Blessed Alain de Solminihac

Alain de Solminihac (25 November 1593 – 31 December 1659) was a French Roman Catholic religious reformer and served as the Bishop of Cahors from 1636 until his death. Solminihac was a professed member of the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine of Chancelade in Périgueux, an order now extinct. He was also a member of the Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement, and acquainted with Vincent de Paul and Francis de Sales. He was declared a Servant of God after Pope Pius VI opened his cause for sainthood on 6 August 1783 and Pope Pius XI declared him to be Venerable on 19 June 1927. Pope John Paul II beatified him on 4 October 1981. Alain de Solminihac was born on 25 November 1593 in the Chateau de Belet Kingdom of France to Jean and Margaret de Solminihac. He wanted to become a member of the Knights of Malta in order to serve God but felt a strong call to the priesthood and to the religious life so joined the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine of Chancelade in 1613 as a postulant. His period of novitiate commenced in 1615 and concluded on 28 July 1618. The completion of his theological studies soon saw him ordained to the priesthood on 22 September 1618. He was made the superior of his convent in 1623. Pope Urban VIII appointed him as the Bishop of Cahors on 22 September 1636 (King Louis XIII approved this after meeting him) and he received his episcopal consecration on 27 September 1637 in the French capital of Paris. The bishop visited each of his 800 parishes at least nine times during the course of his episcopate and he held an episcopal consecration on one occasion. He also prompted adoration to the Eucharist and restored a range of local devotions. He followed the lead of Charles Borromeo in enforcing the decrees of the Council of Trent in his diocese. He met Francis de Sales for the first time during Lent in 1619 and the two had more meetings following this; he also became a friend of Vincent de Paul. He died on 31 December 1659.