OLIVA
243
OLIVAINT
When about 1500 it asserted its exemptness from the
jurisdiction of the bishop of Leslau, the Holy See de-
cided in its favour. Its discipline suffered severely
from 1538-1736, because by a degree of the Diet of
Petricow only noblemen could be elected abbots, and
especially because from 1557-1736 these abbots were
appointed by the Polish kings. An impetus to re-
form was given by Abbot Edmund of Castiglione, who
was sent as vi.sitor. He joined Ohva to the Polish
Province, and in 1580 drew up new statutes for the
two provinces. But under the Prussian rule the king
assumed the right of appointing the abbots and a new
period of decline began which continued until the sup-
pression.
Pontes Otivenses, ed. HiRSCH in Script, rerum Prussicarum, I (Leipzig, 1861) and V (1S74), and by Ketrzynski in Mon, Pol. hist., VI (Krakow, 1983) ; HlRSCH, Das Kloster Oliva (Danzig, 1850): Kketschmer, Geschichte und Beschreibung der Kldster in Pomerellen: Part I: Die Cistercienser Ablei Olim (Danzig, 1847); Kemper, Die Inschriften dea Klosters Oliva (Neuatadt in Weat- preussen, 1893).
Michael Ott.
Oliva, GiAN Paolo, b. at Genoa, 4 October, 1600; d. at Rome, at Sant' Andrea Quirinale, 26 Novem- ber, 1681. In 1616, he entered the Society of Jesus, in which he excelled by rare intellectual powers, learn- ing, and sanctity. A famous pulpit orator, he was Apostolic Preacher of the Palace under Innocent X, Alexander VII, Clement IX, and Clement X. In 1661, during the critical period of the Provost General Father Goswin Nickel, the general congregation elected him vicar-general with the right of succes- sion. His chief aim was to remove all causes of dis- sension and of personal friction between his institute and other religious orders, towards which he showed himself most reverent and yielding. He extended and increased the missions, creating new ones out- side of Europe, especially in Japan. His book of forty-odd sermons for Lent, and his work of six folio volumes," In Selecta Scripturae Loca Ethicae Commen- tationes", printed at Lyons, evince his scholarship and piety. He took a keen interest in the events of his time. Remembering what had happened to Car- dinal Palavicino, Oliva printed one thousand of his letters, in order that they might not be printed by others and be misconstrued.
Oltva, Lettera ai pp. delta Compagnia-Leitere, II (Rome, 1666, 1681); Patrignani, Menologio di pie memorie ecc, IV (Venice, 1730), 189-91; Journal des Sanans, X (Amsterdam, 1683), 57; Cr6tineau-Jolt, Hist, religieuse, politique etc. de la C. de Msus, IV (Paris, 1845), 94-7.
LuiGi Tacchi Venturi.
Olivaint, Pierre, was b. in Paris, 22 Feb., 1816. His father, a man of repute, but an unbeliever and im- bittered by reverses of fortune and career, died in 1835 without having returned to the faith. He was sur- vived by his wife, also without religion, and three children. At twenty Pierre left home, and the College of Charlemagne, where he had made a brilliant course of studies, imbued him with the doctrines of Voltaire. His lioart, however, had remained remarkably pure, and he writes at this time : " I desire, if by any possibil- ity I should become a priest, to be a missionary, and if I am a missionary to be a martyr." In 1836 Pierre en- tered the Normal School, and, where so many lose their faith, conversion awaited him. Led away at first by Buchez's neo-Catholicism, then won by the sermons of Lacordaire, he made his profession of faith to Father de Ravignan (1837), and from that time be- came an apostle. At the Normal School he formed a Catholic group which by its piety and charity soon attracted attention and respect. The Conferences of St. Vincent de Paul attracted at that time the 61ite of the schools, and Olivaint with twelve of his com- panions established them in the parish of Saint M6- dard. By the ardour of their charity and faith these heroic youths symbolized the religious renais.sance in France. In 1836, Olivaint heard that Lacordaire
was going to restore the Dominican Order in France.
Several of his friends had already decided to follow
the great orator. He wished to follow him also, but
was detained by the duty of supporting his mother.
After a year of professorship at Grenoble, he returned
to Paris, and occupied the chair of history at Bourbon
College; in 1841 he accepted a position as tutor to the
young George de la Rochefoucaud.
In 1842 Olivaint won the junior fellowship in a history competition. His lecture was on Gregory VII, and M. Saint-Marc Girardin closed the Assembly with these words: "We have just heard virtue, pleading the cause of virtue". At this time war was declared against the Jesuits. Quinet and Michelet changed their lectures into impassioned declara- tions against the society. On 2 May, 1845, M. Thiers was to conduct before the Assembly an inter- pellation against these religious. Olivaint saw that it was his duty to be present. "I hesitated", he said to Louis Veuillot, "I hesitate no longer. M. Thiers shows me my duty. I must follow it. I enter to- day." And the day of the proposed interpellation he entered the novitiate of Laval. This sacrifice was hard for Madame Olivaint who as yet had not been converted by the virtues of her son. After a year's fervent novitiate he was made professor of history at the College of Brugelette, in Belgium. On 3 May, 1847, he made his first vows, and on the completion of theological studies received Holy orders. In the meanwhile the Law of 1850 had established, in France, the right of controlling education. Pierre Olivaint was summoned to Paris, where he remained. On 3 April, 1852, Pierre arrived at the College of Vaugirard of which the Jesuits had accepted charge. He was to spend thirteen years here, first as professor and pre- fect of studies, then as rector. A model teacher, he trained the heart as well as the mind, and by his ex- haustless energy, added to the direction of his college, many works of zeal, among others "L'CEuvre de I'En- fant J^sus pour la premiere communion des jeunes filles pauvres", and "L'CEuvre de Saint Fran^ois- Xavier", for the workmen of the parish of Vaugirard.
After twenty-five years devoted to teaching. Father OUvaint was named Superior of the House in Paris (1865). He accepted this burden with courage, and displayed an unbounded zeal. An indefatigable preacher and director, he exercised by his sanctity an irresistible influence over all. His mother yielded to him and under his direction, Madame Ohvaint pre- pared by a life of prayer for a very holy death. In the meantime the spirit of revolt agitated Paris, and spread throughout France. The religious renaissance of the nineteenth century, in which Pierre Olivaint had been an example, called forth a retaliation of evil. In January, 1870, Father Olivaint wrote "Persecution is upon us; it will be terrible: we will pass through torrents of blood." On the desertion of Rome by the emperor had followed the disaster of the French troops. The investment of Paris was planned, and to those who urged him to fly Father Olivaint replied that his was the post of danger. The most formidable danger impending was the commune, now mistress of Paris. "Let us be generous and ready for sacri- fice", said Father Olivaint. "France must have the blood of the pure to raise her again ; which one of us, indeed, is worthy to offer his life, and what a joy should we be chosen." He was chosen. On 4 April, 1871, the federes arrested Mgr Darboy and several others. On the fifth, they took possession of the house on the Rue de Sevres and Father Olivaint quietly gave himself up. On 24 May, Mgr Darboy and five other prisoners were executed; on the twenty-sixth, fifty-two victims. Father Olivaint marching at their head, were dragged through Paris and massacred in the Rue Haxo. The day after this expiation the commune was overthrown. The remains of PVther Olivaint and the four priests who fell with him (Fathers
