Born on November 8, 1749 at Cieurac in the diocese of Cahors, Antoine was admitted to the Sulpician seminary of the Robertines on October 8, 1770. After obtaining a doctorate in theology at the Sorbonne on June 6, 1778, he was admitted to the Company of Saint Sulpice. In 1780, he was appointed director of the Solitude d’Issy and, in 1782, was appointed superior of the major seminary of Angers. Taken ill in 1887, he returned to the Retreat at Issy. During the Revolution, he was arrested at the end of 1793 and imprisoned in Saint Lazare. Restored to freedom after the fall of Robespierre on the 9th of Thermidor (July 27, 1794), he helped Father Emery reopen the seminary. He became spiritual director there and remained at this post until October of 1811, when, at the orders of Napoleon, the Sulpicians were forced to leave the seminary. During the Restoration in 1814, he was elected tenth Superior General of the Company. He remained in this post for twelve years. In September of 1826, he offered his resignation because of ill health. He died on December 5, 1827 in the seminary of Saint Sulpice in Paris. He was buried at Issy where a monument was erected to perpetuate his memory.
His relations with Eugene de Mazenod
Towards the end of 1806, Eugene was seriously considering entering the service of the Church. Before making a definitive decision, he consulted Father Duclaux. This consulation probably took place due to the good offices of Charles de Forbin-Janson who had entered the seminary in 1807. The answer of Father Duclaux was no doubt in the affirmative. Eugene entered the seminary on October 12, 1808 and immediately chose Father Duclaux as his confessor and spiritual director. In order to make himself better known, he drew up a characteriological sketch of himself, listing all his qualities and his faults. (See Oblate Writings I, vol. 14, no. 30, p. 65-69) Gradually, as the directee and his spiritual director got to know each other more thoroughly, the bonds of a genuine spiritual and human friendship grew stronger. This friendship lasted until Father Duclaux’s death in 1827. In a March 23, 1809 letter to his mother, Eugene did not hesitate to state that Mr. Duclaux is “one of the best directors existing in the world…” (Oblate Writings I, vol. 14, no. 49, p. 112)
On November 15, 1811, as spokesperson for his confreres, Eugene delivered the farewell speech to Mr. Duclaux and to the other directors who were forced to leave the seminary at the express orders of Napoleon. (Oblate Writings I, vol. 14, no. 94, p. 211-213) On December 1, 1811, Eugene began his retreat in preparation for ordination to the priesthood at Issy under the direction of Father Duclaux. (Oblate Writings I, vol. 14, no. 30, p. 214) On the 21st of that same December, immediately after his ordination to the priesthood, he wrote to him to tell him of his great joy at being a priest. In the intentions of his third Christmas Mass, he included Father Duclaux. (Oblate Writings I, vol. 14, no. 98, p. 228-229)
After his return to Aix at the beginning of November of 1812, Abbé de Mazenod corresponded regularly with his spiritual director whom he called “my father” and gave him an account of his priestly endeavors but also describing the difficulties he encountered in trying to carry them out. Father Duclaux encouraged him, supported him, but also warned him against a too great activism which could harm the spiritual life of the zealous fledgling priest. Father Duclaux gave his unreserved approval, first of all, to the “monastic” rule of life Abbé de Mazenod had laid upon himself at the end of 1812. (REY I, p. 151-152), then to the foundation of the Association of Christian Youth in 1813 (REY I, p. 157-158) and finally to the project of establishing the Mission of Provence in 1815. In this regard, Father Duclaux wrote on October 28, 1815: “Our dear Father de Janson came to see me today. He told me all about your plans to establish institutions useful for your diocese. He will tell you what Father Rauzan and his confreres think of it. It is good that he should communicate to you their observations. They will be an occasion for you to examine and to see what would be the most useful and the most fitting to achieve the greatest glory of God. As for myself, I can only thank our good Master for all the holy sentiments with which He has inspired you. Continue to work with all your might for the reestablishment of religion. Preach, teach, enlighten the French people on the cause of the evils that are crushing them. May your voice be heard in every corner of Provence. God is only awaiting our conversion to smother us with his graces. Maintain especially the spirit of churchmen among the priests. You will not accomplish much good until you have excellent priests leading the parishes. Try to get all the clergy involved in becoming saints; let them read the lives of Saint Charles and of Saint Vincent de Paul and they will see if it is ever permissible for a priest to live a lukewarm life deprived of zeal. I assure you that I never leave off thinking of you and of thanking God for the courage He is giving you. It is my hope that you will accomplish much because you have a sincere love of God and the Church.” (REY I, p. 184)
In 1817, Father de Mazenod made a trip to Paris to request and obtain legal status for the Missionaries of Provence. On this occasion, of course, he met with the director of his conscience. He told him that his uncle Fortuné would soon be appointed bishop of Marseilles. In a September 6, 1817 letter to his father and his uncles, Eugene wrote: “Father Duclaux for one and everybody else besides, all agree that my uncle is obliged in conscience to accept the bishopric of Marseilles.” (Oblate Writings I, vol. 13, no. 11, p. 17) But the appointment would only come into effect in 1823. Bishop Fortuné, once he was appointed, travelled to Paris accompanied by Father de Mazenod. It was in the chapel of Our Lady of Loretto at Issy that he was consecrated bishop on July 6, 1823, but in Eugene de Mazenod’s writings of 1823 we find no mention of Father Duclaux. Was he, perhaps in his role of Superior General away visiting some of the other seminaries under the direction of the Sulpicians?
It was the death of Father Duclaux, on December 5, 1827 which brought an end to his relationship with his spiritual son.
Jósef Pielorz, o.m.i.
