The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-02-24
GENESIS OF ST. PAUL DIOCESE
THE FRENCH VILLAGE OF MONT
LUEL Is INTIMATELY ASSoCl-
ATED WITH THE EARLY HIS
TORY OF THE CHURCH IN MIN
NESOTA.

NEsoTA.
written for The Catholic Bulletin.)
To get at the genesis of the Episco-
pal See Of ST. Paul we must go back
to little village in France, the birth
place of our first bishop, the sanity
Joseph Cretin.
Montluel, from Mons Lupi" (Wolf
Mountain) is situated in a beautiful
plain at the foot of a range of high
hills, about fifteen miles east of Lyons.
1t is a typical French village and of
great antiquity, tracing it's history back
to the Roman era. Portions of the
walls and towers of the Roman fortifi-
cations are still visible. The River
Seine, usually a placid stream, but
occasionally roaring torrent restrain
ed only by the high stone walls that
enclose it, flows through the town. A
magnificent avenue of ancient linden
trees extends nearly the whole length
of the village. There are three
churches in Montluel, namely, st.
Etienne, Notre Dame and st. Bartel-
emy, the latter crowning the summit
of the high hill overlooking the village.
A latin Inscription over the door of the
latter reads as follows: "In the year
of our Lord 1889 this church was
founded by Lord Humbert, Lord of
Montluel, and Lady Louise de la Tour,
his wife, in honor of the blessed Apos-
tie ST. Bartholomew" A little to the
north stand the ivey-grown ruins of
the castle of Montluel. Half way up
the hill stands the house in which Bish-
op Cretin of st. Paul lived. Nor was
he the first bishop given to the church
by Montluel Centuries before, Lord
Humbert de la Tour accidentally
dropped his infant son from one of the
castle windows, and in his despair
retired from the world, entered a
Dominican monastery and ultimately.
became Archbishop of Rheims. Later,
Godfrey, son of Lord John of Mont
luel, entered the church and at the
death of Gregory TX, was elected pope
under the title of Celestin w on Oc-
tober, 27, 1241.
Montluel was also the birth place
of Father Ledon one of the early pas
tors of the st. Paul Cathedral.
About six miles east of Montluel is
the town of Meximieux, where at the
Petit Seminaire of that name the visi-
tor is shown two Latin grammars, one
inscribed on the fly leaf; John Ire
land" the other Thomas O'Gorman," /"
another archbishop and bishop of the
Province Of st. Paul, Minnesota. This
little village was also the home of the
late Father Genis of st. Paul and
Father Cotton known both in France
and Minnesota as "the priest with the
wooden legs"
Like Oberammergau and its PAS
sion Play" Montluel has its public pro-
cession on St. Marks day, beautiful
medieval custom in vogue since the
year 1922 in fulfillment of VOW made
in gratitude for the sudden cessation
of the plague.
1t is headed by the excellent village
band of some thirty-six musicians fol-
lowed by all the religious societies of
the town with banners and regalia.
Then comes the magistrate in state
followed by a little child about four
years old dressed in sheep skins and
leading a white lamb by pink ribbon
to represent St. John the Baptist. Then
follows the Christ-child, little fiaxen-
haired boy less than three years old,
clad in red tunic with rope around
his neck, a tiny crown of thorns on
his head and carrying cross about
four feet long on his shoulders. Two
little girls in white wearing gold san
dals and large wings to represent
angels come next, and they are fol-
lowed by flower girls, acolytes, GEN.
sor bearers, and torch-bearers, then
four men carrying magnificent red
velvet canopy embroidered in gold and
surmounted with ostrich plumes under
Blessed Sacrament guarded by gems
darmes with drawn swords and the
"Pompier," or fire brigade with rifles
and helmets.
The solemn cortege wends it's way
along the beautiful avenue and back
through the Grand Rue to Notre Dame
where it started. On several occasions
when revisiting France, Archbishop Ire.
land as preacher and Bishop O'Gorman
as celebrant, have participated in this
ancient procession to the great delight
of the inhabitants.
Surely the Archdiocese of st. Paul
owes much to the little French village
of Montluel and the Petit Seminaire dc
Meximieux.