You’ve probably seen the photos of the white robes. Or maybe you've heard the whispers about a "Pope" in Quebec who wasn't authorized by Rome. When people talk about the Apostles of Infinite Love, the conversation usually veers into the sensational. It’s easy to see why. We are talking about a group that claimed the Chair of Peter was vacant and decided to fill it themselves in the Canadian wilderness.
It’s a wild story.
But if you look past the headlines, there is a complex, often troubling history of a community that tried to build a parallel reality. It isn’t just some historical footnote; it's a case study in how religious movements splinter, how charismatic authority functions, and what happens when a group decides the rest of the world has lost its way.
How it Actually Started: Michel Collin and the Vision
To understand the Apostles of Infinite Love, you have to start with a man named Michel Collin. He was a French priest. But he wasn't exactly a "by the book" kind of guy. Back in 1935, he founded the Order of the Mother of God, claiming he had received direct messages from heaven. By 1950, the Vatican had seen enough. They laicized him, which is basically the Church's way of saying "you're fired."
Collin didn't care. He actually did the opposite of going away quietly. He claimed that in 1950, Jesus himself had consecrated him as Pope Clement XV.
Think about that for a second. You have a guy in France claiming to be the true Pope while the actual Pope is sitting in the Vatican. This is what we call "sedevacantism" on steroids. Collin’s movement, known as the Clementines, started gaining traction with people who felt the modern Catholic Church was becoming too liberal or losing its mystical roots.
Then comes Jean-Gaston Tremblay.
Tremblay was a French-Canadian who joined Collin’s movement. He was ambitious. He was focused. In 1962, he established a community in Saint-Jovite, Quebec. This place became the "Magnificat," the headquarters of what we now know as the Apostles of Infinite Love. It wasn't long before the student surpassed the teacher. While Collin was busy in Europe, Tremblay was building a physical, self-sustaining community in the Canadian woods.
Eventually, Tremblay claimed the papacy for himself, taking the name Pope Gregory XVII.
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Life Inside the Saint-Jovite Monastery
If you visited the monastery during its peak, it looked like a time capsule. You’d see dozens of brothers and sisters in traditional habits. They were dedicated. They farmed. They printed their own literature. They believed they were the "remnant" of the true Church, the only ones holding onto the "real" faith while the rest of the world fell into apostasy.
Honestly, it sounds idyllic if you like hard work and prayer. But the reality for those living there was often much harsher than the brochures suggested.
The community operated under a strict hierarchy. Tremblay—or Gregory XVII—was the absolute authority. This wasn't a democracy. It was a theocracy. People gave up their possessions to join. They gave up their autonomy. For decades, the group lived in relative isolation, but you can only stay hidden for so long before the outside world starts asking questions about what’s happening behind closed doors.
Legal troubles started piling up.
Throughout the late 20th century, the Apostles of Infinite Love faced numerous investigations. There were allegations regarding child custody battles, the treatment of minors within the community, and financial transparency. In 1999, Canadian authorities even conducted a massive raid on the Saint-Jovite property. It was a circus.
Why People Joined (and Why Some Stayed)
Why would anyone do this? Why leave your life to follow a man in Quebec who says he’s the Pope?
- Disillusionment: Many early members were traditional Catholics who hated the changes brought by Vatican II. They wanted the Latin Mass, the old rituals, and a sense of certainty.
- The Appeal of Community: In an increasingly lonely world, the idea of a self-sufficient village where everyone shares your values is incredibly seductive.
- Charisma: Jean-Gaston Tremblay was, by all accounts, a magnetic personality. He spoke with conviction. He made people feel like they were part of a cosmic battle between good and evil.
But that certainty has a price. When your entire social circle, your home, and your salvation are tied to one leader, leaving becomes almost impossible. It’s a high-cost entry and a higher-cost exit.
The Confusion Over Names and Popes
One thing that trips everyone up is the name. You might hear them called the Apostles of Infinite Love, the Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God, or even just "The Clementines." They’re all part of the same DNA.
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And then there's the "Pope Gregory XVII" issue.
Fun fact: Jean-Gaston Tremblay wasn't the only one claiming that name. There was another guy in Spain, Clemente Domínguez y Labat, who headed the Palmarian Christian Church. He also claimed to be Pope Gregory XVII. So, for a while, you had two different "true" Popes with the exact same name, both claiming the Vatican was occupied by usurpers.
It’s like a religious version of the Spider-Man pointing meme.
What Really Happened with the Legal Battles?
The legal history of the Apostles of Infinite Love is long and messy. You can't just summarize it in a sentence because it spans decades.
In the 1970s and 80s, the group was constantly in court over the children in their care. Because members often joined as families, the group ended up with a lot of kids. The Quebec government was concerned about their education and welfare. Tremblay himself faced multiple charges over the years, including kidnapping (related to custody disputes) and gross indecency.
He was eventually convicted of some of these charges.
But even with their leader behind bars for a time, the community didn't collapse. That’s the thing about these groups—persecution often strengthens their "us vs. them" narrative. To the followers, the police raids and court dates weren't evidence of wrongdoing; they were "proof" that the devil was attacking the true Church.
The Group Today: Is Anyone Still There?
Jean-Gaston Tremblay died in 2011.
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Usually, when a charismatic leader dies, the group either vanishes or splits. The Apostles of Infinite Love did a bit of both. They are much smaller now. The days of hundreds of monks and nuns roaming the Quebec countryside are largely over. However, the monastery in Saint-Jovite (now part of Mont-Tremblant) still exists.
They have a successor, of course. A man named Father Mathurin took the reins after Tremblay passed, taking the title Pope Gregory XVIII.
They still maintain a presence online. Their website looks like it hasn't been updated since 2005, filled with long tracts about the end times, the errors of the modern Church, and the sanctity of their mission. It’s a ghost of what it once was, but it’s still haunting the fringes of the religious world.
Why Should We Care?
You might think this is just a weird story about a small group in Canada. But the Apostles of Infinite Love represent something bigger. They are a reminder of what happens when people lose trust in institutions.
When the "official" version of the truth—whether it’s religious, political, or social—doesn't satisfy people, they go looking for alternatives. Sometimes those alternatives are harmless. Sometimes they lead people into isolated woods where one man holds all the power.
We see this today in different forms. Digital echo chambers have replaced physical monasteries for many, but the psychology is the same. The need to feel like you have the "secret knowledge" that the rest of the world is too blind to see is a powerful drug.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re interested in researching the Apostles of Infinite Love or similar groups, you have to be careful about your sources. Here’s how to navigate it:
- Check the Archives: Don't just rely on the group's own website. Look for Canadian court records and newspaper archives from Le Journal de Montréal or The Gazette from the 1970s through the 1990s. They provide a much more grounded perspective on the legal issues.
- Understand the Theology: If you want to know why they believed what they did, look up "Sedevacantism." It’s the broader theological movement that believes the current Pope is not a real Pope. It puts the Apostles' actions in a much clearer context.
- Look for Ex-Member Testimonies: There are several blogs and forums where former members share their experiences. These are invaluable for understanding the daily life and the psychological toll of living in a closed community.
- Visit with Caution: If you ever find yourself in Mont-Tremblant, the monastery is there. But remember, it is private property. They aren't a tourist attraction, and they remain very guarded against outsiders.
The story of the Apostles of Infinite Love is a wild ride through faith, ego, and the human desire for a perfect world. It’s a cautionary tale about the thin line between devotion and delusion. Whether you see them as a misunderstood remnant or a dangerous cult, their impact on the religious landscape of Quebec is undeniable.
The robes might be fading, and the numbers might be dwindling, but the questions they raised about authority and truth aren't going anywhere.
Note on Research: To verify the details of the 1999 raids or the specific criminal charges against Jean-Gaston Tremblay, consult the Quebec Ministry of Justice archives or the historical reporting of the CBC. These sources provide the necessary factual bedrock for understanding the group's legal history.