Venerable William of Donjeon

Guillaume de Donjeon (c. 1140 – 10 January 1209) was a French Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Bourges from 1200 until his death. He served as a canon in Soissons and Paris before he entered the Order of Grandmont. Sometime later, he entered the Cistercians. He was known to practice austerities such as abstaining from meat and wearing a hair shirt. He was also known for his deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and for converting sinners. He oversaw the construction of the new archdiocesan cathedral that his predecessor had authorized and in which he himself would be buried. It had been claimed that he performed eighteen miracles in life and eighteen more in death. His canonization was celebrated under Pope Honorius III in 1218, and he was named the patron saint of the Parisian college. Guillaume de Donjeon was born about 1140 at the castle of Arthel near Nevers, into the ancient family of the Counts of Nevers. He was one of eight children born to Baudoin de Corbeil and Eustachia de Châtillon. His father planned for him to become a soldier, but Guillaume chose the ecclesiastical path. His siblings were: Baudoin, Regnault (d. 1208), Ferry (d. 1174), Baudoin (d. 1226), Pierre (d. 1222), Guy, and Eustachia. The Soissons archdeacon Pierre - his maternal uncle - oversaw his education. He became a canon in Soissons and later in Paris. It was sometime later that he resolved to abandon the world and enter into the Order of Grandmont. He was content with this decision and lived amongst them for a period of time while practicing great austerities but in 1167 once he saw the dissensions occurring amongst members of the order, decided to enter the Cistercians. He assumed the habit at Pontigny Abbey in northern France, where he was soon chosen prior. In 1184 he became the abbot of Fontaine-Jean Abbey near Sens and later of Chaalis Abbey near Senlis from 1187 until 1200.