Peace of Westphalia Chapter 19

 

The Peace of Westphalia Chapter 19

To recap, the oak at Scherpenheuvel was cut down in 1604, the wood was made into more Marian statues, a chapel was constructed, and there were pilgrimages. Next, processions with Our Lady of Luxembourg Consolatrix Afflictorum began in 1626 and that became a popular pilgrimage site. In 1641 Our Lady of Kevelaer Consolatrix Afflictorum starts small and in a few years grows into a pilgrimage site to rival the other two. What happens next? 

In 1648 comes the Peace of Westphalia. An end to the 30 Years War. Also, an end to the 80 Years War. Both are wars of religion caused by the Reformation. Between 4.5 and 8 million people die because of the 30 Years War. The Peace of Westphalia is worked out by 109 delegations negotiating for 2 years beginning in 1646. Key parts of the agreement are: 1. Local princes and other rulers get to decide the official religion of their region. 2. Rulers cannot interfere in the religious choice of a ruler in another region. 3. Individuals in any region can practice any of the three "approved" religions, not just the official religion. The approved religions are Calvinism, Catholicism, and Lutheranism. 4. Stolen church properties are returned to whoever owned them in 1630.

 Westphalian Sovereignty, better known today as State Sovereignty, becomes a principle in international law. It is enshrined in the charter of the United Nations. 400 years ago, your religion might be determined by the whims of a secular ruler or by the outcome on a battlefield. Today, that sounds absurd. 

After the Peace of Westphalia, German Catholics were able to practice their faith even under Lutheran rulers. Over 200 years after the treaty there were still German Catholics.  Some came to America and founded parishes. I belong to a parish that was founded by German Catholics in 1869.  Catholicism also remained in France. 

Pope Innocent X established the Confraternity of Our Lady of Consolation on January 27, 1652. That is 3 years, 3 months and 3 days after the Peace of Westphalia was signed on October 24, 1648. The Pope must have seen something special about Our Lady of Consolation at this time.  

Had the Catholic region of Benelux been converted by the reformers, instead of remaining staunchly Catholic and devoted to Mary, then perhaps Catholicism would not have been well represented at the negotiations at Westphalia. Catholicism would have remained strong in Italy and Spain, but perhaps not in France, Germany, and the Benelux region.  However, Catholicism WAS one of the approved religions. 

So far, I've presented a lot of facts. Names, dates, locations, events. Allow me to give my personal, and biased, interpretation of these events.

Catholicism in Benelux was surrounded on all sides and under attack. The 80 Years War. The 30 Years War. The Protestant Reformation. Religious persecution. The plague. God responded by parachuting Mary into the battlefield. Her chute got hung up in a big oak tree. The Calvinists laughed at that. They ridiculed the statue and the people who venerated it. They scoffed at the healings attributed to Mary's intercession. The humble people responded with faith and devotion. Within a generation, Central Europe went from religious wars to a degree of religious freedom and tolerance.  A small statue of Mary, at first known only to some simple shepherds, and in a generations time you have a turning point in history.  Guess who I want on my side in tough times?