Bishop of Orléans from 1849 to 1878
Félix Antoine Philibert Dupanloup was born on January 3, 1802 at Saint Felix in the diocese of Chambery in Savoy. He studied at the minor seminary of Saint Nicholas in Paris and then at the major seminary of Saint Sulpice. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop de Quélan in 1825. He exercised his ministry as assistant priest in a few parishes, was then superior of the minor seminary at Notre-Dame des Champs, vicar general for Paris and professor of sacred eloquence at the Sorbonne. Appointed bishop of Orléans on April 16, 1849, Bishop Sibour, the archbishop of Paris, consecrated him bishop on December 9. During his episcopate, Bishop Dupanloup showed himself to be an energetic administrator, a great educator and and defender of religion. He established many works in the diocese and established religious houses as well. Among these were the Oblates of Mary Immaculate established in Notre-Dame de Cléry in 1854.
Bishop de Mazenod met him in Orléans in 1850 and in 1856 and in Rome in 1854. He wrote him about twenty letters concerning the publication L’ami de la religion in which Bishop Dupanloup often published his writings (See article: L’Ami de la Religion ), as well as about La Correspondance de Rome and L’Univers, when Bishop de Mazenod saw in these journals in 1852-1853 too great an influence of the laity and an attitude that was absolutely opposed to episcopal authority. His April 27, 1851 letter treating of better preparation of seminarians for the ministry and of parish priests and their assistant priests to live together is particularly important. The letters from 1854 to 1857 deal with establishing the Oblates at Notre-Dame de Cléry. See article: Notre-Dame de Cléry. Bishop Dupanloup died on October 11, 1878.
Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.
