The Jesuit Cardinal That Gave Back His Red Hat

BILLOT, SJ, Louis (1846-1931)

Birth . January 12, 1846, Sierck-les-Bains, diocese of Metz, France.

Education . Seminary of Metz, Metz; Seminary of Bordeaux, Bordeaux; Seminary of Blois, Blois.

Priesthood . Ordained, May 22, 1869, Blois. Joined the Society of Jesus, November 25, 1869, Angers; final vows, February 2, 1883, Laval. Pastoral work, Paris, 1875-1878; Laval, 1878-1879. Faculty member of the Catholic University of Angers, 1879-1882; of the Jesuit Scholasticate of Ile de Jersey, 1882-1885; of the Pontifical Gregorian University, dogmatic theology, Rome, 1885-1910. Consultor of the Holy Office, June 19, 1909.

Cardinalate . Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of November 27, 1911; received the red hat and the deaconry of S. Maria in via Lata, November 30, 1911. Participated in the conclave of 1914 , which elected Pope Benedict XV. Participated in the conclave of 1922 , which elected Pope Pius XI. One of the three cardinal presidents of the Pontifical Academy "S. Tommaso", Rome, together with Cardinals Benedetto Lorenzelli and Michele Lega, February 24, 1915. Member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, February 6, 1923.

Due to his sympathy for the movement Action Française , which was condemned by Pius XI, he resigned the cardinalate on September 13, 1927.

The resignation was accepted by the pope in a letter of September 21, 1927 and announced to the cardinals in the consistory of December 19, 1927. He was the only cardinal to resign that rank in the 20th century.

Death . December 18, 1931, Jesuit Novitiate of Galloro, near Ariccia, province of Rome. Buried, Jesuit Chapel, Campo Verano Cemetery, Rome.

Bibliography . Bitremieux, Joseph. "Le RP Louis Billot." Ephemerides Theoloqicae Lovanienses , IX (1932), 292-295. Lebreton, J. "Son Eminence le cardinal Billot." Etudes , IV (1911), 514-525; Le Floch, Henri. Le Cardinal Billot, lumière de la théologie . Paris: Beauchesne, 1947; Pięta, Zenonem. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi . Volumen IX (1903-1922). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 2002, pp. 12, 14 and 26.

Link . Bibliography and biographical data , in German.
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