Apostles of Infinite Love
Encyclopedia
The Apostles of Infinite Love is a group mainly active in Quebec
and Guadeloupe
. It was founded by Michel Collin, a French
priest in Lille, and self-proclaimed Pope (Clement XV), saying he was inspired by "unknown messages" from the Virgin Mary. The group is now led by Jean-Gaston Tremblay, also named John Gregory of the Trinity, or Gregory XVII.
in 1905 and ordained a priest in 1935, announced in 1936 that he had been ordained a bishop
by Christ
himself. 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 the Blessed Virgin Mary, as reported later by Mélanie Calvat
, one of the seers of La Salette. In 1950 he announced that he had been crowned Pope and had taken the name Clement XV. Pope Pius XII
laicized him in 1951 and publicly declared him, by name, a vitandus
(one who should be avoided) excommunicate
.
In 1952, Canadian Jean-Gaston Tremblay (born 1928) founded, near Saint-Jovite in Quebec
, Canada
, a community under the name of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. In 1961, he met Michel Collin and the two decided to merge their communities into one called the Apostles of Infinite Love. The following year Collin consecrated Tremblay a bishop. The Saint-Jovite community grew rapidly in the first years of the Second Vatican Council
.
In 1967, Collin announced that he had been divinely instructed to bypass Tremblay as designated successor to Pope Paul VI
; 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.
In France, Collin's movement broke up into different factions some years after his death in 1974. The Canadian group continues, using the name "Apostles of Infinite Love", and giving more prominence to the name "Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God" and "Order of the Apostles of the Latter Times".
, apocalypticism
and its rejection of the world contributed to qualify it as a cult
in the Francophone press. In 1999, a hundred police officers raided their reclusive community in St. Jovite. 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.
In 2005, the city of Brébeuf obtained a decree from the Quebec government allowing it to expropriate the land of the religious community.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
. It was founded by Michel Collin, a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
priest in Lille, and self-proclaimed Pope (Clement XV), saying he was inspired by "unknown messages" from the Virgin Mary. The group is now led by Jean-Gaston Tremblay, also named John Gregory of the Trinity, or Gregory XVII.
History
Frenchman Michel Collin or Colin, born in a village of LorraineLorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
in 1905 and ordained a priest in 1935, announced in 1936 that he had been ordained a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
by Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
himself. 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 the Blessed Virgin Mary, as reported later by Mélanie Calvat
Mélanie Calvat
Françoise Mélanie Calvat called Mathieu was a French Roman-catholic religious sister and Marian visionary. As a religious, she was called Sister Mary of the Cross....
, one of the seers of La Salette. In 1950 he announced that he had been crowned Pope and had taken the name Clement XV. Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
laicized him in 1951 and publicly declared him, by name, a vitandus
Vitandus
A vitandus excommunicate was someone affected by a rare and grave form of excommunication, in which the Church ordered, as a remedial measure, that the faithful were not to associate with him "except in the case of husband and wife, parents, children, servants, subjects", and in general unless...
(one who should be avoided) excommunicate
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
.
In 1952, Canadian Jean-Gaston Tremblay (born 1928) founded, near Saint-Jovite in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, a community under the name of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. In 1961, he met Michel Collin and the two decided to merge their communities into one called the Apostles of Infinite Love. The following year Collin consecrated Tremblay a bishop. The Saint-Jovite community grew rapidly in the first years of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
In 1967, Collin announced that he had been divinely instructed to bypass Tremblay as designated successor to Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
; 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.
In France, Collin's movement broke up into different factions some years after his death in 1974. The Canadian group continues, using the name "Apostles of Infinite Love", and giving more prominence to the name "Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God" and "Order of the Apostles of the Latter Times".
Controversies
From 1978 to 2001, the movement was sued because of alleged abuses, including rape, extortion and sexual abuse. Its millenarianismMillenarianism
Millenarianism is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed, based on a one-thousand-year cycle. The term is more generically used to refer to any belief centered around 1000 year intervals...
, apocalypticism
Apocalypticism
Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation of God's will, but now usually refers to belief that the world will come to an end time very soon, even within one's own lifetime...
and its rejection of the world contributed to qualify it as a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
in the Francophone press. In 1999, a hundred police officers raided their reclusive community in St. Jovite. 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.
In 2005, the city of Brébeuf obtained a decree from the Quebec government allowing it to expropriate the land of the religious community.