After his liberation, he told Manfred Hörhammer, a German Capuchin and co-founder of Pax Christi Germany: “They threw me in the cell like a sack. At first he was placed in a small cell in the Montauban prison. During the night of June 9 Théas was arrested in his quarters by the Gestapo. The following Sunday he called again for Christians to stand up and accept their responsibility towards Jews. In the first days of June he refused to meet Marechal Petain during a visit of the official to Montauban. On he wrote a letter to the local official of the German occupation criticising their barbarity. He continually urged Christians to protect Jewish people. But Théas continued his resistance and his public opposition to the inhuman actions of the Gestapo, the German secret police. The Nazi authorities in occupied France reacted angrily. The letter of Bishop Théas made the Christian community in and around the diocese of Montauban very aware of what was happening. Georges Schnek, former president of the Jewish Central Consistory of Belgium, said some years ago to Pax Christi Flanders that his parents moved to Montauban because they knew that they would find there a safe haven. Radio London mentioned this courageous action on 9 and 15 September 1942. The present antisemitic actions constitute a provocation to human dignity, a violation of the most holy rights of man and of the family.” Included in the letter were clear instructions for parishes and Catholic institutions to hide and protect Jewish citizens. All people of whatever race or religion are entitled to respect from individuals and governments. In it Bishop Théas wrote: “I wish to express herewith the angry protest of the Christian conscience and I declare that all people, Aryan or non-Aryan are brothers and sisters created by the same God. On 30 August 1942, following the example of Cardinal Saliège, he wrote a pastoral letter “About Respect for the Human Person.” The letter was read in all the churches of his diocese. At the end of August 1942, another 6600 Jews were arrested and deported to several camps.īishop Théas vociferously protested these actions. The men were deported to the camp in Drancy the women to the camp of Loiret. In mid-July 1942 13,000 Jews were transferred to Paris. A law was passed permitting the occupier to track down Jewish citizens and transfer them to Germany. More and more Jews were deported from France with the approval of the Vichy regime. In 1942 the repression of Jewish people in Germany was intensified and they lost all rights. During his sermons on Sunday he called on priests and the faithful not to support organisations collaborating with the Nazis. But beginning September 1941, the bishop often spoke out against Pétain’s Vichy regime. Initially he did not oppose Marechal Pétain, who, by many in France, was considered the hero of Verdun in World War I. ![]() Pierre Marie Théas was installed as bishop of Montauban on 3 October 1940. On the evening of March 13 th this movement was baptized as Pax Christi in a flat in Montauban. But what made it possible? From what did it originate ? Pierre Marie Théas, bishop of Montauban in Southern France gave Marthe Dortel Claudot his full support to start a Christian movement for reconciliation and peace. At that time, Southern France was already liberated from the grasp of the Nazis. Pax Christi was officially founded on 13 March 1945. Pax Christi 1948 – Kevelaer – 1988, “Die Anfänge der Pax-Christi-Bewegung in Deutschland”,Verlag Butson & Bercher, Kevelaer, 1988, 64 pages. ![]() Contribution of Michel Dortel-Claudot at the 50th anniversary of Pax Christi, Assisi, 26.
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