Belgium remains Catholic Chapter 34

 In 1714, Austria acquired the former Spanish Netherlands. The region then became known as the Austrian Netherlands. Austria then ruled over the region that would eventually become Belgium until the French took over. The French revolution led to the French invading and controlling the region from 1794 to 1814. Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in 1815. Waterloo is in Belgium, just 10 miles south of Brussels and just 36 miles from Scherpenheuvel. During the French occupation, Catholics and the Catholic Church were targeted for persecution. Even priests and nuns were targeted. However, the revolutionaries were not able to stomp out Catholicism in the region. Recall that in the last chapter we saw that the nation of Belgium was formed because the Catholics in the region wanted out from under the control of Protestants in the northern Netherlands who held most of the political power in the region. The country of Belgium came into existence in 1830. This is just 15 years after the defeat of Napoleon. 

We also saw, in the last chapter, that over half of Luxembourg became part of the new country of Belgium. Recall that my story of Our Lady of Consolation started with a visit to St. Augustine parish in Leopold, Indiana, where a statue of Our Lady of Consolation was brought from Luxembourg in 1868. This is just 38 years after Belgium became a country. St. Augustine parish was founded in 1837 by Belgian immigrants. Just 7 years after Belgium became a country. 

see   https://www.archindy.org/parishes/listings/089.html

The Belgian immigrants to Leopold brought with them a strong Catholic faith and a devotion to Our Lady of Consolation. This devotion was strong enough to have survived the years of French occupation and persecution. These immigrants would have known very well the history of Belgium and the connection to Luxembourg because they lived through it. This is why, when men from Leopold found themselves in a notorious prison were many died, they turned to Our Lady of Consolation. 

Our Lady of Consolation helped the Catholics in Belgium to remain faithful through both the Protestant Reformation and the French Revolution. 

Consolatrix Afflictorum, ora pro nobis. 

Onze Lieve Vrouw van Troost, bid voor ons.