Chapter 17

The French Revolution

PART I

From Revolution to Republic

The First Estate

• Clergy• Divided

between wealthy

• Influential clerics and poor parish priests

The Second Estate

• Nobles• Exempted

themselves from taxation

• Refused to modernize the economic structure

The Third Estate

• 97% of the population

• Could not claim nobility

• Exempted themselves from taxes (bourgeoisie)

• Poor/urban workers and rural peasants

Estates General

• Came together to organize the three estates (by the nobility)

• The first and third estate rejected the nobility

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

• All men are equal/have rights to liberty, property, security, and resistance

• Opened the persecution of the Church

• Could practice any religion

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy

• Church property/wealth seized to help balance budget

• Clergy could not leave their parishes for more than two weeks

• Outlawed the publication of papal documents

Bl. Fr. William Chaminade

• Bordeaux, France • Defied Civil

Constitution of the Clergy

• Underground • Formed Society

of Mary (Marianist)

Bl. Fr. William Chaminade

• Christians needed to bring the story of Jesus/Good News to life through their daily activities

• Example to follow: Mary • …do whatever He tells you.

Venerable Sr. Adele

• Daughters of Mary Immaculate

• Created female lay communities/ convent

• United with Fr. Chaminade in face of persecution

Marie Thèrése

• Gathered parishioners for prayer, religious instruction, spiritual guidance, secret Masses

• Spent time counseling Prostitutes after the Revolution

PART II

The Death of Louis XIV and the Age of the Revolutionary Republic

The “De-Christianization” of France

• The Reign of Terror• Missionary Reps:

• Closed down Churches /basilicas• Killed priests who tried to flee• Seized the Cathedral of Notre Dame/dedicated it to the “Goddess of Reason”

Deistic Religion

• Mass replaced with civil ceremonies.

• Pagan Cults centered upon justice, liberty, and equality

• Saint’s days were replaced with festivals dedicated to justice, etc.

The Directory

• Extremely hard on the Church• Oppressed priests who would not

take an Oath to the Republic• Refused to replace bishops• Reigned under Napoleon

Pope Pius VII

• Goal: To revive the Christian Faith

• Sympathized with the movement for liberty/equality/justice

• Saw that the French were using unjust means to gain rights

• Christ is the fulfillment of these rights

PART IIINapoleon Bonaparte

Concordat of 1801

• Guaranteed the free and public practice of Catholicism

• Civil authorities could only interject in matters of public safety

• Bishops reduced• Napoleon could

nominate bishops• France agreed to

compensate the Church for loss of property

The Organic Articles

• Prohibited the publication of papal documents/council decrees without consent from the government

• Gallican Catechism • Limited the administrative powers

of the bishops

Emperor Napoleon vs. Pope Pius VII

• “Napoleonic Code”– Religious

denominations equal

– Freedom of religious practices

– Civil marriage and divorce

– Church heavily restricted

Napoleon vs. Pope Pius VII

• Pope Pius: - Asked to annul Napoleon’s

brother’s marriage- Refused to join Continental System

Napoleon vs. Pope Pius VII

• Napoleon: - Threatened to

abolish priestly celibacy

- Suppressed religious orders

- Established a French Patriarch

- Ordered troops to Rome

Napoleon vs. Pope Pius VII

• Napoleon:- Seized papal

states - Assumed

jurisdiction over the pope

- Issued a salary to the pope

- Restricted papal power

- Arrested/excommunicated the pope