Pierre Olivaint
Encyclopedia
Life
His parents were not religious. At twenty Olivaint left home, and the College of Charlemagne, where he had studied, imbued him with the doctrines of VoltaireVoltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
. He wrote at this time: "I desire, if by any possibility I should become a priest, to be a missionary, and if I am a missionary to be a martyr."
In 1836, he entered the École Normale
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
. Led at first by Buchez's
Philippe Buchez
Philippe-Joseph-Benjamin Buchez , more commonly called Philippe Buchez, was a French historian, sociologist, and politician. He was the founder of the newspaper, L'Atelier, and he served briefly, in 1848, as the president of the Constituent National Assembly, which was then meeting at the Palais...
neo-Catholicism
Neo-Catholicism
Neo-Catholicism is a term that some traditionalist Catholics use to describe a set of beliefs pertaining to both theology and political ideology...
, then won by the sermons of Lacordaire
Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire
Jean-Baptiste Henri-Dominique Lacordaire , often styled Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, was a French ecclesiastic, preacher, journalist and political activist...
, he made his profession of faith to Father Ravignan
Gustave Delacroix de Ravignan
Gustave François Xavier Delacroix de Ravignan was a French Jesuit preacher and author. Educated in Paris, he resigned his army commission to study law. Auditor of the royal court...
(1837). At the École Normale he formed a Catholic group.
The Conferences of St. Vincent de Paul attracted the élite of the schools, and Olivaint with twelve of his companions established them in the parish of Saint Ménard. In 1836, Olivaint heard that Lacordaire was going to restore the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
in France. Several of his friends had already decided to follow Lacordaire; he had the duty of supporting his mother. After a year of professorship at Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, he returned to Paris, and occupied the chair of history at Bourbon College; in 1841 he accepted a position as tutor to the young George de la Rochefoucaud.
In 1842 Olivaint won the junior fellowship in a history competition. His lecture was on Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
, and M. Saint-Marc Girardin closed the assembly with these words: "We have just heard virtue, pleading the cause of virtue". At this time war was declared against the Jesuits. Quinet and Michelet changed their lectures into impassioned attacks against the society. On 2 May 1845, Thiers
Thiers
Thiers is a French surname. Notable persons with the surname include:*Adolphe Thiers , French statesman and historian*Louisa Thiers , American supercentenarian*Harry D...
was to conduct before the assembly an interpellation against these religious. Olivaint saw that it was his duty to be present. "I hesitated" he said to Louis Veuillot
Louis Veuillot
Louis Veuillot was a French journalist and author who helped to popularize ultramontanism ....
, "I hesitate no longer. M. Thiers shows me my duty. I must follow it. I enter to-day." And the day of the proposed interpellation he entered the novitiate of Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
.
After a year's novitiate he was made professor of history at the College of Brugelette
Brugelette
Brugelette is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Brugelette had a total population of 3,284. The total area is 28.40 km² which gives a population density of 116 inhabitants per km².- External links :*...
, in Belgium. On 3 May 1847, he made his first vows, and on the completion of theological studies he received holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
.
In the meanwhile the law of 1850 had established, in France, the right of controlling education. Olivaint was summoned to Paris, where he remained. On 3 May 1852, Pierre arrived at the College of Vaugirard of which the Jesuits had accepted charge. He was to spend thirteen years here, first as professor and prefect of studies, and then as rector. Among his works werr "L'oeuvre de L'Enfant Jésus pour la prèmiere communion des juenes filles pauvres", and "L'oeuvre de Saint François-Xavier" for the workmen of the parish of Vaugirard.
After twenty-five years devoted to teaching, Father Olivaint was named Superior of the House in Paris (1865). In the meantime, a spirit of revolt agitated Paris and spread throughout France. In January, 1870, Father Olivaint wrote, "Persecution is upon us; it will be terrible; we will pass through torrents of blood." T
On 4 April 1871, the fédéré
Fédéré
The term "fédérés" most commonly refers to the troops who volunteered for the French National Guard in the summer of 1792 during the French Revolution...
s arrested Mgr Darboy and several others. On the fifth, they took possession of the house on the Rue de Sèvres and Father Olivaint quietly gave himself up. On 24 May, Mgr Darboy and five other prisoners were executed; on the twenty-sixth, fifty-two victims, Father Olivaint marching at their head, were dragged through Paris and massacred in the Rue Haxo. The next day the Paris Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
was overthrown.
The remains of Father Olivaint and the four priests who fell with him (Fathers Ducoudray, Caubert, Clere, and de Bengy) were placed in a chapel in the Rue de Sèvres.