SENS
720
SEPT-FONS
the Associations' Law of 1901, there were in the
Diocese of Sens: Augustiniansof the Assumption; Laz-
arists; Oblates of St. Francis de Sales; Missionaries of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Immacuhite Heart
of Mar\-, founded in 1843 by Fr. Muard (1809-54),
with mother-house at Fontigny; and Benedictines of
the Sa<'red Heart of Jesus and of the Immaculate
Heart of Marj- founded at "La Pierre qui Vire" by
the same Fr. Aluard. Two congregations of women
originated in the diocese: the Sisters of Providence
founded in 1818 with mother-house at Sens; the
Sisters of the Holy Childhood founded in 1838 by
Abbe Grapinet with mother-house at Ste-Colombe.
At the end of the nineteenth century the religious
congregations directed in the Diocese of Sens: 53
infant schools, 4 orphanages for boys, 8 orphanages
for girls, 2 workrooms, 2 organizations of rescue,
5 houses of religious for the care of the sick in their
homes, 16 hospitals or imfirmaries. In 1905 (end
of the period of the Concordat) the diocese numbered
334,656 inhabitants, 49 parishes, 440 filial churches,
and 4 \'icariates remunerated by the State.
Gallui Chrif^linna (nom), XII (1770), 1-107, instr. 1-98; Fis- QCET, France Pontificate: Sens et Auierre (Paris, 1866); Du- CHESN-E, Pastes episcopaux, II, 389—418, 427-46; MtMAiN, L'Apostolat de Saint Savinien (Paris, 1888); Blondel, L'Apostol- icUe de Veglise de Sens (Sens, 1902) ; Boitv'ier, Histoire de I'eglise de Vancien archidiockse de Sens, I (Paris, 1906); Qcesvers and Steik. Inscriptions de Vancien diocise de Sens (Paris, 1904) ; Long- NON, PouilUsde la province de Sens (Paris, 1904) ; Vaudin, La cathe- draie de Sens' (Paris, 1882) ; Julliot, Armorial des archeviques de Sens (Sens, 1862); Aspikall, Les Scales episcopales monastiques dTancienne province de Sens (Paris, 1904); Ch:6re8T, Etudes his- lorigues sur Vezelay (Auxerre, 1868) ; Gally, Vezelay monasliqxie (Tonnerre. 1888).
Georges Goyaxj.
Sens, CocTNCiLS of. — A number of councils were held at Sens. The first, about 600 or 601, in conform- ity with the instructions of St. Gregory the Great, especially advised warfare against simony. St. Columbanus refused to attend it because the question of the date of Easter, which was to be dealt with, was dividing P'ranks and Bretons. A series of coun- cils, most of them concerned with the privileges of the Abbev of St. Pierre-le-Vif, were held in 657, 669 or 670, 846, 850, 852, 8.53, 862, 980, 986, 996, 1048, 1071, and 1080. The council of 1140, according to the terms of the letter Issued by Archbishop Henri Sang- lier, seems to have had no object but to impart solem- nity to the exposition of the rehcs with which he enriched the cathedral; but the chief work of this council, which included representatives from the Provinces of Sens and Reims, and at which St. Bernard a.ssi.sted, was the condemnation of Abelard's doctrine. The latter having declared that he appealed from the council to Rome, the bishops of both provinces, in two letters to Innocent II, insisted that the condemnation be confirmed. Dr. Martin Deutsch has placed this council in 1141, but the Abbe Vacandard has proved by the letter from Peter the Venerable to H61oise, by the "Continuatio Pra-monstrateneis", the "Continu- atio Valcellensis", and the list of the priors of Clair- vaux, that the date 1140, given by Baronius, is correct. The council of 1198 was concerned with the Manichsan sect of Poplicani, spread throughout Nivemais, to which the dean of Nevers and the Abbot of St-Martin de Nevers were said to have belonged. .After the council Innocent III chargofl his legate, Pfter of Capua, ancl Eudes de Sully, Bi.shop of Paris, with an investigation. Councils were also held in 1216, 1224 (for the condemnation of abook by Scotus Kriugena), 1239, 1252, 1253, 1269, 1280, 1315, 1320, 1460, 1485; most of them for disciplinary measures.
(i'lVrKK, QurU/urx nuitH Kur la date et I'ohjrt du premier ronrile de SeiiM in liullHir, <lr la KonHl; nrrhMoQiqne de Senn (1S77) ; DF.VTHctt, l)ie Synrttle. ton SfnK I l.',l u. die Vernrleilnng Ahdlardn. eine kirrh- enge.Kch. Untfmurhiina fBcrlin. IHHO); VAfANDAKo, La date du eonrile df. Seni, 1 1 .',0 in Rerue den qtxeidionH hixloriqueH, L (Paris, 1891). 235-45.
Georoeb Gotau.
Sentence (L. scntentia, judgment), in canon law
the decision of the court upon any issue brought be-
fore it. A sentence is definitive or interlocutory.
It is definitive or final, when it defines the principal
question in controversy. A definitive sentence is
absolutory, if it acquits the accused; condemnatory,
if it declares him guilty; declaratory, if it assert that
the accused committed a crime,' the penaltj- of
which is incurred ipso facto. An interlocuton,- sen-
tence is pronounced during the course of a trial to
settle some incidental point arising. It is of two
kinds: merely interlocutory; or having the force of
a definitive sentence, affecting the main cause at
issue, e. g., a declaration that the court is incom-
petent. A final sentence must be definitive, uncon-
ditional, given by the judge in court, in the presence
of the parties concerned or their agents, in writing
or dictated to the clerk to be inserted in the minutes
of the trial; it must be in keeping with the charge or
complaint, stating, if condemnatory, the sanction of
law for the punishment imposed and once pronounced,
it cannot be revoked by the same court. Inter-
locutor>^ sentences are given without special formali-
ties, and if merelj' interlocutory may be revoked by
the judge who issues them. (See Appeals.)
Decrelah. II, 27; Commentaries on same; Taunton, The Law of the Church, a. v.; Droste-Messmer, Canonical Procedure, etc.
Andrew B. Meehan.
Sept-Fons, Notre-Dame de Saint-Lieu, in the Diocese of Moulins in France, was founded (1132) by Guichard and Guillaume de Bourbon, of the family de Bourbon-Lancy, which gave kings to France, Italy, and Spain; this gave rise to the name "Royal Abbey". Thanks to the liberality of the founders, and to the energy of the abbot and community, the church was soon completed and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin; the monastery, with all the regular structures prescribed by the rule, was completed at the same time. After exliibiting generosity at the beginning, their founders and friends seem to have neglected them, for the monks found the burden of poverty so heavy, that they were even compelled to sell parts of the lands to supply the necessities of life. Until the Reform of 1663, the number of religious never exceeded 15. They were much encouraged, in their early days of trial, by a visit of St Bernard (1 138). At first the monastery was only known under the name of "Notre-Dame de Saint-Lieu"; it was only after a century that "Sept-Fons" was added, de- rived either from seven fountains or from seven canals leading water to, the Abbey. Adrian III took the monastery under his protection in 1158; and Alexander III ratified the foundation by Bull in 1164.
After the middle of the fifteenth century the in- cessant wars did not spare the abbey; frequently the religious were forced to leave it and see it despoiled of its goods, and its buildings demolished. Inevitably, under such circumstaiices, relaxation entered the monastery. In 1656 Ivustaciie de Beaufort, at the age of 20 years, wjis made abbot. For the first seven years there was no improvement; but after that time he resolved on a complete change. His religious — there were then but four — refusing to accept the new rule, were each granted a pension and flismissed. It was not long before a number of novices presented themselves for admission. They were sent to La Trappe, to make th(>ir novitiate under the Abbot de Ranci'". Dorn Eu.stache also visited the celebrated reformer for counsel and advice, in 1667. After this, with the royal aid, Sept-Fons was rebuilt on a gr.inder scale and pro.sperity continued until the mon.istery W!i8 confiscated at the Revolution, 1791. In 1845, when the Trappists of the Abbaye du Card were obligee! to abandon their monastery, their Abbot, Dom Stanislaus, purchased the ruins of the ancient Abbey
