The Liberal Illusion

by Louis Veuillot, Richard Williamson (Introduction)

Poems, Schemas, Introduction, and Chapter Summaries by Bishop Richard Williamson Louis Veuillot’s mid-19th century condemnation of liberal Catholicism throws a flood of light on the crisis of Church and world following on the Second Vatican Council. Catholics who read The Liberal Illusion will grasp, once and for all, that the crisis is primarily due not to Vatican II, but to a centuries-long struggle between Revelation and Revolution. Vatican II was merely a decisive moment in that struggle when power within the Church passed from the servants of Revelation to the deluded victims of the Revolution. This edition offers readers a pictographic overview and outline in the form of a unique fold-out insert to provide them with a thread to connect together the 38 chapters. Bishop Williamson helped us to prepare this book to be studied. The Schema at the front unfolds so the chapter numbers are exposed, giving the reader Main Parts, Subdivisions, Tickets for Chapters, and One-line Summaries. This chart gives a horizontal breakdown of the book. The Game Plan is available on the reverse side. This chart-like analysis is a vertical breakdown of the main principles (whether they be right or wrong) and their consequential sub-principles which have become the battle cries of modernity. Each short chapter is preceded by a crunch paragraph summarizing its contents authored by Bishop Williamson.

Genres: Catholic, Politics, Nonfiction, Religion

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1866

About the author

Journalist and writer, b. at Boynes, Loiret, 11 Oct., 1813; d. in Paris, 7 April, 1883. He was the son of a poor cooper and at the age of thirteen was obliged to leave the primary schools and earn his living, obtaining a modest position with a Paris attorney, the brother of the then famous poet Casimir Delavigne. The poet's friends frequented the lawyer's studio, even the clerics among them being more or less engaged in literary pursuits, and in these surroundings the youthful Veuillot became conscious of his vocation as a writer. He was encouraged by some well-intentioned friends, some of whom gave him advice and lessons. He devoted every free moment, especially at night, to the study of literature and history. At seventeen he was the editor of a newspaper at Rouen, and shortly after of another at Perigueuz. Attention was soon drawn to his talent as manifested in his style and wit and he was called to enter Parisian journalism, where his successes followed one another rapidly. But he was troubled to know what political party he should adopt definitively. Political questions under discussion at that time (reign of Louis-Philippe) did not seem interesting to the young writer, imbued with eagerness and strength. He did not despise religion, but he lacked almost any conception of it, and he complained that he did not know what use to make of his life and his devotion. A friend who had just turned to the practice of religion took him to Rome and there he discovered the splendours of faith. When he returned to Paris he had sworn to devote himself completely to the cause of Catholicism.

In France at that time this cause had very few resolute and active partisans. The Government declared itself favourable to religion, but it also feared to displease the public, still more or less animated by the prejudices and hatreds diffused by Voltaire and the Revolution. Veuillot wrote several works entirely devoted to depicting the beauty of Christian doctrine and life and then he found the journal of which he stood in need, the "Univers", which had been established some years previously and was still unknown and almost without financial resources. At this juncture friends of Veuillot's in official positions offered him an enviable post. He had as yet acquired no fortune, being content to gain a livelihood and to assist his family, but he refused all the advantages offered him and became a Catholic journalist, resolved never to be anything else. The chief question then being discussed (1843-50) was liberty of teaching, which was claimed by the Catholics headed by Montalembert. Transformed by the ardour and talent of Veuillot, the "Univers" became the organ of the party and contributed greatly to its ultimate success. But this struggle was long and impassioned. The unbelieving Press and, in general, even that which claimed or imagined itself to be favourable to religion, passionately opposed the Catholic journalist. The widespread prejudices would not suffer Catholics to display daring, talent, or wit. These three qualities Veuillot possessed abundantly, and the use he made of them won him not only much renown and admiration but also inflexible hatred. In 1844 he was sentenced to a month's imprisonment for having in the "Univers" undertaken the defence of the Abbé Combalot, a preacher whom the Government had just condemned in connection with the controversy concerning the university. Even among Catholics there was a party which always remained hostile to him. After the partial triumph of liberty of instruction (1850), Veuillot found himself in conflict with his former friend Montalembert, with bishops (especially Mgr Dupanloup), and other persons who reproached him with carrying doctrinal intransigentism too far and with defending religion with too great violence, though all he asked for the Church was mere liberty.

Under the Second Empire this double conflict continued. Veuillot combated free-thinking, which assumed a philosophical charact

Reviews

[Roger Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The French have a saying: "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose": "The more things change, the more they stay the same." That paradox is most apt for this little volume.

For on the one hand, Louis Veuillot's 1866 book concerns a lost world, that lost world of Nineteenth Century Catholic France, overwhelmed by Republican France ...

On the other hand, how heartwrenchingly relevant so much of it remains today!

Who was Louis Veuillot? He was, among other things, a titanic figure in Nineteenth Century France - a crusading Catholic journalist, poet, novelist and more - an Ultramontanist who was battling for everything he held dear.

And when the Apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858, Veuillot was among the first to arrive. As a journalist, he was instrumental in putting Lourdes 'on the map'.

Writing this book in the 1860s, Veuillot sees Catholic France endangered on every front by the ongoing Revolution. Because for Veuillot, the Revolution did not end in the 1790s, when the Revolution murdered the king, thousands of nobility and priests and carried out its genocidal 'scorched earth' campaign in the Vendée.

No, by 1866 when Veuillot wrote this book, the genocide was over - but the same revolutionary fervour carried on in France, albeit by less bloody means.

Whereas Republican France at least claimed to be concerned with rights to liberty and equality, Veuillot was concerned - with good reason - that it was destroying 'the greatest, most illustrious and most necessary of the rights of man - which is the right to know and serve God'.

Indeed!

For Veuillot, then, the situation of Catholic France provides nothing other than a very, very stark choice: Revolution versus Revelation.

The first option, Veullot maintains, is for a society based on the de-Christianised philosophy of the Revolution - leading to Godlessness and cultural decay.

The second option is for a Christian society that continues to uphold the Church and her traditions.

And what is the Liberal Illusion?

The Liberal Illusion, according to Veuillot, is the fallacy that a third, compromise choice is possible. According to that fallacy, he says, one does not need to choose between being a Catholic faithful to the Tradition or a secularist faithful to the Revolution. It is the fallacy that one can choose a little of the Revolution and a little of Relevation - and end up with Liberal Catholicism.

For Veuillot is clear: if you try to do this - you will have abandoned the Church and joined the Revolution.

The Liberal Illusion is a passionate, poignant and pious cry from the heart: Liberal Catholicism will not and cannot work!

And herein lies its eerie, unsettling relevance today.

Today, we are still witness to the failure of Liberal Catholicism - in terms clearly envisaged 150 years ago by Veuillot. For example - just one example! - Veuillot confronts head-on the notion, which still resounds in Liberal Catholic circles today, that the Church can win popular appeal by accommodating Herself to 'the spirit of the age'.

Veuillot points out that rather than bringing people into the Church, the actual result is more like a exit door from the Church into the world ...

Oui ... plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!

This is a shorter version of a longer review with quotes from the book at my website here: http://corjesusacratissimum.org/2012/...

[Dylan Groves · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing fortifies faith in liberalism like reading its most overheated critics

[Lillian N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about Liberal Catholics.

A Liberal Catholic...
...is seductive

Christ the King...
...is Saviour

"Liberty is God-given."

"We must try to move with the times."

"We can compromise."

"Compromise works."

Liberal Catholicism in action means endless splits, State control, ruin of the poor. In brief, Liberal Catholicism has no value, no future. The Liberal Illusion as being losers for God's truth is glorious.

"Freedom or Truth? Which of the two comes first? If it be Truth, many lies will be prevented. But if it be freedom, untruths worse and worst, will yet as freedom's glory be presented."

(from the back of the book)

[Hafl · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's right.

[Fernando Ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

As invectivas de Veuillot contra o liberalismo parido pela Revolução Francesa continuam atuais e pertinentes. Na verdade, pode-se mesmo dizer que muito do que ele afirmou nesse "A Ilusão Liberal" confirmou-se terrivelmente: «[a] humanidade, enfraquecida pelo pecado, inclina-se naturalmente ao erro, e o erro tem propensão à morte, ou melhor, o erro é a morte». O que ele não anteviu é que a Igreja, em grande medida, viria a ser seduzida, especialmente a partir da segunda metade do século passado, pela «ilusão liberal».