What stopped the French Revolution?

Have you ever wondered?

Well first we need to analyse what was the main objective of the conspirators who created this horrific period in history.

The total destruction of the Catholic Church, to be replaced by atheisim.

The devil wished to completely crush this Catholic nation, known as “The Oldest Daughter of the Church” - this Catholic land so ancient. It's very beginning, blossoming from the arrival of Lazarus, Martha & Mary Madgalen to it's shores so many, many centuries before.

But this demonic Goliath was brought down by a ‘David’ – 16 of them to be precise, whose slingshot was loaded with a powerful sacrifice of love that brought the French Revolution crumbling to the dust.

Who are these Davids?

Sixteen Carmelite Nuns of Compiègne who had been thrown out of their monastery (like many orders were) and then later condemned to death by guillotine. Sometime in 1792, Mother Teresa of St Augustine had the thought to make an act of consecration, to make of themselves a holocaust to God for the end of this satanic reign.

This holocaust found it’s fulfilment 2 years later as the community of Carmelites were lead to their execution.

But this execution was different.

Usually the Parisian crowd would be jeering and shouting the executioners on in their grisly task but as the Carmelite’s voices were raised in chant the crowd became silent.

This was a sight like no other, this was a sound like no other. Witnesses would later say that they looked like brides going to their wedding feast.

The youngest sister was the first to die, and one by one the chant grew fainter until there was only one voice left, that of Mother Teresa.

Then there was silence.

A silence that resounded through the hearts and minds of the people, culminating in the deafening reply of the complete collapse of the Revolution 10 days later, 27 of July 1794.

10 days later... a sign had been surely left for the world to know exactly why this had ended so abruptly, so unexpectedly.

The Church has a tradition that is rooted in the New Testament – that of a novena.

Prayers for nine days then followed by the tenth day, which is the ‘feast’ of those previous nine days of petition. The Apostles and Our Lady were the first to pray and offer such a novena.

When Christ ascended back to His Heavenly Father, He promised them the Holy Spirit who would lead and guide them, till the end of time. Naturally the Apostles were afraid and so they hid for nine days in the Upper Room, praying and fasting, calling upon the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen them, to hear their petitions.

On the tenth day, The Sanctifier came and poured out His Spirit and Life upon them and they boldly stepped out and started the mission that Jesus had left for them.

It was the birthday of the Church, with the baptising of thousands that day.

With the death of the 16 Martyrs of Compiègne we see a repeat of this ’10 days’ where their sacrifice found its Heavenly acceptance in the destruction of Satan’s ultimate plans for France.

This is a story that all should know.

Today I recalled this beautiful story to my children, with great emotion and love! (“Mummy, are you crying?”)

Here are some recommended reading and listening:

To Quell the Terror

The Song at the Scaffold

Poulenc 's opera Dialogues des Carmélites, became perhaps the most widely loved modern opera, even among non-Christians and nonbelievers. An opera that re-lives this moment in history, that has the Carmelites mounting the scaffold, chanting Salve Regina.


How blessed are we to have such saints in our Church and may we always celebrate their feast with great love and devotion each and every year!

Happy Feast Day!