University of Virginia Library

Chapter XXV.

SIMONY—STRANGE AND SACRILEGIOUS TRAFFIC IN THE
SO-CALLED BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST—ENORMOUS
SUMS OF MONEY MADE BY THE SALE OF MASSES—THE
SOCIETY OF THREE MASSES ABOLISHED AND THE SOCIETY
OF ONE MASS ESTABLISHED.

IN one of the pleasant hours which we used invariably to pass
after dinner, in the comfortable parlor of our parsonage, one
of the vicars, Mr. Louis Parent, said to the Rev. Mr. Tetu:
"I have handed this morning more than one hundred dollars to
the bishop, as the price of the masses which my pious penitents
have requested me to celebrate, the greatest part of them for the
souls in purgatory. Every week I have to do the same thing,
just as each of you, and every one of the hundreds of priests in
Canada have to do. Now, I would like to know how the
bishops can dispose of all these masses, and what they do with
the large sums of money which go into their hands from every
part of the country to have masses said. This question vexes
me, and I would like to know your mind about it."

The good curate answered in a joking manner, as usual:
"If the masses paid into our hands, which go to the bishop, are
all celebrated, purgatory must be emptied twice a day. For I
have calculated that the sums given for those masses in Canada
cannot be less than $4,000 every day, and, as there are three
times as many Catholics in the United States as here, and as
those Irish Catholics are more devoted to the souls in purgatory
than the Canadians, there is no exaggeration in saying that they
give as much as our people; $16,000 at least will thus be given
every day in these two countries to throw cold water on the
burning flames of that fiery prison. Now, these $16,000 given

every day, multiplied by the 365 days of the year, make the
handsome sum of $5,840,000 paid for that object in low masses,
every year. But, as we all know, that more than twice as much
is paid for high masses than for the low, it is evident that more
than $10,000,000 are expended to help the souls of purgatory
end their tortures every twelve months, in North America alone.
If those millions of dollars do not benefit the good souls in purgatory,
they at all events are of some benefit to our pious bishops
and holy popes, in whose hands the greatest part must remain
till the day of judgment. For there is not a sufficient number of
priests in the world to say all the masses which are paid for by
the people. I do not know any more than you do about what
the bishops do with those millions of dollars; they keep that
among their secret good works. But it is evident there is a
serious mystery here. I do not mean to say that the Yankee
and the Canadian bishops swallow those huge piles of dollars as
sweet oranges; or that they are a band of big swindlers, who
employ smaller ones, called Revs. Tetu, Baillargeon, Chiniquy,
Parent, etc., to fill their treasuries. But, if you want to know
my mind on that delicate subject, I will tell you that the least
we think and speak of it, the better it is for us. Every time my
thoughts turn to those streams of money which day and night
flow from the small purses of our pious and unsuspecting people
into our hands, and from ours into those of the bishops, I feel as
if I were choking. If I am at the table I can neither eat nor
drink, and if in my bed at night, I cannot sleep. But as I like
to eat, drink and sleep, I reject those thoughts as much as possible,
and I advise you to do the same thing."

The other vicars seemed inclined, with Mr. Parent, to accept
that conclusion; but, as I had not said a single word, they requested
me to give them my views on that vexatious subject,
which I did in the following brief words:

"There are many things in our holy church which look like
dark spots; but I hope that this is due only to our ignorance.
No doubt these very things would look as white as snow, were
we to see and know them just as they are. Our holy bishops,
with the majority of the Catholic priests of the United States

and Canada, cannot be that band of thieves and swindlers whose
phantoms chill the blood of our worthy curate. So long as we
do not know what the bishops do with those numberless masses
paid into their hands, I prefer to believe that they act as honest
men."

I had hardly said these few words, when I was called to
visit a sick parishioner, and the conversation was ended.

Eight days later, I was alone in my room, reading the
"L'ami de la Religion et du Roi," a paper which I received from
Paris, edited by Picot. My curiosity was not a little excited,
when I read, at the head of a page, in large letters: "Admirable
Piety of the French Canadian People." The reading of that
page made me shed tears of shame, and shook my faith to its
foundation. Unable to contain myself, I ran to the rooms of
the curate and the vicars, and said to them: "A few days ago
we tried, but in vain, to find what becomes of the large sums of
money which pass from the people, through our hands, into
those of the bishop, to say masses; but here is the answer, I
have the key to that mystery, which is worthy of the darkest
ages of the Church. I wish I were dead, rather than see with
my own eyes such abominations." We then read that long
chapter, the substance of which was that the venerable bishops
of Quebec had sent not less than one hundred thousand francs,
at different times, to the priests of Paris, that they might say
four hundred thousand masses at five cents each! Here we had
the sad evidence that our bishops had taken four hundred thousand
francs from our poor people, under the pretext of saving
the souls from purgatory! That article fell upon us as a thunderbolt.
For a long time we looked at each other without being
able to utter a single word; our tongues were as paralyzed by
our shame; we felt as vile criminals when detected on the spot.

At last, Baillargeon, addressing the curate, said: "Is it possible
that our bishops are swindlers, and we, their tools to defraud
our people? What would that people say, if they knew that
not only we do not say the masses for which they constantly fill
our hands with their hard-earned money, but that we send those
masses to be said in Paris for five cents! What will our good

people think of us all when they know that our bishop pockets
twenty cents out of each mass they ask us to celebrate according
to their wishes."

The curate answered: "It is very lucky that the people do
not know that sharp operation of our bishops, for they would
surely throw us all into the river. Let us keep that shameful
trade as secret as possible. For what is the crime of simony if
this be not an instance of it?"

I replied: "How can you hope to keep that traffic of the
body and blood of Christ a secret, when not less than 40,000
copies of this paper are circulated in France, and more than 100
copies come to the United States and Canada? The danger is
greater than you suspect; it is even at our doors. Is it not on
account of such public and undeniable crimes and vile tricks of
the clergy of France that the French people in general, not
only have lost almost every vestige of religion, but, not half a
century ago, condemned all the priests and bishops of France to
death as public malefactors?

"But that sharp mercantile operation of our bishops takes a
still darker color, when we consider that those `five-cent masses'
which are said in Paris are not worth a cent. For who among
us is ignorant of the fact that the greatest part of the priests of
Paris are infidels, and that many of them live publicly with
concubines? Would our people put their money in our hands
if we were honest enough to tell them that their masses would
be said for five cents in Paris by such priests? Do we not
deceive them when we accept their money, under the well
understood condition that we shall offer the holy sacrifice
according to their wishes? But, instead of that, we get it sent
to France, to be disposed of in such a criminal way. But, if
you allow me to speak a little more, I have another strange
fact to consider with you, which is closely connected with this
simonical operation."

"Yes! speak, speak!" answered all four priests.

I then resumed: "Do you remember how you were enticed
into the `Three Masses Society?' Who among us had the idea
that the new obligations we were then assuming were such that

the greatest part of the year would be spent in saying masses
for the priests, and that it would thus become impossible to
satisfy the pious demands of the people who support us? We
already belonged to the societies of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and of St. Michael, which raised to five the number of masses
we had to celebrate for the dead priests. Dazzled by the idea
that we would have two thousand masses said for us at our
death, we bit at the bait presented to us by the bishop as
hungry fishes, without suspecting the hook. The result is that
we have had to say 165 masses for the 33 priests who died during
the past year, which means that each of us has to pay
$41.00 to the bishop for masses which he has had said in Paris
for $8.00. Each mass which we celebrate for a dead priest
here, is a mass which the bishop sends to Paris, on which he
gains twenty cents. Then the more priests he enrolls in his
society of `Three Masses,' the more twenty cents he pockets
from us and from our pious people. Hence his admirable zeal
to enroll every one of us. It is not the value of the money
which our bishop so skilfully got from our hands which I
consider, but I feel desolate when I see that by these societies we
become the accomplices of his simonical trade. For, being forced
the greatest part of the year to celebrate the holy sacrifice for
the benefit of the dead priests, we cannot celebrate the masses
for which we are daily paid by the people, and are therefore
forced to transfer them into the hands of the bishop, who sends
them to Paris, after spiriting away twenty cents from each of
them. However, why should we lament over the past? It is
no more within our reach. There is no remedy for it. Let us
then learn from the past errors how to be wise in the future."

Mr. Tetu answered: "You have shown us our error. Now,
can you indicate any remedy?"

"I cannot say that the remedy we have in hand is one of
those patented medicines which will cure all the diseases of our
sickly church in Canada, but I hope it will help to bring a speedy
convalescence. That remedy is to abolish the society of `Three
Masses,' and to establish another of `One Mass,' which will be
said at the death of every priest. In that way it is true that

instead of 2,000 masses, we shall have only 1,200 at our death.
But if 1,200 masses do not open to us the gates of heaven, it is
because we shall be in hell. By that reduction we shall be
enabled to say more masses at the request of our people, and
shall diminish the number of five-cent masses said by the priests
of Paris at the request of our bishop. If you take my advice,
we will immediately name the Rev. Mr. Tetu president of the
new society, Mr. Parent will be its treasurer, and I consent to
act as your secretary, if you like it. When our society is organized,
we will send our resignations to the president of the other
society, and we shall immediately address a circular to all the
priests, to give them the reason for the change, and respectfully
ask them to unite with us in this new society, in order to diminish
the number of masses which are celebrated by the five-cent
priests of Paris."

Within two hours the new society was fully organized, the
reasons of its formation written in a book, and our names were
sent to the bishop, with a respectful letter informing him that
we were no more members of the `Three Masses Society.' That
letter was signed, "C. Chiniquy, Secretary." Three hours later,
I received the following note from the bishop's palace:

"My Lord Bishop of Quebec wants to see you immediately upon important
affairs. Do not fail to come without delay. Truly yours,

I showed the missive to the curate and the vicars, and told
them: "A big storm is raging on the mountain; this is the first
peal of thunder—the atmosphere looks dark and heavy. Pray
for me that I may speak and act as an honest and fearless priest,
when in the presence of the bishop."

In the first parlor of the bishop's palace I met my personal
friend, Secretary Cazeault. He said to me: "My dear Chiniquy,
you are sailing on a rough sea—you must be a lucky mariner if
you escape the wreck. The bishop is very angry at you; but be
not discouraged, for the right is on your side." He then kindly
opened the door of the bishop's parlor, and said: "My lord,
Mr. Chiniquy is here, waiting for your orders."

"Let him come, sir," answered the bishop.

I entered and threw myself at his feet, as it is the usage of
the priests. But, stepping backward, he told me in a most
excited manner: "I have no benediction for you till you give me
a satisfactory explanation of your strange conduct."

I arose to my feet and said: "My lord, what do you want
from me?"

"I want you, sir, to explain to me the meaning of this letter
signed by you as secretary of a new-born society called, `One
Mass Society.' " At the same time he showed me my letter.

I answered him: "My lord, the letter is in good French—
your lordship must have understood it well. I cannot see how
any explanation on my part could make it clearer."

"What I want to know from you, is what you mean, and
what is your object in leaving the old and respectable `Three
Masses Society?' Is it not composed of your bishops and of all
the priests of Canada? Did you not find yourself in sufficiently
good company? Do you object to the prayers said for the souls
in purgatory?"

I replied: "My lord, I will answer by revealing to your
lordship a fact which has not sufficiently attracted your attention.
The great number of masses which we have to say for the souls
of the dead priests makes it impossible for us to say the masses
for which the people pay into our hands; we are, then, forced
to transfer this money into your hands; and then instead of
having these holy sacrifices offered by the good priests of Canada,
your lordship has recourse to the priests of France, where
you get them said for five cents. We see two great evils in this:
First—Our masses are said by priests in whom we have not the
least confidence; and though the masses they say are very cheap,
they are too dearly purchased; for between you and me, we can
say that, with very few exceptions, the masses said by the priests
of France, particularly of Paris, are not worth one cent. The
second evil is still greater, for in our eyes, it is one of the greatest
crimes which our holy church has always condemned, the
crime of simony."

"Do you mean to say," indignantly replied the bishop, "that
I am guilty of the crime of simony?"

"Yes! my lord; it is just what I mean to say, and I do not
see how your lordship does not understand that the trade in
masses by which you gain 400,000 francs on a spiritual merchandise,
which you get for 100,000, is not simony."

"You insult me! You are the most impudent man I ever
saw. If you do not retract what you have said, I will suspend
and excommunicate you!"

"My suspension and my excommunication will not make the
position of your lordship much better. For the people will
know that you have excommunicated me because I protested
against your trade in masses. They will know that you pocket
twenty cents on every mass, and that you get them said for five
cents in Paris by priests, the greatest part of whom live with
concubines, and you will see that there will be only one voice in
Canada to bless me for my protest and to condemn you for your
simoniacal trade on such a sacred thing as the holy and tremendous
sacrifice of the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus
Christ."

I uttered these words with such perfect calmness that the
bishop saw that I had not the least fear of his thunders. He
began to pace the room, and he heaped on my devoted head all
the epithets by which I could learn that I was an insolent, rebelious
and dangerous priest.

"It is evident to me," said he, "that you aim to be a reformer,
a Luther, au petit pied, in Canada. But you will never be anything
else than a monkey!"

I saw that my bishop was beside himself, and that my perfect
calmness added to his irritation. I answered him: "If
Luther had never done anything worse than I do to-day, he
ought to be blessed by God and man. I respectfully request
your lordship to be calm. The subject on which I speak to you
is more serious than you think. Your lordship, by asking
twenty-five cents for a mass which can be said for five cents,
does a thing which you would condemn if it were done by
another man. You are digging under your own feet, and under
the feet of your priests the same abyss in which the Church of
France nearly perished, not half a century ago. You are

destroying with your own hands every vestige of religion in the
hearts of the people, who will sooner or later know it. I am
your best friend, your most respectful priest, when I fearlessly
tell you this truth before it is too late. Your lordship knows
that he has not a priest who loves and cherishes him more than I
do—God knows, it is because I love and respect you, as my own
father, that I profoundly deplore the illusions which prevent
you from seeing the terrible consequences that will follow, if our
pious people learn that you abuse their ignorance and their good
faith, by making them pay twenty-five cents for a thing which
costs only five. Woe to your lordship! Woe to me, woe to
our holy church, the day that our people know that in our holy
religion the blood of Christ is turned into merchandise to fill the
treasury of the bishops and pope!"

It was evident that these last words, said with most perfect
self-possession, had not all been lost. The bishop had become
calmer. He answered me: "You are young and without experience:
your imagination is easily fed with phantoms. When
you know a little more, you will change your mind and will have
more respect for your superiors. I hope your present error is
only a momentary one. I could punish you for this freedom
with which you have dared to speak to your bishop, but I prefer
to warn you to be more respectful and obedient in future.
Though I deplore for your sake that you have requested me to
take away your name from the `Three Masses Society,' you and
the four simpletons who have committed the same act of folly
are the only losers in the matter. Instead of two thousand
masses said for the deliverance of your souls from the flames of
purgatory, you will have only twelve hundred. But, be sure of
it, there is too much wisdom and true piety in my clergy to follow
your example. You will be left alone, and, I fear, covered with
ridicule. For they will call you the `little reformer.' "

I answered the bishop: "I am young, it is true, but the
truths I have said to your lordship are as old as the gospel. I
have such confidence in the infinite merits of the holy sacrifice
of the mass, that I sincerely believe that twelve hundred masses
said by good priests are enough to cleanse my soul and extinguish

the flames of purgatory. But, besides, I prefer twelve
hundred masses said by one hundred sincere Canadian priests, to
a million said by the five-cent priests of Paris."

These last words, spoken with a tone half serious, half jocose,
brought a change on the face of my bishop. I thought it was
a good moment to get my benediction and take leave of him. I
took my hat, knelt at his feet, obtained his blessing and left.