Post by Ymbert Montgomery on Jan 18, 2020 17:55:51 GMT
Monsignor Porthos De la Croix, Canon of Reims, to
The Right Reverend Abbé Curia Dominic de Torquemada, Inquisitor of France,
Greetings!
Right Reverend Monsignor,
Although it pains me to speak ill of a brother cleric, I find myself compelled to request that you summon Father Dieudonné Lachepelle, Curate of Saint Julien le Pauvre, before an Ecclesiastical Tribunal to answer charges of slander (two counts) and living at a level of luxury which contravenes the Rule of St Francis regarding the accommodation suitable for a Curate of the Order.
Where the charges of Slander are concerned you may be aware that Father Lapachelle, who has pretensions to a minor artistic talent, recently submitted a novel entitled "The Degradation of Robin" for publication. The Robin of the title is a thinly disguised travesty of Francois Robin, a diligent and well-loved Priest whom I recently had the honour of promoting to Abbé. In this libellous and near-pornographic novel Abbé Robin is portrayed as a depraved and vicious creature who has sold his soul to Satan and has a most sinful and lascivious relationship with a wanton whore named Helen. In reality nothing could be further from the truth. Abbé Robin is a devout and conscientious priest who takes his vows of celibacy most seriously and to portray him in this wise amounts to an unwarranted, deliberate and calumnious attack on his good character. Abbé Robin has been shaken to the core by this treacherous and slanderous assault on his good name from someone whom he had previously regarded a Brother in Christ. The fact that both holy fathers are from Languedoc and members of the Franciscan Order only goes to demonstrate what a viperous toad Curate Lachapelle is. His wanton falsehoods in attributing such base behaviour to a well-respected Priest have brought Holy Mother Church into serious disrepute - and such actions should not be allowed to escape the most severe censure.
The Helen of this scurrilous novel is a depraved caricature of Madame Helen Bacque - a devout and god-fearing widow of impeccable character who has given Curate Lachepelle no cause whatsoever to sully her good name in this fashion. There can be few actions so base as to purposely besmirch the blameless character of a respectable lady through groundless accusations of wantoness and for an ordained priest to so in such a calculated fashion is unforgiveable.
Curate Lachapelle's guilt in the matter of this baseless slander is self-evident. He freely attests to authorship of this degrading piece of 'literature' in sure knowledge - nay, in malignant design - that it would be taken as the 'venomous attack' on the good character of his two victims which Celeste Ludenburg, the literary critic at the Voix de Paris, adjudges it to be.
Where the second charge is concerned, Curate Dieudonné is perfectly well-aware of the clerical stricture that priest of his rank should reside in a simple cell in a religious house of some denomination. Yet in direct and contemptuous contradiction of this rule he has for some time been residing in a house which he has purchased. Even the most cursory investigation will confirm the validity of this charge.
In conclusion, Right Reverend Monsignor, even if solely in order to restore the good name of Holy Mother Church and the respect due to men of the cloth such ourselves, I feel that the charges levelled at Curate Lachapelle which have been detailed above should be pursued as a matter of some urgency.
Yours Respectfully in Christ,
Porthos De la Croix,
The Right Reverend Canon of Reims
P.S. On a related matter there have been some disturbing rumours of late concerning an alleged propensity towards blaspemous, indecent and unnatural acts on the part of Curate Lachapelle which are totally abhorent in the sight of the Church. Personally, I attach little credence to such rumours and suspect they might originate amongst over-zealous defenders of Abbé Ronin's good name. Nevertheless, I thought it prudent to mention these to the Right Reverend Monsignor in case your wide knowledge of the depths to which human frailty can sink prompted you to consider them as perhaps worthy of further investigation.
The Right Reverend Abbé Curia Dominic de Torquemada, Inquisitor of France,
Greetings!
Right Reverend Monsignor,
Although it pains me to speak ill of a brother cleric, I find myself compelled to request that you summon Father Dieudonné Lachepelle, Curate of Saint Julien le Pauvre, before an Ecclesiastical Tribunal to answer charges of slander (two counts) and living at a level of luxury which contravenes the Rule of St Francis regarding the accommodation suitable for a Curate of the Order.
Where the charges of Slander are concerned you may be aware that Father Lapachelle, who has pretensions to a minor artistic talent, recently submitted a novel entitled "The Degradation of Robin" for publication. The Robin of the title is a thinly disguised travesty of Francois Robin, a diligent and well-loved Priest whom I recently had the honour of promoting to Abbé. In this libellous and near-pornographic novel Abbé Robin is portrayed as a depraved and vicious creature who has sold his soul to Satan and has a most sinful and lascivious relationship with a wanton whore named Helen. In reality nothing could be further from the truth. Abbé Robin is a devout and conscientious priest who takes his vows of celibacy most seriously and to portray him in this wise amounts to an unwarranted, deliberate and calumnious attack on his good character. Abbé Robin has been shaken to the core by this treacherous and slanderous assault on his good name from someone whom he had previously regarded a Brother in Christ. The fact that both holy fathers are from Languedoc and members of the Franciscan Order only goes to demonstrate what a viperous toad Curate Lachapelle is. His wanton falsehoods in attributing such base behaviour to a well-respected Priest have brought Holy Mother Church into serious disrepute - and such actions should not be allowed to escape the most severe censure.
The Helen of this scurrilous novel is a depraved caricature of Madame Helen Bacque - a devout and god-fearing widow of impeccable character who has given Curate Lachepelle no cause whatsoever to sully her good name in this fashion. There can be few actions so base as to purposely besmirch the blameless character of a respectable lady through groundless accusations of wantoness and for an ordained priest to so in such a calculated fashion is unforgiveable.
Curate Lachapelle's guilt in the matter of this baseless slander is self-evident. He freely attests to authorship of this degrading piece of 'literature' in sure knowledge - nay, in malignant design - that it would be taken as the 'venomous attack' on the good character of his two victims which Celeste Ludenburg, the literary critic at the Voix de Paris, adjudges it to be.
Where the second charge is concerned, Curate Dieudonné is perfectly well-aware of the clerical stricture that priest of his rank should reside in a simple cell in a religious house of some denomination. Yet in direct and contemptuous contradiction of this rule he has for some time been residing in a house which he has purchased. Even the most cursory investigation will confirm the validity of this charge.
In conclusion, Right Reverend Monsignor, even if solely in order to restore the good name of Holy Mother Church and the respect due to men of the cloth such ourselves, I feel that the charges levelled at Curate Lachapelle which have been detailed above should be pursued as a matter of some urgency.
Yours Respectfully in Christ,
Porthos De la Croix,
The Right Reverend Canon of Reims
P.S. On a related matter there have been some disturbing rumours of late concerning an alleged propensity towards blaspemous, indecent and unnatural acts on the part of Curate Lachapelle which are totally abhorent in the sight of the Church. Personally, I attach little credence to such rumours and suspect they might originate amongst over-zealous defenders of Abbé Ronin's good name. Nevertheless, I thought it prudent to mention these to the Right Reverend Monsignor in case your wide knowledge of the depths to which human frailty can sink prompted you to consider them as perhaps worthy of further investigation.