These priests were victims of the French Revolution. Though their
martyrdom spans a period of several years, they stand together in the Church’s
memory because they all gave their lives for the same principle. The Civil
Constitution of the Clergy (1791) required all priests to take an oath which
amounted to a denial of the faith. Each of these men refused and was executed.
John Francis Burté became a Franciscan at 16 and after ordination
taught theology to the young friars. Later he was guardian of the large
Conventual friary in Paris until he was arrested and held in the convent of the
Carmelites.
Appolinaris of Posat was born in 1739 in Switzerland. He joined
the Capuchins and acquired a reputation as an excellent preacher, confessor and
instructor of clerics. Sent to the East as a missionary, he was in Paris
studying Oriental languages when the French Revolution began. Refusing the
oath, he was swiftly arrested and detained in the Carmelite convent.
Severin Girault, a member of the Third Order Regular, was a
chaplain for a group of sisters in Paris. Imprisoned with the others, he was
the first to die in the slaughter at the convent.
These three plus 182 others—including several bishops and many
religious and diocesan priests—were massacred at the Carmelite house in Paris
on September 2, 1792. They were beatified in 1926.
John Baptist Triquerie, born in 1737, entered the Conventual
Franciscans. He was chaplain and confessor of Poor Clare monasteries in three
cities before he was arrested for refusing to take the oath. He and 13 diocesan
priests were guillotined in Laval on January 21, 1794. He was beatified in
1955.
Comment:
"Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was the motto of the French Revolution. If individuals have "inalienable rights," as the Declaration of Independence states, these must come not from the agreement of society (which can be very fragile) but directly from God. Do we believe that? Do we act on it?
"Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was the motto of the French Revolution. If individuals have "inalienable rights," as the Declaration of Independence states, these must come not from the agreement of society (which can be very fragile) but directly from God. Do we believe that? Do we act on it?
Quote:
“The upheaval which occurred in France toward the close of the 18th century wrought havoc in all things sacred and profane and vented its fury against the Church and her ministers. Unscrupulous men came to power who concealed their hatred for the Church under the deceptive guise of philosophy.... It seemed that the times of the early persecutions had returned. The Church, spotless bride of Christ, became resplendent with bright new crowns of martyrdom” (Acts of Martyrdom).
“The upheaval which occurred in France toward the close of the 18th century wrought havoc in all things sacred and profane and vented its fury against the Church and her ministers. Unscrupulous men came to power who concealed their hatred for the Church under the deceptive guise of philosophy.... It seemed that the times of the early persecutions had returned. The Church, spotless bride of Christ, became resplendent with bright new crowns of martyrdom” (Acts of Martyrdom).
No comments:
Post a Comment