best known for its Romanesque church, the Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay. A high-class are ...

neighborhood of Lyon's 2nd arrondissement, hosting institutions such as the Lyon Circle, the Jesuit residence, the Externat Saint-Joseph, ''Le Nouvelliste de Lyon,'' and the Union du Sud-Est des syndicats agricoles. Key contributions included: * Founding of the

Society for the Propagation of the Faith The Society for the Propagation of the Faith (Latin: ''Propagandum Fidei'') is an international association coordinating assistance for Catholic missionary priests, brothers, and nuns in mission areas. The society was founded in Lyon, France, in ...

in 1822 by

Pauline Jaricot Pauline Marie Jaricot (22 July 1799 – 9 January 1862) was a French member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She also was the founder of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and the Association of the Living Rosary. Pope John XXIII ra ...

, whose brothers were members. * Launching the St. Vincent de Paul Conferences in Lyon in 1836 by

Frédéric Ozanam Antoine-Frédéric Ozanam (; 23 April 1813 – 8 September 1853) was a French Catholic literary scholar, lawyer, journalist and equal rights advocate. He founded with fellow students the Conference of Charity, later known as the Society of Saint ...

. * Construction of the

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière () is a minor basilica in Lyon, France. It was built with private funds between 1872 and 1896 in a dominant position overlooking the city. The site it occupies was once the Roman forum of Trajan, the ''foru ...

through the 1853 Fourvière Commission. * Establishing the Lyon Circle in 1868. * Founding the Catholic University of Lyon in 1875. * Supporting free education under

Jules Ferry Jules François Camille Ferry (; 5 April 183217 March 1893) was a French statesman and republican philosopher. He was one of the leaders of the Opportunist Republicans, Moderate Republicans and served as Prime Minister of France from 1880 to 18 ...

Legacy

The Congregation's influence peaked between 1860 and 1920, perpetuating an intransigent political culture in Lyon until the mid-20th century. Though it lost prominence after World War II, it continued its religious and social mission until the 1960s.

References

Catholic organizations Monarchism in France History of Lyon Religious organizations established in 1802