Louis Lallemant (born Châlons-sur-Marne, France, sometime in 1588, died in Bourges, France 5 April 1635) was a French Jesuit. After making his studies under the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, Lallemant entered that order in 1605, having completed the usual course of study and teaching for new members. He was ordained and taught philosophy and theology for some time until he was made master of novices, an office he filled for four years. Having exercised it with success he was appointed director of the fathers in third probation; after three years in this difficult post he broke down in health, and was sent to the college of Bourget, in the hope that change of occupation would restore him. The hope was not to be fulfilled; he died after a few months. Lallemant has been called the Balthazar Alvarez of France, and not without reason. His ideals and efforts to meet them were as uncompromising as those of Balthazar Alvarez. Like Alvarez, Lallemant expected others what he did himself. He set, the highest ideals before his disciples, especially the Fathers of the third probation, and required them to rise to such ideals. Father Lallemant’s teaching may be traced in no small measure the specific spirituality of the French Jesuits, which the men who came under his teaching and formation diffused throughout the French provinces. He is known today chiefly by his “Doctrine Spirituelle”, a collection of his maxims and instructions gathered together by Father Jean Rigoleuc, one of his disciples, and detailing very thoroughly his spiritual method.
Sources
CHAMPION,La Doctrine Spirituelle du P. Louis Lallemant (Paris, 1694), ?preceded by a life of Lallemant?, GUILHERMY, Menologie de l’Assistance de France, 5 April ????, PATRIGNANI, Menologio della Compagnia di Gesu. This article incorporates text from the entry Louis Lallemant in the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. HENRY WOODS Transcribed by Joseph E. O’Connor
