Louis Billot

Louis Billot, SJ ( born January 12, 1846 in Sierck- les- Bains, France, † December 18, 1931 in Ariccia, Italy) was a French religious priest and theologian. In 1911 he was elevated to the status of the Cardinals, his resignation from office in 1927 should be the only one in this century are.

Life

Louis Billot studied at seminaries in Metz, Bordeaux and Blois. On May 22, 1869 he was ordained a priest and joined six months later the Jesuits in Angers, on 25 November of the same year. Billot was from 1875 to 1878 in Paris, followed by Laval to 1879 in the pastoral works.

At the Catholic University of Angers, later known as the Catholic University of the West in Angers, he lectured from 1879 to 1882, on 2 February 1883, he presented during his Scholastikates in Ile -de- professed from Jersey. Billot 1885 was appointed professor of dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. In addition to his appointment, he was appointed on 19 June 1909, consultant to the Congregation.

As a passionate supporter of the scholasticism of Thomas Aquinas Billot was one of the leading designers of the metaphysical and speculative theology. His influence on Catholic theology is, among other things through his numerous publications and famous student still visible today, among other things, because he played a 1907 encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis of Pope Pius X.. He is often referred to as a close friend of Fr Henri Le Floch, Rector of the French seminary in Rome.

Pius X appointed him cardinal deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata during the consistory on 17 November 1911 he was also Cardinal elector in the conclave of 1914 and one of the three Cardinal President of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas ( Angelicum ) in Rome, together with Benedetto Lorenzelli and Michele Lega; probably due to that, he was appointed on 6 February 1923, the Pontifical Biblical Commission.

Billots support of extremist Action Française movement might be well founded first tension between him and the Holy See. After Pope Pius XI. his condemnation of this movement made ​​known, since he was probably the opinion that this movement would use the Catholicism for its own political interests, Billot expressed his lack of understanding about this, because the political activities monarchist Catholics should not be " censored " by Rome .. After a hotly guided conversation with Pope Pius XI. he asked on September 13, 1927 to his resignation, which the Pope accepted on 21 September. Billots request the College of Cardinals was opened until the following consistory on 19 December. He was thus the only Cardinal of the 20th century, who had resigned.

Billot died at the age of 85 years as a simple priest in the Jesuit novitiate in Galloro near Ariccia. His grave is located in the Roman cemetery Campo di Verano. The legacy of his Thomistic theology embossed extends into the present day.