honorary canon

On October 24, the new bishop of Soissons, Msgr. Thibaudier, announced that Dehon had been named honorary canon of the cathedral of Soissons.

"Congratulations and applause came from everywhere, even from where I would least have expected it. It was a period of successes; the crosses would come later. Some days later I went to Soissons, in order to be introduced there... Solemnly and in accordance with the rules one proceeded: procession, oath, speech of the deacon, minutes. Most of the canons were fairly old and I was rather young. I found the ceremony not very pleasing and rather superfluous for a title which was nothing but trifle/bauble. But with a lot of good faith and in all simplicity I prayed a little for the church of Soissons, in which I had become an honorary dignitary." (NHV XII/82)
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