The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-05-24


the imperial project of q national schism.
The life, from which we take the follow
ing particulars, is perhaps rather diffuse,
and occasionally gives undue prominence
to trivial circumstances. Some readers
might complain of the fullness with which
certain matters are detailed which seem to
belong rather to general history than to
biography but no more is given than is
necessary for right understanding of the
life. The author seems to have aimed at
rendering reference to other books unneces-
sary; and he win be thanked for his care
by many readers to whom the details of
modern French history may not be familiar.
Paul d'AstrOs was born at Tourves, a small
town near AK, in the year 1772, and he lived
till 1851. Being descended from families
long devoted to the practice of the law, he
imbibed in his infancy, and retained through
life, some of that spirit of upholding ma
tional liberties in opposition to the general
law of the Church, for which the old French
parliaments were notorious. Throughout
his life he was considered Gallican; but
his Ga1icanism never led him to renOunce
his character OF Catholic, and it is noticed
by his biOgrapher as remarkable, that on
four or five controverted questions only did
the rights of the Pope. D'Astros was a
precociOns child, but, as SO often happens,
his precocity was not the fOrerunner Of en-
inent intellectual gifts. For years he had
to contend, aud with moderate success,
against marked difficulty in expressing
his ideas, whether by speaking or writing !;
but the piety of his latter years was merely
the continuation and natural result of that
which adorned his infancy. He was early
destined for the ecclesiastical state, and,
receiving the tonsure when eight years of
age, he showed that he fully understood the
meaning Of the ceremony. On his return
from the bishops palace, his sister would
have taken hin, hv tl,nh hand off -
said the young cleric, withdrawing himself;
;" am cOnsecrated to God now"
According to the practice of the time, he
received benefce while yet boy, which
he lost on the seizure of all church property
by the government, in 1889. He was then
at liberty to renounce his clerical state, but
refused to do 80, and was in consequence
required to take the oath to the Civil Con-
stitutiOn of the Clergy. knowing, how
ever, that this oath had been condemned by
the Pope. he refused, and was forced to
leave his native place; but before long the
turn. However, neither the example of the
cure of the parish, who had been director
both of his conscience and of his studies,
nor that of many other priests around, could
induce him to comply with the demands of
the revolutionary party. The young man
could not argue the point with theological
reasoning, but, as he said, he felt that they
already strong in his heart.
Men were required for the revolutionary
armies, and the Able d'Astros was drawn
in the CONSUMPTION, and sent to the siege of
Toulon, where he met the future emperor
Napoleon. War, however, was not to his
taste, and soon continuing to desert, he de-
voted his time in assisting the few cour-
ageous priests who, at the peril of their
lives, ministered to such of the people as
remained faithful to the Church. While
engaged in these duties, d'Astros was often
out OF doors at unreasonable hours, and was
one night locked up by the constable as a
rogue and vagabOnd. A happy thought,
which he ever deemed a providential an
swer to prayer, suggested to him the means
of escape, and thus he was saved from the
certain death which awaited him when his
true character became known. On another
occasion, a furious mob surrounding the
house whittier an errand of charity had led
him, clamored for him to be delivered up to
them. He was, they said, an incorrigible
enemy of liberty. To save the house from
destruction, he showed himself, and holding
up crucitix before his assailants, he strove
to calm them. All was in vain, until Il
voice was heard to cry above the rest
. Let him alone F; he and made our first
communion together" The emotion pro-
duced by these words in the hearts of all,
saved the intended victim, and the recidi
rist was allowed to escape.
Inc persecution ceased IN the early part
of 1875. The Able d'Astros was ordained
priest, aud in 1900 he removed to Paris,
where he found his kinsman, NJ. Portals,
in the enjoyment of considerable influence
with General Bonaparte. When negotia-
lions were opened with the Pope with a
view to the reconciliation of France with
the Church, the business was entrusted to
NJ Portals, who, in his capacity Of minister
of worship, appointed dAstros his private
secretary. The young and unknown priest
thus found himself placed in Il position of
great responsibility the permanent inter
ests of religion depended in no triffing
degree upon his conduct. We cannot here
go into the particulars of the negotiations
which ended in the adoption of the Con-
cordat, and the solemi restoration of Cath
oiic worship on Easter Day, 1902. The