Franciscus Renatus BoussenorFrans Boussen(1774–1848) was the 18thbishop of Bruges,and the first after the re-establishment of the diocese in 1834.
François-René Boussen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Archdiocese | Mechelen |
| Diocese | Bruges |
| See | St. Salvator |
| Installed | 23 July 1834 |
| Predecessor | (diocese suppressed 1797–1834) |
| Successor | Joannes-Baptista Malou |
| Previous post(s) | Apostolic AdministratorofWest Flanders |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1805 |
| Consecration | 27 January 1833 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 December 1774 |
| Died | 1 October 1848(aged 73) Bruges,West Flanders,Belgium |
| Nationality |  Belgian |
| Residence | Bruges, Belgium |
| Motto | Sequere me( "Follow me",Jn 21:19) |
| Coat of arms |  |
Life
editBoussen was born inVeurneon 2 December 1774, the son of Laurentius Josephus Boussen and Joanna Theresia Vandermeersch. He studied at the Oratorian school in Veurne until it was closed in theFrench period,and completed his education with private tutors. After theConcordat of 1801allowed the reopening of the seminaries, he trained for the priesthood and was ordained in 1805 as a priest for the diocese of Ghent. He was appointed secretary to Bishop Fallot de Beaumont, and continued in the function whenMaurice-Jean de Broglietook over the diocese. In Broglie's prolonged absences due to persecution by the civil powers, the administration of the diocese fell to his Vicars General assisted by Boussen, who on 12 May 1821 were acquitted of wrong-doing by the courts in Brussels.[1]
Jan Frans Van De Velde,bishop from 1829, appointed Boussen acanonofGhent Cathedralanddiocesan official.In 1833 he becamecoadjutor bishopof Ghent andapostolic administratorofWest Flanders.He was consecratedtitular bishopofPtolemaisin thechurch of St Salvatorin Bruges on 27 January 1833 byEngelbert Sterckx,with Van de Velde andJean Joseph Delplancqas co-consecrators. In 1834, the diocese of Bruges was re-established and Boussen was installed as bishop on 23 July.[1]The city of Bruges gave the 17th-century buildings of theAbbey of Dunesto the diocese to establish a seminary. Boussen was responsible for securing funds, hiring staff, and appointing acathedral chapter.[1]
He abolished the survivingdiocesan usesof Bruges, Tournai and Ypres, and in 1839 published a uniformManuale pastorum,printed in Ghent by Van Ryckeghem-Hovaere.[2]He was active in alleviating suffering during a series of epidemics and food shortages in the 1830s and 1840s. He fell ill during theProcession of the Holy Bloodon 4 May 1846 and never fully recovered.[1]He died on 1 October 1848 and was buried three days later in thecryptofBruges Cathedral.[3]
Writings
edit- Collectio epistolarum pastoralium, instructionum et statutorum(5 volumes)[4]
References
edit- ^abcdF. Vande Putte, "Boussen (François-René)", inBiographie Nationale de Belgique,vol. 2(Brussels, 1868), 866-870.
- ^On Google Books
- ^"Vijf Brugse bisschoppen herbegraven",De Standaard,September 20, 2002
- ^Vol. 1,vol. 2,vol. 3,vol. 4Manuale pastorum, ex pastorali dioecesis Brugensis.