The Parallel Lives of John Vianney & Prince Talleyrand

Outline:

A. The early years of Talleyrand.  Rise to prominence.  Leaves First Estate to join National Assembly at Tennis Court.  Flees radical France and returns for the Directory.  Turns on Directory and joins Napoleon.  Negotiates Concordat & Treaty of Tilsit.  Vice General Elector.  “Until that time, that was the only vice that Talleyrand did not have.”  Joseph Fouché.

B.  The years of John Vianney.  Early education.  Draft into French army.  “Deserter.”

C. Talleyrand switches sides while Vianney tries to get into a seminary; eventually ordained.  Talleyrand hob-knobs with Concert of Europe as John Vianney becomes curé of Ars.

D.  Contemporary saints.  Sister Terese Courderc and the Sisters of the Cenacle.  “If we had known what we would have suffered, we would have picked up our shoes and we’d still be running.”  Peter Chanel.  Catherine Labouré.  Anthony Marie Claret.  French apparitions.