The Fox of France - Chapter 316: Danger in Mexico

The Vatican swiftly received a response from the French diocese. The diocese believed that determining whether a religious sect was heretical was the responsibility of the Vatican, and they had no objections to that.

This meant the French gave the Vatican the go-ahead to label “Revolutionary Theology” as heretical. Although, it was somewhat embarrassing for the Vatican to have to check in with the French diocese before exercising its theoretical authority, especially concerning French matters. But this wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened with the Vatican, especially regarding France. Remember the Templar heresy case? Didn’t the French king say who was heretical, and the Vatican echoed that sentiment?

Receiving the response from the French diocese didn’t embarrass the Vatican much; in fact, they were rather pleased. It meant they could now make judgments freely in their own interest.

The Roman court promptly initiated an investigation into the incident, quickly understanding that this “Revolutionary Theology” discovered in Spain had spread from the Americas.

“What is the Mexican court doing? How could they not detect this thing or take action? When such heretical thoughts cross the Atlantic back to the Old World, it’s not just a one or two-person problem over in the New World. It’s like finding one cockroach in a room; there won’t be just one, they’ll be everywhere.” Cardinal Dominico himself was Spanish and understood the threat this kind of thinking posed to Spain when it appeared in the Americas.

So, Cardinal Dominico immediately proposed to the Pope to declare “Liberation Theology” as heretical. He urged the various dioceses to investigate related heresies to protect “God’s flock.” Especially towards the Americas and the Mexican court; otherwise, there might be significant trouble there.

The religious tribunal, besides its headquarters in Rome, had two crucial branches, historically even older than the Roman tribunal.

The first branch was the Spanish religious tribunal, established during Queen Isabella’s era. With her support, the Spanish religious tribunal and the queen collaborated, turning a once green region in history into a different shade.

The other branch was the Mexican religious tribunal. Its history was equally ancient, even predating the Roman tribunal. During the Spanish conquest of the Americas, Catholicism and the Mexican tribunal played pivotal roles.

In a sense, the interests of the Vatican and Spain were deeply intertwined, particularly after the chaos in France due to the Revolution.

So, Cardinal Dominico’s suggestion was swiftly accepted. The Vatican promptly passed a resolution, declaring “Revolutionary Theology” a “cursed heresy” and dispatched envoys to various dioceses.

The most critical envoys were those sent to the Americas. Because other dioceses either likely had few of these heresies or, even if they did, it wasn’t the Vatican’s priority.

The envoy dispatched to the Americas was Bishop Carlos, Cardinal Dominico’s nephew, from a noble Spanish family. He had previously worked in the Mexican diocese, familiar with the situation there.

Upon receiving the task, Bishop Carlos, after consulting Cardinal Dominico, immediately set off for Mexico. He knew that the fastest route to the Americas wasn’t from Spain but finding a merchant ship willing to take passengers from France.

So, he headed straight to the port of Le Havre, where he could find a clipper bound for the Americas.

For most people, clippers weren’t ideal for travel due to their extreme swaying. But the Vatican was deeply concerned about the heresies causing havoc in the Americas, so they urged Bishop Carlos to expedite. Moreover, Bishop Carlos himself desired to elevate his status for both himself and his family, willing to endure hardships. Plus, having sailed many times, he could handle it.

However, finding a reliable ship heading to the Americas took time. If he inadvertently boarded an unreliable ship, in the vast sea, the consequences could be dire.

Yet, Bishop Carlos managed to find a trustworthy ship. It belonged to Stephen Girard and regularly sailed between France and Mexico, relatively dependable. More importantly, Bishop Carlos knew the ship’s captain, Lopez.

Lopez’s ship was scheduled to set sail in two days, so Bishop Carlos had to wait. During this time, he conversed with Captain Lopez about the current situation in North America. In their discussion, Bishop Carlos mentioned “Revolutionary Theology.”

“Ah, I know about this. It’s the lunacy coming from Louisiana. Father, you might not know, but the French, to develop Louisiana, passed something called the ‘Homestead Act.’ Any man who can speak French—even my crew here, with their low French skills—willing to swear allegiance to France, can apply for land in Louisiana. It’s quite a lot of land, over a hundred acres! Farm it for a few years or pay a small sum, and it’s yours.

They even gave prisoners in jail a choice: work as farmers in Louisiana or feed mice in jail. So, various criminals were dumped in Louisiana. I’ve heard even some extreme Jacobins were exiled there.

They’ve concocted this ‘Revolutionary Theology.’ Apparently, quite a few madmen believe in it. They’ve gathered in the northern part of Louisiana, bought a huge piece of land, and established their own village. They’ve set up their own church organization there called ‘God’s Tabernacle,’ meaning ‘God’s Tabernacle on Earth.’

Their practices there are somewhat similar to what’s described in the early apostles in the Bible. They’ve donated all their possessions to the church. Inside these cities they’ve built, everything, whether it’s meals or anything else, is free, distributed by the church. The church members are democratically elected. These fellows sure know how to play.”

“Have many people joined them?” Bishop Carlos asked.

“Not many. Why would anyone give up personal wealth when they can get land from the government? But I’ve heard they’ve attracted quite a few from the Old World. Besides, some struggling Mexicans are willing to join them. They teach them French, arrange an oath of allegiance…”

“And then they get land?” Bishop Carlos chuckled.

“Not always, if they willingly choose. From what I know, not many are voluntary. But there are some. Because compared to working alone, they do have some advantages. For instance, they can pool resources for things other individuals can’t manage. Like having the best irrigation for their land. I heard they’re planning to build a power plant, possibly the first in all North America. Also, they have many dealings with the indigenous people, making a good profit. Seems they’re living quite well.”

“These cursed heretics!” thought Bishop Carlos.

“Captain, do these people do missionary work outside?”

“Of course. Have you ever seen a church that doesn’t spread its message? But in Louisiana, not many pay attention to them. But I’ve heard in Mexico, many indigenous and poor people are willing to listen.”

Bishop Carlos felt a jolt within. He then asked, “Doesn’t the religious tribunal intervene?”

Here, the religious tribunal referred to the Mexican religious tribunal. Compared to the European tribunals forced to civilize, the Mexican tribunal still possessed significant authority. In the Americas, Spain’s rule heavily relied on Catholicism, and Catholicism, in turn, gained a position in Europe that was otherwise impossible. Although theoretically, Mexico’s tribunal had civilized and no longer had the power to directly imprison or execute, much

like how Calvin didn’t rely on religious courts but used the municipal authorities to burn Servetus. Mexico’s religious tribunal influenced secular courts to handle heretics and non-believers as they wished.

“The Mexican religious tribunal? How could they deal with the French? Even if those ‘God’s Tabernacle’ fellows aren’t welcomed in France, they’re still French. The tribunal might target those who listen to these French missionaries. But how effective could that be?” Captain Lopez sneered.