[Was Claude Bernard an atheist?]

During his stay at Villefranche-sur-Saône College, Claude Bernard became acquainted with Ferdinand Donnet, appointed a short while ago, priest of the Parish. This priest became Cardinal and carried out his apostolate at Bordeaux for 47 years. 40 years after their meeting at Villefranche, Cardinal Donnet and Claude Bernard found again each other as "Sénateurs d'Empire" in Paris. In his writings, Claude Bernard never mentioned Religion: he rather gave impression, in many ways, of being anticlerical! Paul Bert and his colleagues looked upon Claude Bernard as a great priest of atheism. Shortly after his death, Cardinal Donnet wrote a letter where he entirely proved that Claude Bernard has been, on the contrary, a fervent catholic.