France -- Civilization; France -- Politics and government; France -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
[Footnote 5279: Someone who, like me, have lived through the attempted
Communist conquest of the world, in Eastern Europe, in China, Korea,
Vietnam and other conquered territories, the terrible experiences of
those imprisoned in re-education camps, come to mind. Did Lenin have
Taine translated? Did Lenin and Stalin use this description of catholic
brainwashing as their model? We might never find out. (SR.)]
[Footnote 5280: One of these enduring effects is the intense faith of
the prelates, who in the 18th century believed so little. At the present
day, not made bishops until about fifty years of age, thirty of which
have been passed in exercises of this description, their piety has
taken the Roman, positive, practical turn which terminates in devotions
properly so called. M. Emery, the reformer of Saint-Sulpice, gave the
impulsion in this sense. ("Histoire de M. Emery," by Abbé Elie Méric, p.
115 etc.) M. Emery addressed the seminarians thus: "Do you think that,
if we pray to the Holy Virgin sixty times a day to aid us at the hour
of death, she will desert us at the last moment?"--" He led us into the
chapel, which he had decked with reliquaries.... He made the tour of it,
kissing in turn each reliquary with respect and love, and when he found
one of them out of reach for this homage, he said to us, 'Since we
cannot kiss that one, let us accord it our profoundest reverence!'...
And we all three kneeled before the reliquary."--Among other episcopal
lives, that of Cardinal Pie, bishop of Poitiers, presents the order of
devotion in high relief. ("Histoire du cardinal Pie," by M. Bannard,
II.,348 and passim.) There was a statuette of the Virgin on his bureau.
After his death, a quantity of paper scraps, in Latin or French, written
and placed there by him-were found, dedicating this or that action,
journey or undertaking under the special patronage of the Virgin or St.
Joseph. He also possessed a statuette of Our Lady of Lourdes which never
was out of his sight, day or night. "One day, having gone out of
his palace, he suddenly returned, having forgotten something--he had
neglected to kiss the feet of his Heavenly Mother."--Cf. "Vie de Mgr.
Dupanloup," Abbé Lagrange, I., 524. "During his mother's illness, he
multiplied the novenas, visited every altar, made vows, burnt candles,
for not only had he devotion, but devotions... On the 2d of January,
1849, there was fresh alarm; thereupon, a novena at Saint-Geneviève and
a vow--no longer the chaplet, but the rosary. Then, as the fête of Saint
François de Sales drew near a new novena to this great Savoyard saint;
prayers to the Virgin in Saint-Sulpice; to the faithful Virgin; to the
most wise Virgin, everywhere."]
[Footnote 5281: "Manreze du prêtre," I., 27, 29, 30, 31, 35, 91, 92,
244, 246, 247, 268.]
[Footnote 5282: Ibid. I., 279, 281, 301, 307, 308, 319.]
[Footnote 5283: Just like the believing faithful 20th century
international revolutionary Marxist-communist. (SR.)]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account