Norbert de Boynes(August 24, 1870 in La Trinité-des-Laitiers, Dep. Orne – October 6, 1954 in Rome), wasVicar Generalof theSociety Of Jesusfrom the death of Vicar General Alessio Magni (12 April 1944) until the election ofJean-Baptiste JanssensatGeneral CongregationXXIX in September 1946.
De Boynes joined the Jesuit order in 1888; he was the assistant to the Father General from 1923–44 and then became vicar general of the Society and led the order until 1946 when Fr. Janssens was elected general.[1]
Early career
editIn 1924 de Boynes carried out an investigation into a paper which interpreted the doctrine of original sin in the light of modern science; he completed the investigation and concluded that it had been written byPierre Teilhard de Chardin,but Teilhard regretted the publishing of the paper.[2]
De Boynes was assigned Visitor of the Province of Maryland-New York and stayed for two years in 1920-22.[3]
During WWII, Boynes was against the idea ofFrench resistance.[4]
Leadership of the Society of Jesus
editFather GeneralWlodimir Ledóchowskihad followed the tradition of leaving a letter naming a vicar general to govern the Society until a general congregation could be convoked. On the night after the general's death it was read to the staff of theCuriaassembled in the chapel. To their consternation they learned that he had not chosen Father Schurmans whom he had made vicar general four years previously butAlessio Magni,the Italian Assistant. Father Magni was almost as old as Father Ledóchowski himself and he was to govern the Society for only 16 months. It is to him, however, that Jesuits owe the decree creating the presentNew YorkProvince on theFeast of the Sacred Heartin 1943. Father Magni died on April 12, 1944, two months before theliberation of Rome.
As perJesuitrules in such circumstances, the seniormost professed fathers present inRomehad to gather and elect a new Vicar General. They chose Norbert de Boynes, the French Assistant.[5]Although Father de Boynes during the previous thirty years had held many responsible offices (e.g. Visitor of theNorth Americanprovinces as well as the missions inNankingand theNear Eastand substitute for the ailing General during General Congregation XXVII), he had recently come close to provoking a schism in the French Provinces. In August 1941 he had as Assistant instructed the French Jesuits thatMarshal Pétain'sgovernmentwas the only legitimate government ofFrance.Father de Boynes made this assertion a mere eight months afterVichyhad issued its ownJewishstatutes. Whatever Father de Boynes' other claims on consideration for the office, his election is viewed by some[citation needed]as an uncomfortable revelation of theconservative biasstill existing in the Roman houses.
References
edit- ^Danieluk, S.J., Robert (2020)."God's Stopgap: Cardinal Adam Kozłowiecki, S.J."Journal of Jesuit Studies.7(4): 642–660.doi:10.1163/22141332-00704007.
- ^Grumett, David; Bentley, Paul (2018)."Teilhard de Chardin, Original Sin, and the Six Propositions".Zygon.53(2): 303–330.doi:10.1111/zygo.12398.hdl:20.500.11820/c8ee815a-57eb-4eb2-90ca-b3b04304a44b.
- ^The College of Holy Cross Crossworks website,RG 01.00A Records of Vice-Provincial Rev. Patrick F. O'Gorman, S.J.
- ^Bernauer, James (2018)."Rebellion of the Righteous: Jesuit Partisanship for Jews".Journal of Jesuit Studies.5(2): 224–255.doi:10.1163/22141332-00502003.
- ^Boston College website,Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits,by John W. Padberg (1974), page 65
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