Forerunners
in Europe
19511964
During a visit to France
in 1951, Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin gave thought to the manuscripts
that were his life's work and to what would happen to them after
his death. Seventy years old, in delicate health and about to
set out on a field trip to the Transvaal in South Africa, he
was torn with inner conflict. Loyalty to the Jesuit Order was
the deepest of his commitments, but he knew that if the essays
were to become the property of the Society, they would be buried
in its archives. They challenged current ideas of God, man, and
the universe. A solution presented itself when a canon lawyer
advised that they might legitimately be left to a lay person.
Mlle. Jeanne Mortier, who had devotedly kept his papers in order
for many years, was the obvious choice. In a simple, hastily
written note, Teilhard appointed her his literary legatee.
When Teilhard died in
New York City, April 10, 1955, Mlle. Mortier, together with a
number of Teilhard's family, friends and former colleagues, set
up a committee to arrange publication of his writings. Thus the
Association des Amis de Pierre Teilhard de Chardin came
into being. It was located at 12, rue le l'abbé-Gregoire,
Paris, VI.
Several committees were
set up under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Marie-Jose of
France:
A Directing Committee
consisted of Professor Jean Piveteau (the Sorbonne), President;
Comte Max-Henri de Begouen, Vice-president; Mlle. Jeanne Mortier,
Secretary.
An Administrative Council
was composed of Msgr. Bruno de Solages, M. Claude Cuénot,
M. Jean de Beer, and M. André Selon.
A Committee to advise
on the publication of Teilhard's work included many distinguished
scholars, scientists, and literary figures, among whom were Dr.
George Barbour, Abbe Henri Breuil, Prince Louis de Broglie, Dr.
Julian Huxley, M. Andre Malraux, M. Leopold Sédar Senghor
of Senegal, Dr. Arnold Toynbee, and members of Teilhard's family.
In 1964 the Fondation
Teilhard de Chardin was established with headquarters in
the Musée de l'Homme,38, rue Geoffrey-St. Hilaire, Paris,
V. Here there was an office, a library, a museum, archives containing
all of Teilhard's writings, and a study room for research. Its
stated purpose was to conserve the manuscripts bequeathed by
Teilhard, to collect all works emanating from him and concerning
him, to make these writings available to authors and students,
to publish Teilhard's work and to defend his thought, to promote
the study, diffusion, application and extension of his thought
by meetings, lectures, congresses, prizes and publication.
The Foundation also served
as a center for a growing number of affiliated associations and
study groups not only in France but throughout the world as well.
By 1964 there was the Teilhard de Chardin Gesellshaft
in Munich and The Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Association of
Great Britain and Ireland in London. Also, though unaffiliated
with Paris, there was the Centre Belge Teilhard de Chardin
in Brussels.
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