Practically every page in the history of the French Revolution is stained with blood. What is known in history as the Carmelite Massacre if 1792, added nearly 200 victims to this noble company of martyrs. They were all priests, secular and religious, who refused to take the schismatic oath, and had been imprisoned in the church attached to the Carmelite monastery in Paris. Among these priests were a Conventual, a Capuchin, and a member of the Third Order Regular.

John Francis Burte was born in the town of Rambervillers in Lorraine. At the age of 16 he joined the Franciscans at Nancy and there he also pronounced his solemn vows. In due time he was ordained a priest and for some time taught theology to the younger members of the order. He was at one time also superior of his convent.

After Pope Clement XIV, formerly a Conventual friar, had ordered the merging of the province of the Franciscans, to which John Francis belonged, with the Conventuals, Father john Francis was placed in charge of the large convent in Paris and encouraged his brethren to practice strict observance of the rule. His zeal for souls was outstanding, and he zealously guarded the rights of the Church in this troubled period of history.

When the French Revolution broke out, he was reported for permitting his priests to exercise their functions after they refused to take the infamous oath required by the government, and which was a virtual denial of their Faith. He was arrested and held captive with other priests in the convent of the Carmelites. His constancy in refusing to take the sacrilegious oath won for him a cruel martyrdom on September 2, 1792.

Apollinaris of Posat, who was John James Morel before his entrance into religion, was born near Friboug in Switzerland in 1739, and received his education from the Jesuits. In 1762 he joined the Capuchins in Zug and before long became a prominent preacher, a much-sought confessor, and an eminent instructor of the young clerics of the order/ He impressed on their minds the truth that piety and learning are the two eyes of a priest, and humility was a dominating virtue in his life.

In 1788 he was to be sent to the East as a missionary, and so he paused at Paris to study Oriental languages in preparation for his new appointment. But the French Revolution broke out while he was there, and because he steadfastly refused to take the oath of allegiance, he, too, was imprisoned in the Carmelite convent and suffered a cruel martyrdom on September 2, 1792.

The priest of the Third Order Regular was Blessed Severin, formerly George Girault, whose undaunted courage merited the grace to be numbered among these martyrs of Christ. He was born at Rouen in Normandy, and early in life joined the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. Because of his eminent mental gifts he was chosen a superior of his order. In the exercise of his priestly duties he  displayed marked zeal for souls, and as chaplain of the convent of St. Elizabeth in Paris he was a prudent director in the ways of religious perfection.

He was also summoned to take the civil oath, and upon his refusal to do this he was seized and confined in the Carmelite convent where so many other confessors of Christ were being detained. On September 2, while he was saying his Office in the convent garden, the raving assassins made him the first victim of their cruel slaughter.

These three members of the Franciscan Order, together with 182 other servants of God who suffered martyrdom at this time, were solemnly beatified by Pope Pius XI, and the Franciscan Order was granted permission to celebrate their feast annually with an Office and special Mass.

Love uCATHOLIC?
Get our inspiring content delivered to your inbox every morning - FREE!

4 COMMENTS

  1. HISTORY KNOWS NO SECRETS. HISTORY DESPISES SECRETS> the French revolution and the Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte indeed, had millions of victims, numbering by the millions. The illuminati of Bavaria and the Freemasons of the Grand Orient of France ( illuminized freemasonry) were the primal force of anti-Catholic anti-Christ bloodbath. this includes 16 carmelite nuns including their Prioress and countless priests and catholic lay. During the time of Napoleon (also a mason himself) , wanted to conquer Europe, confiscated Vatican lands, imprisoned the Pope (Pius VI) and allowed him to die in prison . the guillotine itself was a contraption widely used to make public executions expedient and was a device invented by a mason (dr.guillotine). this Revolution spread to other countries even in the Philippines under the Spanish Rule and had the same agenda as the European movements. most of the philippine heroes of the revolution were also masons themselves: jose rizal,m.h.del pilar,gen,antonio luna,andres bonifacio,gen. emilio aguinaldo, the 13 martyrs of cavite,juan luna,gen.llanera, etc etc. Aguinaldo had to eliminate gen. Luna and the Bonifacio brothers in order to eliminate rivalry and lead a cohesive revolution against Spain. but the americans entered the war and took over the philippines by force. Aguinaldo and cohorts had to change allegiance from the european lodges to the lodges in the usa. that,s why there was an easy american occupation after the philippine revolution vs Spain. when the Americans finally occupied the Philippines, most of the american governors were masons themselves. this was the start of the miseducation of the Filipinos masterminded by the USA in connivance with locals. However, God has plans for our nation and it is still predominanly Catholic at least 70-80%. masonry still dominates the elite and still manages to undermine the Church and its catholic faithful and will continue to do so for as long as it exists .

    • Are you suggesting that Robespierre was some demonic Terrorist? Or buy into the theory that Robespierre was actually of Jewish heritage (Ruben (robes) + stein (pierre) ? And that he and other Jewish illuminati hoped to destroy Christianity in France? henry_westin@hotmail.com

  2. If flooding is caused by dirty water, which is water contaminated
    by pathogens, sewage and chemical waste, the items it comes in contact with must
    be professionally cleaned and sanitized or tossed altogether.
    Chicago water damage restoration may be the ideal partner that you simply can lean to
    if you want water restoration services. Water damage restoration technicians in Houston work to get homes back
    to normal as much as possible.

  3. Put the WET phone to a Zip-Lock bag and ship it to
    a cell phone water damage repair specialist immediately.

    Some basements will certainly drip water during times of hefty rainfall, which water will
    rest on the basement floor and damage every little thing it
    contacts. Contact your insurance company for reducing the overburden of restoration.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here