Skip to main content

Auguste-Théodore-Paul de Broglie

Abbé, professor of apologetics at the Institut Catholique at Paris, and writer on apologetic subjects, b. at Auteuil, 18 May, 1834; d. 11 May, 1895. He was the son of Achille-Victor, Duc de Broglie, and his wife, Albertine de Staël, a Protestant and the daughter of Madame de Staël. After the death of the mother, who died young, he was brought up by the Baroness Auguste de Staël, née Vernet; this aunt, although also a Protestant, exerted herself "to make a large-minded Christian of him in the Church to which she did not belong" ( Monseigneur d'Hulst in "Le Correspondant", 25 May, 1895). Entering the Navy young, Broglie was appointed Ensign in 1857 and soon after Lieutenant. While thus occupied he felt himself called to the ecclesiastical state. After taking the preparatory studies he was ordained priest, 18 October, 1870. In his numerous publications the Abbé de Broglie was always a faithful defender of Catholic dogma. At the time of his death, which resulted from the violence of an insane person, he was preparing a book on the agreement of reason and faith. His most important work is "L'histoire des religions ". Of his other writings, some of which were pamphlets and some articles in reviews, the following may be mentioned: "Le positivisme et la science expérimentale"; "Religion de Zoroastre et religion védique"; "Le bouddhisme"; "Religions neo-brahmaniques de l'Inde"; "L'islamisme"; "La vraie définition de la religion"; "La transcendence du christianisme"; L'histoire religieuse d'Israël"; "Les prophètes et les prophéties, d'après les travaux de Kuenen'; "L'idée de Dieu dans l'Ancien et le Nouveau Testament"; "Le présent et l'avenir du catholicisme en France ". Two posthumous publications, "Questions bibliques" and "Religion et critique" were edited by the Abbé Piat.

More Catholic Encyclopedia

Search the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Browse Encyclopedia by Alphabet


Catholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive resource on Catholic teaching, history, and information ever gathered in all of human history. This easy-to-search online version was originally printed in fifteen hardcopy volumes.

Designed to present its readers with the full body of Catholic teaching, the Encyclopedia contains not only precise statements of what the Church has defined, but also an impartial record of different views of acknowledged authority on all disputed questions, national, political or factional. In the determination of the truth the most recent and acknowledged scientific methods are employed, and the results of the latest research in theology, philosophy, history, apologetics, archaeology, and other sciences are given careful consideration.

No one who is interested in human history, past and present, can ignore the Catholic Church, either as an institution which has been the central figure in the civilized world for nearly two thousand years, decisively affecting its destinies, religious, literary, scientific, social and political, or as an existing power whose influence and activity extend to every part of the globe. In the past century the Church has grown both extensively and intensively among English-speaking peoples. Their living interests demand that they should have the means of informing themselves about this vast institution, which, whether they are Catholics or not, affects their fortunes and their destiny.

Browse the Catholic Encyclopedia by Topic

Copyright © Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company New York, NY. Volume 1: 1907; Volume 2: 1907; Volume 3: 1908; Volume 4: 1908; Volume 5: 1909; Volume 6: 1909; Volume 7: 1910; Volume 8: 1910; Volume 9: 1910; Volume 10: 1911; Volume 11: - 1911; Volume 12: - 1911; Volume 13: - 1912; Volume 14: 1912; Volume 15: 1912

Catholic Online Catholic Encyclopedia Digital version Compiled and Copyright © Catholic Online


Newsletter Sign Up

Daily Readings

Reading 1, Sirach 6:5-17
A kindly turn of speech attracts new friends, a courteous ... Read More

Psalm, Psalms 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35
Blessed are you, Yahweh, teach me your will! Read More

Gospel, Mark 10:1-12
After leaving there, he came into the territory of Judaea and ... Read More

Saint of the Day

May 24 Saint of the Day

St. David I of Scotland
May 24: David, the youngest son of Scotland’s virtuous queen, (Saint) ... Read More