François Véron

François Véron (1575, Paris – 6 December 1649, Charenton) was a French Jesuit priest and controversialist.

Life

After studying under the Society of Jesuits, he joined them, and taught in several colleges. To devote himself more freely to preaching and controversy against Protestants, he later left the society.

He challenged every minister he encountered, even the most learned and famous, such as Moulin, David Blondel, Daillé, or Bochard. His debates with them, and many other occasional or controversial writings, he afterwards published.

Having secured from Louis XIII letters patent authorizing him to deliver his sermons in public and to conduct conferences with the ministers or any other Protestants wheresoever he pleased, he went to Paris, to Charenton, where he was curé for 10 years (1638–48), because Calvinism had there its chief stronghold. He travelled to Saintonge, Béarn, Brie, Champagne, Lorraine, and Normandy. He preached before large audiences; ministers such as Boule, after having heard him, abjured Calvinism after 30 years in the ministry. "He has vanquished more ministers", wrote publicly the congregation of the Propagation of the Faith, "than another could have seen, alone he has converted more heretics to the Catholic faith than a thousand others."

Véron became the most celebrated controversialist in France; the general assembly of the clergy assigned him a pension of 600 livres yearly and accepted the dedication of some of his books of which it defrayed the expenses; the Estates of Languedoc undertook his support while he preached in their province; Pope Gregory XV sent his encouragement. He was invited to give lessons in controversy at the Collège de France and to teach his method at Saint-Lazare under Vincent de Paul, and at St.