Society of St Peter (Congrégation de Saint-Pierre)
Open-knowledge reference entry
A congregation of priests first based in Saint-Méen
The Society of St. Peter (Congrégation de Saint-Pierre), was originally called as Mission Priests of Saint-Méen, linked with the Missionaries of Rennes, were a missionary religious institute of Roman Catholic priests. The priests of the congregation are usually called Missionaries of Rennes. Founded at St-Méen in the Diocese of Rennes, by Jean-Marie de La Mennais, for the care of the diocesan seminary and the holding of missions. The disciples of the founder's younger brother, Félicité, in 1829 withdrew with him into the solitude of La Chênaie, forming the famous Society of St. Peter, with which the elder community at its own request was united, under the superiorship of Félicité.
An extension to the society of St. Peter
The new congregation was placed under simple vows, the aims proposed being the defence of the Faith, the education of youth, and the giving of missions. A house of studies was erected at Malestroit, near Ploërmel, and placed under the direction of Fathers Blanc and Rohrbacher, while Lamennais remained at La Chênaie, with the younger members, writing for them his "Guide de la jeunesse", and for others more advanced the "Journée du chrétien". Lamennais's long-cherished project to form a body of priests thoroughly equipped for pressing needs in the Church of France, a scheme which he outlined in 1825 in a letter to M. de Salinis, seemed well on the way towards fulfilment.
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