Diocesan Seminary of Liège

The Diocesan Seminary of Liège (in French: Séminaire épiscopal or Grand Séminaire de Liège), now also Espace Prémontrés, is an educational institution in the Diocese of Liège, founded in 1592.

History

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The seminary was first founded by Ernest of Bavaria in 1592 to train diocesan clergy in line with the decrees of the Council of Trent.[1] The papal breve of foundation was dated 5 March 1592, and the seminary was formally opened on 28 May that year, in the buildings of the former Hôpital Saint-Mathieu.[2] In 1605, the seminary opened a dependent college, Liège College, at the University of Leuven.[2]

In 1786, after the suppression of the Society of Jesus, the seminary moved into the vacated premises of the Jesuit college.[1] Teaching was suspended during the French period but resumed in 1814, and since 1815 the seminary has been based in the buildings of the former Beaurepart Abbey.[2] The buildings are listed as immovable heritage.[3] While candidates for the priesthood from the diocese of Liège have since 2010 been trained at the Seminary of Namur, the Séminaire épiscopal continues to function as a diocesan centre for training and education.[4]

In 2014 the diocesan treasurer was charged with misappropriating funds from the seminary.[5] In 2018 he was convicted of embezzling 689,000 euros.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Grand Séminaire. Liège, Belgique". data.bnf.fr. Bibliothèque nationale de France.
  2. ^ a b c "Histoire du Séminaire". evechedeliege.be. Diocese of Liège.
  3. ^ "Abbaye de Beaurepart". Inventaire du patrimoine culturel immobilier. Institut du Patrimoine.
  4. ^ "Séminaire épiscopal". evechedeliege.be. Diocese of Liège.
  5. ^ "Le trésorier de l'Evêché de Liège détourne près d'1 million d'euros". L'Echo. 16 October 2014.
  6. ^ Laurence Wauters (22 March 2018). "Le péché du trésorier du grand séminaire épiscopal n'était pas véniel". Le Soir.

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