Bishop de la Hailandière

 Célestin René Laurent Guynemer de la Hailandière (May 3, 1798 – May 1, 1882) was a French prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Vincennes (now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis) from 1839 to 1847. He is perhaps best known for donating the land for the establishment of the University of Notre Dame.

 In 1836 Simon Bruté de Rémur, Bishop of Vincennes came to Rennes looking for an assistant who could serve as his vicar-general. The Bishop of Rennes recommended the curate of St. Germain, and Célestin left for the United States with Bruté de Rémur.

The diocese, which included the state of Indiana and the eastern part of Illinois, was sparsely populated with only a few small towns and widely scattered farms. The Potawatomi and Miami lived in the northern part of Indiana. There were few Catholics. As La Hailandière knew little English, he was assigned to attend the French Catholics living in and around Vincennes.

On May 17, 1839, La Hailandière was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Vincennes and Titular Bishop of Axieri by Pope Gregory XVI. At the time, he was the youngest bishop in the United States. Bishop Bruté de Rémur sent La Hailandière as a representative to their native France to raise funds, recruit priests, and invite religious congregations to come to the diocese and teach, provide religious instruction, and assist the sick. The Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir agreed to send some sisters, among whom was Théodore Guérin. Bishop Bruté died on June 26, 1839, while La Hailandière was in France. La Hailandière succeeded Bishop Bruté de Rémur as the second Bishop of Vincennes on the following June 26, and received his episcopal consecration in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in Paris.

Mother Theodore began to experience conflict with the bishop. Each respected the other, but both had strong personalities. Mother Theodore wrote that Bishop de la Hailandière, “has one of those temperaments which makes martyrs of their possessors and still more of those who must put up with them from time to time.… He is jealous of his authority and wishes to do everything himself.”

As struggles with the bishop continued, Mother Theodore wrote to Mother Mary in France, “What makes us suffer most is the mania of this good bishop for changing the sisters.… He wants the establishments to depend on the priest, who would furnish the sisters with whatever they need.… I have the greatest aversion to this kind of administration; it seems to me it would keep our sisters in a species of slavery; they could not even write a letter without the priests’ knowledge. Besides, it would require too frequent contacts between them, and here above all this must not be, for the Protestants are always prepared to criticize actions the most innocent in themselves.… I have to struggle against all these difficulties, hold myself firm against all that I believe would change the spirit of our institute and our dear Rules.”

Mother Theodore remained steadfast in working toward what was best for the young community. Bishop de la Hailandière and Mother Theodore agreed that she should return to France in the spring of 1843. Her mission was to seek prayers, financial assistance, and new members for her community. A decision in Rome made the trip even more necessary. In a letter to Bishop Bouvier of Le Mans, Mother Theodore wrote, “I have just learned for a certainty that the Society of the Propagation of the Faith will do nothing more for us than it has already done through his Lordship, the Bishop of Vincennes, for the Councils have made it a law not to give to Congregations of women; hence, no alternative is left to us but to solicit private contributions.”

Struggles with the bishop escalated. At one point the bishop imprisoned Saint Mother Theodore in a room for a full day. As the situation came to a head, the bishop excommunicated Mother Theodore. He removed her from the Congregation she loved and did not allow her to communicate with any of the sisters. She became very ill for several weeks. The Congregation prepared to follow Mother Theodore and move to another state.

All the struggle ended abruptly. Word came that the pope had accepted the bishop’s resignation. Mother Theodore returned to her role in leadership with the Congregation. Hailandière resigned his post on July 16, 1847, his health strained after eight years of service, and then returned to France. He was succeeded by John Stephen Bazin.

Photo and excerpts taken from: Célestin Guynemer de la Hailandière

other excerpts taken from: spsmw.org