LXBEBBCAMN
223
UBEBBCAMN
"Epistoke Rom. Pont." (repnot in P. L., VIII). A
eiitical edition from MSS. of the three spurious epis-
tles of St. Hilary, 'Frag.' VI, in "Ilevue B6n6d."
(Jan., 1910).
Stilting in Acta 55., Sept., VI (1757), 572; Tillemont. M*nnoireji, VI; Zaccaria, DUaeriatio de commentitio Liberii lapni in Petaviub. Theol. dog., II, ii (1757); Palma, Pnrlec- iione» Hv4. EccL, I (Rome, 1838); Reinerdino. Beitrdge zur Honoriua und Libenusjrape (1865): Ls Paob Rbnouf, The Condemnation of Pope Honoriua (London, 1868); Hefele, ConeUienpcaehicfUet I (2nd od. and later ones; Eng. tr. lol. II. 1876): JuNOMANN, DiaaerUUionea atUcta, II (Ratiabon and New York, 1881): Babmbt in Diet. ChrisL Biog., s. v.: IIer- OBifBOTBER, Kirekengeach., I (1884) 374; Grisar in Kirchenhx., M. v.; Fbi8, Storia di Liberio Papa e deUo aciama dti Semiariani
iRome. 1894)jM(ELLBR-ScHUBBRT, Lehrbuch der Kirchengeach., (Leipiig..l902)^ Loofs in RealencykltmUdie fitr jiroleiUaniiache Thoologie und /CtreAe. s. v. Hilariua; Kruoer, ibid., fl. v. Lihe- riwt; ScHiKTANS, Die Hilariua fragmerUcVBreaXfiM, 1905); Saltet, La formation da la Ifgende dea papea Libire et Filix in BulUiin de htf. eeesL (July. 1905); Idem, Fraudea littcrairea dea Luciferiena, ibid, (Oct., 1906); Idem« Lea Itilrea du pape Libi.rede'S57, ibid. (Dee., 1907); Wilmart, L'Ad Conatantium liber I de 5. Hilaire m Revue BirUd. (April and July, 1907); Idem, Lea Fragmenta huloriqvea et le aynodede BHiera, ibid. (April. 1008); Idem. La queaiion du pape Libtre, ibid. (July, 1908); Duchesne, Libera fl( Porlunatien in MSlangeade Vicole francaiaedeRome, XXVIII, Mi <Jan.-April, 1908); Savio, La queatione di papa Liberio (Rome, 1907; an answer to Schiktanz); Idem, Nuovi aiudi mdia queatione di papa Liberio (Rome, 1909; in reply to Dv- chbsne); Chapman. TKe eonteated lettera of Pope Liberiua in Rewue BfrUd. (Jui^-* April, July, 1910; in reply to Duchesne); Fedbr, Stwiien zu Hilariun von Poittera, I, in Siizungaber. der K. Akad. Wiaa, von Wien (Vienna, 1910), follows Duchesne.
John Chapman.
Libermaim, Francis Mary Paul, Venerable, founder of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which was afterwards merged in the Congre- gation of the Holy Ghost (q. v.). The son of a Jewish rabbi, he was born at Saveme in Alsace, 12 April, 1804; and he died at Paris, 2 February, 1852. He re- ceived the name of Jacob at his circumcision, and was the third youngest of seven children whom his mother Lia Susanna Haller, bore to his father, Lazarus Liber- mann. He was brought up according to the sternly strict tenets of the Talmud, and his mind was early imbued with a special horror of the "Goim", or Christians. He lost his mother when he was nine years old; and this^ together with the liarsh treatment he received from his schoolmaster, caused his boyhood to pass in much bitterness. The learned and univer- sally esteemed rabbi of Saveme fixed his mind on his son, Jacob, as his successor in the rabbinical office. With this in view, he sent him to Metz to perfect Ids studies in the Talmud, and in Hebrew and Chaldaic. But God had other designs on the young man, who was then in his twentieth year. During his stay at Hetx, the Gospels, translatc^d into Hebrew came acci- dentally into nis hands, and impressed him deeply. Moreover, his eldest brother first, and afterwanls two other brothers, embraced Catholicity. And, although Jacob deeply resented their change of religion, he grad- ually came to recognize their happiness and peace of soul, which was in strong contrast with his own dis- tracted frame of mind. Finally, he obtained from his father permission to go to Paris; and there he came under the influence of M. Drach, a convert from Juda- ism, who had him received into the CoUoRe Stanislas, where he was instructed in the truths of Faith, which he embraced with ea^mess. He was baptized on Christmas Eve, 1826, m the twenty-thin 1 year of his age. At baptism he took the three-fold name of Francis Mary Paul, the first two in gratitude to his godfather. Baron Francois de Mallet, and to his f^- mother, Comtesse Mane d'lleuse, and the last as a mark of hb admiration of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, whom, he was so closely to imitate in many respects.
Immediaielv after his conversion, M. Libermann displayed marked signs of a vocation for the ecclesias- tical state. His protectors and friends found a place for him, first, in the college of the Missions de France, where he received tonsure five months after his baptism, and later in the seminary of St. Sulpioe,
which he entered in October, 1827. On the very eve
of his promotion to subdeaconship, he was stricken
down by an attack of epilepsy which was to be his com-
panion for the next five years. During that time he
was kept by his charitable superiors at the seminary of
Issy. It was there that he was brought into close
apostolic relationship with two Creole seminarians,
M. I-.e Vavasseur, from Bourbon, and M. Tisserand,
from Santo Domingo, both of whom were filled with
zeal for the evangelization of the poor ex-slaves of
those islands. This acquaintanceship evoked the
first concept of a religious society for the conversion
of those abandoned souls. It took five years more of
prayer and patience to accomplish the foundation of
the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
for that purpose. Meanwhile, M. Libermann was
called away to become, though yet only in minor or-
ders, master of novices for the Eudist Fathers at
Renncs. After two years of devotion to that work
(1838-39), he felt a very positive call from God to unite
with MM. I^ Vavasseur and Tisserand in furthering
the apostolate to the negroes. At their suggestion, he
proceeded to Rome and laid his plans before the Holy
bee. The year of his sojourn at Rome (1840-41) was
Eassed in great obscurity and poverty. He profited y the time he was kept waiting for a decision to write the provisional rules of the proposed institute, as well as a remarkable "Commentary on St. John's Gospel". At last, after a year's waiting, the obscure and friend- less ecclesiastic received the warm encouragement of the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda, to pursue his project for the evangelization of the negroes. He re- paired to the seminary of Strasburg to prepare for his ordination, which took place at Amiens, 18 Septem- ber, 1841. On the twenty-seventh of the same month the novitiate of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was opened in the neighbouring village of La Neuville.
The first occupants of the novitiate were the foun- der himself, his first associate. Father Le Vavasseur, and a sub-deacon, M. Collin. Others filled with apostolic zeal quickly joined them, among the number beinp Rev. Ignatius Schwindemhaminer, who was destined to wt the founder's, immediate successor. Missions were soon offered to the infant society in Alauritius, where Father Laval wrought wonders which continue to the pn'sent day; in l3ourl)on and Hayti; and, especially in Africa. Father Lil)ermann's sons were, practically, the first since the downfall of the African Church to penetrate the Dark Continent. Most of the first missioners paiil for their heroism with their lives; but others filled their places; and the widespread prosperity of the Church in Africa, at the present day is, in large measure, due to the initiative and sclf-sacrilice of the first nurrnlx»rs of the Congre- gation of the Immaculate Heart of Mar\'. The Vener- able Libermann was the heart and soul, the father and model of the nascent community during the seven years of its indei)endent existence, 18-U-1818. By that time it had IxH^ome numerous and flourishing; and Divine Providence ordained that it should Ix? engrafted on the Congregation of the Holy Ghost, which had a similar object, but which had l)ecome almost extinct during the Revolution (see Holy Ghost, Reugious CoNCjREOATioxs OF THE, I). This difficult and deh- cate task of uniting two congregations was successfully accomplished, at the request of the Holy See, by Father Libermann; an<l he was chosen superior general of the united societies, a post he occupied till his death. By the time of his death, the Venerable Libermann enjoyed the reputation of the highest sanctity in the minds of all who knew him; and shortly after his death there was a widespread desire to have the cause of his beatification introduced. The usual ecclesiastical tribunal was erected in Paris, in 18()7: its lal)Our8 were continued till 1872, when the depositions of the wit- nesses and the other documents bearing oa thA
