The War of the Magicians: Part 1

After brilliant studies at the seminar of Montauban, Joseph-Antoine Boullan (°1824) was ordained priest in 1848 and appointed to the parish of Saint John in Montauban. Two years later he went to Rome where he obtained his doctorate in theology. He joined the Missionairies of the Precious Blood and took part in several missions to Italy, before settling down as superior of the congregation in Trois-Epis, near Turckheim in Alsace. He published a translation of the Divine Life of the Blessed Virgin of the famous visionary Catherine Emmerich and he came in 1854 to Paris where he collaborated on several religious journals.

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In March 1856 Boullan assumed the spiritual direction of a young woman from Soissons, Adèle Chevalier. After being told by several doctors that there was no hope left, during a pilgrimage to Our Lady of La Salette she had been miraculously cured of blindness and pulmonary congestion.  The news was soon to spread throughout the diocese and the bishop of Soissons had delegated his Vicar General to conduct an investigation. His report was clear and precise: “After careful consideration of the circumstances which led to the recovery of sight and the healing of the lungs, I do not hesitate to believe in a supernatural intervention by the Mother of God.”

From that time, sister Chevalier was in communication with the Virgin and – inspired by a divine grace – frequently receiving revelations from a mysterious voice. The monks of La Salette asked the bishop of Grenoble permission to entrust her to the direction of abbot Boullan, whose scientific and mystic theology was well known to them. Immediately, Boullan had great faith in the supernatural qualities of the penitent. It was decided that he would travel to Rome to present the miracle to the Pope and the Sacred College.

This mission would not be the only one. Around the same time, Boullan had to deal with the case of Miss Mary Roche, who had been entrusted to him by the bishop of Rodez. She also claimed to have a divine mission and to receive heavenly inspiration of a prophetic nature. Events of the utmost gravity had been announced to her: one prophecy applied to the Pope who would meet a violent death and another to the French Emperor who, if he did not follow the orders Marie Roche gave him, would perish through the hands of his officers to make room for Henry V. Marie Roche was also taken to Rome by the abbot and presented to the Sacred College.