Louis Veuillot

1813-1883. French Roman Catholic writer. Born near Orléans, this self-taught son of a cooper returned to a living Catholic faith during a visit to Rome in 1839. Thereafter he devoted his exceptional journalistic skills to the defence of the Ultramontane* cause in France, chiefly as editor of L'Univers (1843-60 and 1867-74). He made it the most powerful Catholic journal of the time. His influence was especially great among the conservative lower rural clergy. He criticized Napoleon III's policy, particularly when it endangered the Papal States or other Catholic interests, and Napoleon suspended the journal from 1860 to 1867. His aggressiveness and hostility to any compromise with liberalism made him unpopular with more liberal Catholics, but he was generally protected from even episcopal critics like Dupanloup* by the support of Pope Pius IX.* Veuillot strove continually for a full restoration of Catholic order to France, thus reversing the French Revolution and its consequences. At first he opposed the Falloux Laws (1850) which once more allowed Catholic schools; he wanted nothing less than a totally Catholic educational system. He accepted the Laws only at the pope's persuasion. Residing in Rome during Vatican I,* he gave energetic support to the cause of the definition of papal infallibility.