Marthe de Noaillat. Apostle of Christ the King

Irish Jesuit Province

Marthe de Noaillat. Apostle of Christ the KingAuthor(s): Charlotte KellySource: The Irish Monthly, Vol. 61, No. 715 (Jan., 1933), pp. 52-60Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20513441 .

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52

MARTHE DE NOAILLAT. APOSTLE OF CHRIST THE KING.

BY CHARLOTTE KIELLY.

HEN Pius XI., in his Encyclical published in V/ V December, 1925, solemnly proclaimed the

Supreme and Sovereign Kingship of Jesus Christ, and instituted the feast which we have recently celebrated, he did so in response to a universal appeal on the part of the people of Christendom. Devotion to Christ the King has spread rapidly, particularly in Ireland where it is hoped in the near future to erect a statue in His honour. Yet how many are there who have ever even heard the name of the valiaint French woman to whose unceasing efforts the success of that appeal was largely due?

Marthe de Noaillat was one of the most remarkable women of her time in France. Born at Crotoy ii the Department of the Somme in 1865, she combined a, life of marvellous sanctity and rigorous austerity with the endless dutiets and responsibilities of a great social worker. As a young girl, she made several efforts to enter religion, but on each occasion her health broke down and she finally resigned herself to living in the world. For many years she lived in Paris, first as Directress of the Cours Bossuet and later as an active member and indefatigable lecturer of the Ligue Patrio tique des F'rangaises, an association of French women pledged to resist by every means in their power the anti-religious laws. It was in the course of this work that she met Georges de Noaillat, a, young French lawyer, who had rendered valuable assistance to the

Ligue, and it was from him that she first heard of the fociete du ReFgne. This Socit6, whose work she was to make her own, had for its object the establishment of the feast of Christ the King, and had been instituted in 1876 at Paxray-le-Monial, by the saintly Baron Sena chaga. Georges de Nonaillat became a member of it,



MARTHE DE NOAILLAT 53

when on a visit to Paray, as a young man, and at the

time of his marriage to Marthe in 1911, he was the Baron's mast ardent helper.

It was not however until 1919 that, following the Baron's death, M. and Mme. de Noaillat went to live in Paray, where Georges succeeded Senachaga as Presi dent of the Soci6t6 and Director of the Museum of the Hierop. The Hieron, which was both a, museum of

sacred art and a centre of religious activity, was visited by every pilgrimage which came to Paray, and was therefore a most profitable field of labour for Marthe's apostolic spirit. Scarcely was she installed in Paray than her ardent zeal for the glory of God prompted her to make a- definite effort to obtain the formal proclama

tion of the Kingship of Christ, and the institution of a feast in His honour. An attempt had already been made in 1881 by an Italian Jesuit, Fr. Sanno Solaro of Turin,

who obtained the signatures of 26 Cardinals and Bishops in Italy and 13 Archbishops and Bishops of South America, but his petition, presented to the. Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1899, was judged inopportune and met with no success. Now, twenty

years later, a laywoman was to attempt what the

eminent Jesuit had not been able to accomplish. Marthe's decision met with discouragement on every side, but she remained firm in her conviction that the formal proclamation, by the Holy See of the Kingship of Christ and the institution of the feast, would be a direct blow struck at that spirit of materialism which insisted so loudly on the rights of man, while ignoring those of God. So turning a deaf ear to all objections she proceeded to lay her proposal before the Archbishop of Tours, who cordially approved it. The next step was the preparation of a formal petition to be laid before the Pope. This petition, drawn up by Marthe and which in her humility she submitted for correction to her husband and sister-in-law, was the document

which in its original form was to be signed by no less thain 779 Princes of the Church and Generals of Orders.

Mgr. Berthoin, Bishop of Autun, consented to place



54 THE IRISIH MONTHLY

it in the hands of the Pope, and M. and Mine. de Noaillat went to Rome to await the result. The reply came prompt\y through the Bishop's vicaire: "Benedict XV has deigned to listen to your petition, but while he commends its spirit he cannot consent to receive it from

Monseigneur. Before the feast of Christ the King can be instituted, the Pope must be assured of the universal consent of the people of Christendom, expressed through their Bishops. The Head of the Church will not accept this petition until it is signed. by the majority of the

Bishops of the world. This is the task, with which he charges your Soci6te. It is certainly a great under taking, but Monseigneur knows that you are not afraid of work."

Marthe's disappointment was extreme, but she re ceived the decision in silence, and after a few minutes began to discuss with her husband the plans to be made, that they might set about their stupendous task without delay.

Owing to the celebrations in honour of the canonisa tion of Margaret Mary, a great number of the Hierarchy

were in Rome and before Marthe returned to Paray she and her husband interviewed 9 Cardinals, 16 Bishops, 5 Generals of Orders, and several important superiors and influential prelates. They did not meet

with unqualified success by any means, for their very position as members of the laity caused them to be re ceived with an astonishment that in many cases was niot unmixed with hostility. And it is a, fact worth noting that on no occasion did Marthe, face to face with some of the most eminent doctors and greatest theologians of the Church, ever find herself at a loss.

Back at Paray, in the midst of an always increasing pressure of work, these two apostles of Christ the King continued their efforts to obtain the Bishops' signatures to their petition. Lectures, meetings, conferences fol lowed one another, and for Georges de Noaillat fre quent journeys to Paris, where he interviewed not only members of the Church, but also writers, journalists, social workers of all kinds. Not content with obtaining




the signatures of the greater number of the Hierarchy, which was what the Pope stipulated, they endeavoured to interest the heads of religious orders, the clergy, even the influential laymen of France and beyond it. The Bishops were personally visited, wherever possible, but for those abroad an intermediary had to be found and instructed.

Here they were greatly helped by the Pere Calot, S.J., Director of the Apostleship of Prayer, who from 1922 to 1926 was largely instrumental in obtaining more than 400 signatures for them. When the first fifty had, been procured, their task became ea-sier. The work had then passed its initial stage and had begun to demand and receive the attention of the Church.

In 1921, the second year of the campaign undertaken by the Societe du RMgne, a, crisis arose, which to one less assured of her mission than Marthe, might have

meant a collapse of all her hopes. One of the French Cardinals when asked for his signature appealed to the Pope for his opinion on the work of Paray-le-Monial. Receiving a complete disavowal of all approval, the signature was not only refused, but the very existence of the Societ6 was threatened. Marthe was urged to give up her work, to let it sink into oblivion. But her confidence was unshaken, and her reply definite. "c The response from Rome is only what can be expected. The

Holy Father wishes to know the opinion of the Bishops. If they are influenced by Rome that opinion is value less; it is no longer an indication of the feelings of the

Christian people. His Holiness desired the Bishop of Autun to obtain a universal referendum. This task has been given to our fociCt6. Nothing has happened to change our orders, and far from ceasing work, we must

make still greater efforts to increase the number of signatures." This unerring decision, coupled with the warm support of the Bishop of Autun, salved the situa tion and the work went on.

The year 1922, the year of the Pope's death and the election of Pius XI, saw a decided advance. The Eucharistic Congress brought Marthe and her husband



56 THE IRISH MONTHLY

to Rome, where they obtained an interview with Car dinal Gasparri. His Eminence read the petition which they presenited to him with close attention and rejoiced their hearts by his cordial approval and his promise to obtain a private audience for them with the Pope.

The audience which took place a few dAys later sur passed their highest hopes. The Holy Father received them with paternal kindness and listened attentively to their requests. Then he not only warmly commended the work of the Socidtt du Regne, but invited them to present a fully detailed memoir to him, which he pro mised to read personally. That half-hour must have compensated Marthe for the discouragement, opposi tion and, worse than all, indifference with which she had had to contend+- To complete their joy, the great Cardinal consented to present the memnoir himself to the Pope.

In spite of the accumulation of work that awaited her on her return to Paray, Marthe set to work on the

memoir, which filled 35 pages and was finished in the middle of July. In October the document was in the hands of the Pope, and there was niothing left for Marthe to do but to wait. This was never easy to one of her ardent spirit, and the six months' silence that followed was very trying for her. She was assured that thte Tope had read her memoir and spoken favoura,bly of it, and there the matter rested. But a visit which she and her husband made to Rome in the following year renewed all her hopes, for his Holiness received them in private audience and consented' to accept aln additional number of signatures. But Pius XI remained firm in his decisionu that the preparation for the realisation of a project of suich grandeur and significance should be very thorough and extensive. If an act of such world-wide importance as, the solemn proclamation of the Kingship of Christ could not be performed with fitting solemnity and dignity, it were better deferred. He urged the Soc4ete to still greater efforts in makig the campaign universally known,



MARTH#E DPI NOAILLAT 57

and suggested their availing themselves of the Press, of Catholic magazines, of newspapers even.

In response to this expression of the Pope's wishes, the Soci6tC du R&gne proposed to organise a world-wide appeal. A few weeks' hard work on Marthe's part, and the petition was ready to be sent to every corner of the earth. At the same time, Madame de Noaillat started a personal campaign, which involved writing to the presidents of every association with which she was acquainted, not only in France but abroad. Her know ledge in such matters was extensive, and the labour entailed consequently great. She also appealed' once more to the directors of the Apostleship of Prayer (who had already given her such help) begging them to put their messengers and their promoters at the service of the f?oci6te for purposes of propaganda. Finally she called on eight other associations to join with the So&itet du R)gne to help it to launch the petition successfully. Thus she obtained valuable allies, which included the Association Catholique de la Jeisnesse Frangoai8e and the Lique Patriotique de8 Frangaises. At the same time she and her husband did not relax their efforts with the

Hierarchy and the number of signatures steadily in creased.

A little incident which took place at tha-t time gives striking proof, if such were needed, of Marthe's entire and selfless devotion to the cause. She and her husband were passing a few days at Lugano, where the 1924 Congress of the Catholic International League was be ing held, and where endless opportunities for propa ganda presented themselves. The Congress, which had been a particularly initeresting and successful one, hav ing concluded, the president in order to cement the cordial relations established, suggested an excursion to the lake aind the surrounding district. Marthe was sorely tempted to accept, specially as she knew her husband wished it, but she recollected that a pilgrimage from Alsace was due at Paray that day. Conquered by her apostolic zeal, she travelled all night, arrived at Paray at midday and, without giving herself time for



58 THE IRIStH MONTHLY

a meal, invited the pilgrims to visit the Hieron. At the end of her lecture she made two appeals, one for the petition and' the other for the missions. Both were generously answered, and Marthe told her husband afterwards that she was a hundred times rewarded for her sacrifice. Of her fatigue she made no mention, for she would never agree that it wais of the slightest importance.

Their visit to the Pope in 1924; while it further en couraged and commended their efforts, gave them no definite hope, although the -universal appeal was being answered from every part of the world. Their surprise therefore was as great as their joy, when, on the 10th of December, Cardinal Laurenti wrote them a letter in which the following words appeared: "c The Pope has spoken to me of a commission on the subject of the Feast of Christ the King. iHe wishes to, make the pro clamation at the close of the Holy Year."

Now at last the end appeared in sight and Marthe's faithful heart was filled with thanksgiving. But a fur ther trial awaited her. There were certain people in

Rome who were not in favour of the institution of a new feast and they suggested the Epiphany or the Feast of the Sacred Heart as suitable days for honouring Christ the King. The year 1925 was passed in discus sions on this point; the Pope remainedi silent and

Marthe&s anxiety was keen, in spite of her confidence that God would make known His will through His Vicar on earth.

" IHow will you feel if the Pope does not institute a new feast?" her sister-in-law asked her.

" As soon as the Pope announces his decision, the reasons which he will give will make everything clear to me that I cannot understajnd."1

" But you hope that the Societe dm R6gne is in the right?"

"1 Yes, in spite of the fact that those who are against us are possessed of great qualities and have done muclh work for the Church, they might be mistaken, and in this case I think they- a-re."I




A few months more and all Marthe's doubts and mis givings were at an end. In July, 1925, she received a letter from Cardinal Laurenti in which he assured her that all was settled, the Feast, the Encyclical and its promulgation during the Holy Year. Only the date re mained to be fixed, and early in December it was announced that the Encyclical would be published at the end of the month, and the solemn Pontifical High

Mass, the first Mass of Christ the King, celebra-ted by the Pope on the 31st.

M. and Mme. Noaillat arrived in Rome on the 17th, and their first visit was to their distinguished patron and faithful friend, Cardinal Laurenti. He presented them with a copy of the Encyclical which he had re ceived from the hands of the Pope, a medal in honour of the institution of the Feast, also given hini by the Pope, and, lastly, a letter entitling them to privileged places in St. Peter's for the Pontifical High Mass. The days of that visit to Rome (which was to be her last) passed quickly for Marthe. She and her husband had numerous interviews. with those high dignitaries of the Church who had shown themselves favourable to the project, particularly Cardinal Gasparri, and Cardinal lerry del Val, culminating in an unforgettable

audience with Pius XI, at which Marthe expressed her joy and gratitude with filial confidence and received the Pope's paternal blessing. She saw Pius XI once

more and, though she did not know it, for the last time, at the Pontifical High Mass, at which she and her hus band assisted on December 31st. We can only imagine what must have beeni her thoughts during the five hours that she passed in St. Peter's. Unconscious of the crowd that poured into the great basilica, she passed almost the whole time on her knees, her face hidden in her hands, wrapt in prayer.

"Are you happy now?" asked her husband later. "So happy that I cannot express it," was the reply. A few more days in Rome and then Marthe was all

impatience to be off. The second number of the bulletin, .Au Christ Roi, which had been instituted some months



60 THE IRISH MONTHLY

previously, as the official organ of the Societe dw Regne, had to be brought out; a memoir on international rela tions had been requested by a high personage in Rome and must be written; plans had to be made for a Con

gress to be held in Paray the following autumn. In spite of her husband's suggestion that she should

spend some time in visiting the museums and churches in Rome, she returned to Paray on the 10th of January anid joyfully immersed herself in the work awaiting her. Og the 4th of February her husband left her to go to Paris on business connected with the Societ6. In less than twenty-four hours he was recalled by the news of the tragic accident which deprived him of his faithful helpmate, and the Church of one of her most devoted daughters. The day following M. de INoaillat's de parture, the first Friday of the month, Marthe, accom panied by her devoted friend and helper, Jeanne Lepine, attended Mass and received Holy Communion at an early hour. Several people saw her hastening back to begin her work at the Hieron. She was never seen alive againi. At 1 o'clock a priest, who had missed her at the hotel where she was wont to take lher meals, called at the Hieron. Finding the office empty and seeing no one about, he went away, but, possessed of a vague anxiety, returned after a short interval. This tin,e instead of going to the de Noaillat's apartments, he went directly to the lodge. Here he found the lifeless bodies of

Marthea and Jeanne Lepine stretched on the floor. They had been overcome by poisonous gas from some un suspected source and had been dead several hours.

Some years previous, when the almost incredible growth of the campaign had filled him with wonder, the Pere Calot cried one da-y to Georges de 2Noaillat, i" What will be the ransom of suich a grace?" Marthe

paid the ransom with -her life.



Marthe de Noaillat. Apostle of Christ the King

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