Ephrem Longpré

Longpré, Ephrem

Ephrem Longpré, historian, philosopher (b at Woonsocket, RI 24 Aug 1890; d at Paris, France 19 Oct 1965). His defence of the philosophy of Joannes Duns Scotus played a role in the background of Vatican II and in the opening of Catholic thought to traditions other than that of St Thomas. Longpré's French Canadian parents returned to farm at Upton, Qué, when he was 4. He was educated at Montréal, where he joined the Franciscan order. He was cured of a serious illness at age 18 after an intervention by Brother ANDRÉ.

Longpré studied in Rome and then worked in Florence and Paris. His study of Scotus, whose philosophy combines a subtle metaphysics of community with a strong sense of the importance of individuality, strengthened his convictions about human freedom, and he was hunted by the Gestapo throughout much of the war. His resistance work was acknowledged by the French and British governments. His most important work is La Philosophie du B. Duns Scot (1924).