His new order grew at a rapid pace but misunderstandings about their mission attracted undue opposition which later compelled the order to disband on 3 December 1883 with Dehon feeling (in his words) "torn to shreds". But it was following a period of depression and serious reflection (as he undertook the Spiritual Exercises) that Dehon reformed the order as the Dehonians in March 1884 and making parish and foreign mission work as its focus. But it was the Bishop of Soissons Thibaudier who intervened to restore the order since he supported and appreciated Dehon's work. In 1886 he was elected as the order's Superior-General and held the position until his death. Dehon ensured that another focus of his order was to foster and promote a special devotion to Eucharistic adoration. The order received the decree of praise from Pope Leo XIII on 25 February 1888 who asked Dehon on 6 September in an audience to preach on the basis the pope's documents. The pope later appointed him in 1897 as a consulter to the Congregation of the Index and said of his decision: "Let it be known that I approve his positions as I entrust him to the function of one who must judge the doctrine of others".