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Apostles of Infinite Love

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Apostles of Infinite Love
ClassificationIndependent Catholic
OrientationTraditionalist Catholic
PolityEpiscopal
RegionFrance, Canada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Italy, France, South Africa, United States[1]
FounderMichel Collin
Official websitewww.magnificat.ca/

TheOrder of the Magnificat of the Mother of God,(French:L’Ordre du Magnificat de la Mère de Dieu) also known as theApostles of Infinite Love(French:Apôtres de l'amour infini) is atraditionalistIndependent Catholicreligious group active in various parts of the world, with its headquarters being nearMont-TremblantinQuebec.[2][3][4]It was founded by Michel Collin, aFrenchCatholic priest in Lille, who proclaimed himself Pope Clement XV, after receiving a vision from God crowning him with apapal tiara.[1][5]Initially heading a religious congregation that had Catholic archdiocesan approval,Jean-Gaston Tremblaymerged his religious community with the Apostles of Infinite Love and led it for a time.[1]The Apostles of Infinite Love has attracted traditionalist Catholics unhappy with the modernizing changes made during theSecond Vatican Council.[6]

History

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The Apostles of Infinite Love teach that they "were founded to preserve the traditional Catholic faith, which they thought was seriously threatened by the modernist development in theRoman Catholic Church,where mostbishopsandpriestshadapostatized."[1]Their centre is located at the Monastery of Magnificat of the Mother of God inSt. Jovite, Quebec.[1]

Frenchman Michel Collin (sometimes spelled Colin),[7]born in a village ofLorrainein 1905 andordaineda priest in 1935, announced in 1936 that he had been ordained a bishop byChristhimself. He founded a community called the Order of the Mother of God (a name later changed to "Apostles of Infinite Love" ), in response to the 1846 request made by theBlessed Virgin Mary,as reported later byMélanie Calvat,one of the seers ofLa Salette.Throughout the 1940s, Collin and those who followed him "propagated the adoration of the Sacred Hearts of Christ and Mary" and claiming "direct orders from Christ, Collin founded a chain of foyers-cenacles, small house communities, where a consecrated host was on display at all times", stating that he was restoring "thehouse churchesof the apostolic times ".[1]In 1950, he "reported having had a grand vision that God the Father, who put apapal tiaraon his head ", later embracing the name Pope Clement XV.[8]Pope Pius XIIlaicizedhim in 1951.[9]

In 1952, Canadian Jean-Gaston Tremblay, along with Gilles de la Croix and Leónard du Rosaire, founded nearSaint-JoviteinQuebec,Canadaa community under the name of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary with ecclesiastical approval from the Roman CatholicArchbishop of MontrealPaul-Émile Léger.[1]He was previously a part of theBrothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God.[1]Considering the religious community to be "too extreme", the archbishop's support waned and the brothers spent time searching for a permanent place to establish themselves.[1]In 1961, he met Michel Collin and the two decided to merge their communities into one called the Apostles of Infinite Love. Gregory stated that Colin was the man he saw in a vision he had twelve years prior, which had "the face of a future pope, chosen directly by God."[1]The following year Collin consecrated Tremblay a bishop.[1]

After the election ofPope Paul VIin the Catholic Church, Michel Collin denounced him as anantipope.[1]The Saint-Jovite community grew rapidly in the first years of theSecond Vatican Council,exceeding 300 people in 1966.[8][1]Throughout the 1960s, the Apostles of Infinite Love protested against the changes in the Catholic Church, as well as thesecularisationoccurring in Canada, especially issues related to "the change of gender roles" and the "increasing number of schools and hospitals [that] moved from church to government."[1]

Since the 1960s, the Order of Magnificat of the Mother of God has accepted male and femalereligious,who make vows of "poverty, chastity, and obedience"and live under the Rule for the Apostles of the Latter Times, which they hold to be given byOur Lady of La Salettein 1846.[1]

In 1967, Collin announced that he had been divinely instructed to bypass Tremblay as his designated successor; but in 1968, Tremblay declared that he had mystically been made Pope under the name of Gregory XVII and, in the following year, Collin acknowledged that Tremblay was now Pope.[8]In France, Collin's movement broke up into different factions some years after his death in 1974.[10]

InGuadeloupe,the Apostles of Infinite Love established two convents, including one atPointe-à-Pitre,which became a place ofpilgrimageafter a girl in 1977 claimed to see aMarian apparitionfrom Our Lady of Tears that lamented apostasy in the Catholic Church.[1]

Since the 1970s, the Apostles of Infinite Love has established a presence in various parts of the globe, including Guadeloupe,Guatemala,theDominican Republic,Italy,France,South Africa,and theUnited States.[1]

Its Pope Gregory XVIII was crowned in 2012.[11]

Controversies

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From 1978 to 2001, the religious group was sued because of alleged abuses, includingrape,extortion,andsexual abuse.Itsmillenarianism,apocalypticism,and its rejection of the world has led to frequent characterization of the group as acult.[12][13]In 1999, 100 police officers raided their reclusive community in St. Jovite.[14]The co-accused was Reynald Huot, aka Father André. In 2001, the public prosecutor abandoned all charges against Jean-Gaston Tremblay after a 34-year investigation.[15]

In 2005, the city ofBrébeufobtained a decree from the Quebec government allowing it toexpropriatethe land of the religious group.[16]

In 2011, the Apostles of Infinite Love once again attracted attention after a French CanadianNoviceat the group'sEast Flatbushconvent, Mary Turcotte, claimed that she had been raped by a Black man. After a police investigation began, Turcotte recanted her claim, with some media outlets claiming that she had made the accusation to cover up a consensual relationship with a Brooklyn local. Turcotte was later recalled to the group's headquarters in Quebec.[17][18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefghijklmnopqLundberg, Magnus."Apostles of Infinite Love".World Religions and Spirituality Project.Retrieved6 March2022.
  2. ^Melton, J. Gordon; Baumann, Martin; Barrett, David B. (2002).Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices.ABC-CLIO.p. 61.ISBN978-1-57607-223-3.The Apostles of Infinite Love constitute a Catholic traditionalist group that sustains Quebec messianism, according to which Providence has saved...
  3. ^Lundberg, Magnus."Apostles of Infinite Love".World Religions and Spirituality Project.Retrieved6 March2022.The Apostles of Infinite Love and the Order of the Mother of God were founded to preserve the traditional Catholic faith, which they thought was seriously threatened by the modernist development in the Roman Catholic Church, where most bishops and priests had apostatized.
  4. ^Hurbon, Laënnec(2000).Le phénomène religieux dans la Caraïbe: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Haïti(in French). KARTHALA Editions. pp. 328–32.ISBN9782845861176.
  5. ^"Importante opération policière chez les Apôtres de l'amour infini"(in French).Centre contre les manipulations mentales.October 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-09-30.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  6. ^Burke, Kerry; Gendar, Alison; Alpert, Lucas I. (February 6, 2011)."Sect of Brooklyn 'nun' who falsely cried rape has bizarre history, mysterious members".Daily News.Retrieved25 July2015.
  7. ^Most easily available sources use the form "Collin", but "Colin" is found in asummaryof the bookClément XV, prêtre lorrain et pape à Clémeryby Antoine Delestre.
  8. ^abcMichael W. Cuneo:The Smoke of Satan: Conservative and Traditionalist Dissent in Contemporary American Catholicism(JHU Press, 1999)ISBN0-8018-6265-5,ISBN978-0-8018-6265-6,pp. 121–134
  9. ^"Pope Clement XV".Time magazine. 1971-03-15. Archived fromthe originalon October 22, 2008.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  10. ^"Clément XV — L'histoire résumée"(in French). Gérard Collin. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-10-01.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  11. ^"Hierarchy – Magnificat".magnificat.ca.Retrieved2024-07-08.
  12. ^Bernadette Rigal-Cellard (2005)."Grégoire XVII et les Apôtres de l'Amour Infini"(in French). Les Classiques des Sciences Sociales.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  13. ^"Abuse charges stayed against cult members".CBC News.2001-06-13.Retrieved2024-07-08.
  14. ^"Descente chez les Apôtres de l'amour infini"(in French). Radio-Canada. 1999-04-14. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-30.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  15. ^"Abandon des accusations contre le pape Jean"(in French). Radio Canada. 2001-06-13. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-18.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  16. ^"Les" Apôtres de l'amour infini "seront expropriés".La Presse(in French). La Presse Canadienne. 2008-09-04.Retrieved2009-08-15.
  17. ^"Sect of Brooklyn 'nun' who falsely cried rape has bizarre history, mysterious members".New York Daily News.2011-02-06.Retrieved2024-07-08.
  18. ^"Black men steamed by Brooklyn nun Mary Turcotte's fake rape claim".New York Daily News.2011-02-02.Retrieved2024-07-08.
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