Edmond Paris - The Secret History of the Jesuits

Christ's vicar acknowledged profusely the services of this famous society which worked so hard and well in his favour. These "sons of Satan" as some brave ecclesiastics qualified them, are all tarnished, but they can, in return, boast about the august testimonial of complete satisfaction accorded to them by the deceased pope S.S. Pius XII whose confessor, we know, was a German Jesuit.

In this text, published by "La Croix" on the 9th of August 1955, we can read:

"The Church does not want auxiliaries of another type than those of this Company... may the sons of Loyola strive to follow the footprints of former ones..."

Today, like yesterday, they are doing just that, to the great evil of the nations.

88 Section IV

Chapter 7

The Jesuits in France from 1870 until

1885

The collapse of the Empire should, it seems, have brought about a reaction against the ultramontane spirit in France. But it was not so as Adolphe Michel shows:

"When the throne fell into the mud of Sedan on the 2nd of December, when France was definitely defeated, when the Assembly of 1871 met at Bordeaux, while waiting to come to Versailles, the clerical party was more audacious than ever. In all the disasters befalling the homeland, it spoke as master. Who wouldn't remember the Jesuits' presumptuous manifestations and their insolent threats during these past few years? Like a certain Father Marquigny announcing the civil burial of the principles of '89; or M. de Belcastel, on his own authority, dedicating France to the Sacred-Heart; the Jesuits erecting a church on the hill of Montmartre, in Paris, and so defying the Revolution; the bishops prompting France to declare war on Italy in order to reestablish the temporal power of the pope..."(54) Gaston Bally explains very well the reason for that apparently paradoxical situation: "During that cataclysm, the Jesuits, as always, quickly went back into their hole, leaving the Republic to get herself out of the muddle as best she could. But when most of the work had been done, when our territory was delivered from the Prussian invasion, the black invasion started again and "pulled the chestnuts out of the fire". The land was just emerging from a kind of nightmare, a terrible dream, and it was just the right time to get hold of the panic-striken masses".(55)

But is it not the same after every war? It is an incontestable fact that the Roman Church has always benefited from the great public disasters; that death, misery and sufferings of every kind incite the masses to search for illusive consolations in pious practices. In that way, the power of those who (54) Adolphe Michel: op.cit., pp.72, 73.

(55) (56) and (57) Gaston Bally, op.cit., pp. 101,107,108,109.

THE JESUITS IN FRANCE FROM 1870 UNTIL 1885

89

let loose these disasters is strengthened, if not increased, by the victims themselves. As far as that is concerned, the two world wars had the same consequences as the one of 1870.

Then, France was conquered; on the other hand, it was a brilliant victory for the Company of Jesus when, in 1873, a law was passed, allowing the building of a basilica of the Sacred-Heart on Montmartre Hill. This church, said to be a "National wish", by a cruel irony no doubt, was going to materialise in stone the triumph of Jesuitism, at the place where it commenced its life.

At first glance, this invocation to the Sacred-Heart of Jesus extolled by the Jesuits may seem, though basely idolatrous, quite innocent.

"To realise the danger", wrote Gaston Bally, "we must look behind the facade, witness the manipulation of souls and see the aim of their various associations: the Brotherhood of "Perpetual Adoration"; the Brotherhood of the "Guard of Honour", the Apostolate of Prayer, the Reparative Communion, etc, etc. The brotherhoods, associates, apostles, missionaries, worshipers, zealots, guards of honour, restorers, mediators and other federates of the Sacred-Heart seem to intend exclusively to, as Mademoiselle Alacoque invited them to, unite their homage to those of the nine choirs of Angels.

So, in reality, it is far from innocent. "The brotherhoods stated their aims many times. They couldn't accuse me of slandering them; I will but quote a few passages from their most clear declarations and gather up their confessions.

"Public opinion was shocked with the remarks of Father Olivier when the victims of the Bazaar of Charity were buried. The monk had seen in the catastrophe only another proof of divine clemency. God was saddened by our "mistakes" and was inviting us, gently, to make amends.

"This seemed monstrous. The building of the Basilica on Montmartre was a result of the same "thought", but this was forgotten".(56) What was then the terrible sin France had to confess? The aforementioned author answers: "...THE REVOLUTION".

This is the abominable crime we must "expiate".

"And the Basilica of the Sacred-Heart symbolises France's repentance (Sacratissimo cordi Jesu Gallioe poenitens et devoter); it expresses also our firm intention to repair the wrong-doings. It is a monument of expiation and reparation..."(57)

"Save Rome and France in the name of the Sacred-Heart", became the anthem of the Moral Order.

"So we were able to hope against all hopes", wrote the Abbe Brugerette,

"and expect from the "pacified heaven" some time or other the great event of the restoration of order and the salvation of the homeland."(58) It seems though that "heaven", angered with the France of the rights of

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THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE JESUITS

man, was not "pacified" enough by the erection of the famous basilica, the three candle snuffers, as the "restoration of order", or rather the monarchical restoration, was slow in coming. The same author explains it in the following manner:

"Even though the grandiose manifestations of the Catholic faith, during the years following the war of 1870, may seem impressive, it would be a lack of the sense of observation if French society of that epoch was judged only on the grounds of that exterior piety; we would also be lacking in psychological spirit and be outside the truth. We must wonder then if the religious sentiment was a direct answer, for the whole of that society, to the expression of faith revealed by the imposing pilgrimages organised by the bishops and the earnestness of the masses in the churches...

"Without wanting to attentuate in any way the importance of the religious move in France brought about by the two wars of 1870 and 1914, which also raised such high hopes, we must nevertheless admit that this revival of the faith had not the depth, nor the extent which a true religious renewal would have...

"For, even then, the Church of France was unfortunately comprised of not only thousands of unbelievers and adversaries, but also a very large number of those who were catholics only by name and not conviction. Religious practices were performed, not by conviction, but rather from habit...

"Soon after it was done, France seemed to regret the desperate move which made her send a Catholic majority to the National Assembly, for, five months later, she reversed her position at the complementary elections of the 2nd of July! On that day, the country was to elect 113 deputies. It was a complete defeat for the Catholics and victory for between 80 to 90

Republicans. All the elections following that consultation of universal suffrage had the same character of republican and anticlerical opposition. It would be childish to pretend that they were not the expression of society's sentiments and wishes".(59)

The Abbe Brugerette, speaking about the great pilgrimages organised at that time for the "uplifting of the country", admits that they were the cause of

"some mistakes and excesses" which aroused the suspicions of the "Church's adversaries".