, son of Matthew Soanen, attorney to the presidial of Riom in Auvergne,
, son of Matthew Soanen, attorney
to the presidial of Riom in Auvergne, and Gilberte Sirmond, niece of the learned Jesuit James Sirmond, was
born January 6, 1647, at Riom, and entered the congregation of the Oratory at Paris, 1661, where he chose
father Quesnel for his confessor. On quitting that establishment, he taught ethics and rhetoric in several provincial towns, and devoted himself afterwards to the pulpit,
for which he had great talents. Having preached at Lyons,
Orleans, and Pans, with applause, he was invited to court,
preached there during Lent in 1686 and 1688, and being
appointed bishop of Senez soon after, acquired great veneration in his diocese by his regular conduct, charity to the
poor, and abstemious life. At length, having appealed
from the bull Unigenitus to a future council, and refused
to listen to any terms of accommodation on the subject,
he published a “Pastoral Instruction,
” giving an account
to his diocesans of his conduct respecting the bull. This
“Instruction
” gave great offence, and occasioned the famous council of Embrun held 1727, in which M. de
Tencin procured it to be condemned as rash, scandalous, &cf,
and M. the bishop of Senez to be suspended from all
episcopal jurisdiction, and all sacerdotal functions. After
this council M. Soanen was banished to la Chaise Dieu,
where he died, December 25, 1740, leaving “Pastoral
Instructions,
” “Mandates,
” and “Letters.
” The “Letters
” have been printed with his Life, 6 vols. 4to. or 8
vols. 12mo. his “Sermons,
”