Podcast appearances and mentions of clement vii

Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Fourth Week of Lent Lectionary: 249The Saint of the day is Saint Vincent FerrerSaint Vincent Ferrer's Story The polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is. Despite parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19. After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Peter de Luna—who would figure tragically in his life. Of a very ardent nature, Vincent practiced the austerities of his Order with great energy. He was chosen prior of the Dominican house in Valencia shortly after his ordination. The Western schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes. Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced the election of Urban was invalid, though Catherine of Siena was just as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope. In the service of Cardinal de Luna, Vincent worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII. Vincent worked for him as apostolic penitentiary and Master of the Sacred Palace. But the new pope did not resign as all candidates in the conclave had sworn to do. He remained stubborn, despite being deserted by the French king and nearly all of the cardinals. Vincent became disillusioned and very ill, but finally took up the work of simply “going through the world preaching Christ,” though he felt that any renewal in the Church depended on healing the schism. An eloquent and fiery preacher, he spent the last 20 years of his life spreading the Good News in Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low Countries and Lombardy, stressing the need of repentance and the fear of coming judgment. He became known as the “Angel of the Judgment.” Vincent tried unsuccessfully, in 1408 and 1415, to persuade his former friend to resign. He finally concluded that Benedict was not the true pope. Though very ill, he mounted the pulpit before an assembly over which Benedict himself was presiding, and thundered his denunciation of the man who had ordained him a priest. Benedict fled for his life, abandoned by those who had formerly supported him. Strangely, Vincent had no part in the Council of Constance, which ended the schism. Reflection The split in the Church at the time of Vincent Ferrer should have been fatal—36 long years of having two “heads.” We cannot imagine what condition the Church today would be in if, for that length of time, half the world had followed a succession of popes in Rome, and half an equally “official” number of popes in say, Rio de Janeiro. It is an ongoing miracle that the Church has not long since been shipwrecked on the rocks of pride and ignorance, greed and ambition. Contrary to Lowell's words, “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne,” we believe that “truth is mighty, and it shall prevail”—but it sometimes takes a long time. Saint Vincent Ferrer is the Patron Saint of: BuildersBusinessmenReconciliation Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

A bouncy conversation all about the POWER of Astrology to tell us what is coming up in the financial markets. There are still doubters, maybe you're one of them?However, it's July the 7th 2024, Saturn is sitting on Bitcoin's Uranus and the price is WAY DOWN, because Saturn is a depressant. (See also the links between Medical Astrology and Financial Astrology we discuss in this pod.)When I met Robert at the end of May it was in his talk at Norwac, I asked him (after he ignored me with my hand up for 5 minutes!) What's going to happen when Saturn stations on Bitcoin's Uranus? He got all enthusiastic and started dropping dates and facts like lightening. ⚡️ I'm so pleased I attended that lecture, met Robert and made this connection because I sold lots of crypto that first week in June and secured the gains that I didn't in 2021 when I was being gaslit left right and centre on my astrological predictions.Trusting astrology and ignoring macho noise has been INVALUABLE in my relationship with my intuition, trusting what I see in the chart and having the confidence to go against the crowd. We discuss some of the more esoteric themes of VALUE in this podcast too.Also, credit to Rose Morgan Medium who also told me “early June could be a good time to sell.” Subscribers to The Club Cast my renamed subscriber podcast were informed of my plans to sell in early June.Robert had also disclosed that his ascendent was 2º Gemini so I was on a mission to meet him and introduce myself to him. I was a few tequilas in when I bounded it up to him and gave him the full Gemini treatment, if you don't know what that means it involves a low key interrogation.In this episode Robert shares is journey into financial astrologer and how became so enthusiastic. What made him learn about BTC back in 2017?We talk about the power of Bitcoin and debate its significance (Robert is a rare breed, he's not an all out Bitcoin Bro who loves decentralisation.)It's quite an astrological episode and does involve some screen sharing which you can watch on Substack here but I THINK it's great even if you don't speak astro. Let us know if you couldn't follow!I love this conversation and I have LOVED working with Bitcoin over the past 4 years. The charts are remarkable and the way they work is mind-blowing! I think we will do more episodes like this and I'll make sure to eat beforehand. Thank you Robert for your info, time and quick thinking air-dominant wit.P.S. when we are talking about the Popes, I remembered that Pluto was in Aquarius when Julius II was in power… that's why I knew it wasn't the 1600s we were talking about, but in fact the 1500s. However, the King Henry VIII fell out with was actually Clement VII. You'll sleep tonight now you know that!Connect with Francesca Oddie:Website: francescaoddie.comInstagram: hereJoin Diamond Devotion here before it's too late, here. (10% off for paid up Substack subscribers.) Astrology knows, cards know even more. Two people reading you at the same time is magic.♥️♣️♦️♠️ (When Cardologist Steven isn't reading cards, he's using cards to help him with his financial trades. Diamonds

Full Text of ReadingsFriday in the Octave of Easter Lectionary: 265The Saint of the day is Saint Vincent FerrerSaint Vincent Ferrer's Story The polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is. Despite parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19. After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Peter de Luna—who would figure tragically in his life. Of a very ardent nature, Vincent practiced the austerities of his Order with great energy. He was chosen prior of the Dominican house in Valencia shortly after his ordination. The Western schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes. Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced the election of Urban was invalid, though Catherine of Siena was just as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope. In the service of Cardinal de Luna, Vincent worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII. Vincent worked for him as apostolic penitentiary and Master of the Sacred Palace. But the new pope did not resign as all candidates in the conclave had sworn to do. He remained stubborn, despite being deserted by the French king and nearly all of the cardinals. Vincent became disillusioned and very ill, but finally took up the work of simply “going through the world preaching Christ,” though he felt that any renewal in the Church depended on healing the schism. An eloquent and fiery preacher, he spent the last 20 years of his life spreading the Good News in Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low Countries and Lombardy, stressing the need of repentance and the fear of coming judgment. He became known as the “Angel of the Judgment.” Vincent tried unsuccessfully, in 1408 and 1415, to persuade his former friend to resign. He finally concluded that Benedict was not the true pope. Though very ill, he mounted the pulpit before an assembly over which Benedict himself was presiding, and thundered his denunciation of the man who had ordained him a priest. Benedict fled for his life, abandoned by those who had formerly supported him. Strangely, Vincent had no part in the Council of Constance, which ended the schism. Reflection The split in the Church at the time of Vincent Ferrer should have been fatal—36 long years of having two “heads.” We cannot imagine what condition the Church today would be in if, for that length of time, half the world had followed a succession of popes in Rome, and half an equally “official” number of popes in say, Rio de Janeiro. It is an ongoing miracle that the Church has not long since been shipwrecked on the rocks of pride and ignorance, greed and ambition. Contrary to Lowell's words, “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne,” we believe that “truth is mighty, and it shall prevail”—but it sometimes takes a long time. Saint Vincent Ferrer is the Patron Saint of: BuildersBusinessmenReconciliation Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther, and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to the Turks, while proud King Francis I, defeated by the Emperor Charles and a prisoner in Madrid, was eventually forced to relinquish all hope of Italian conquest. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther, and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to the Turks, while proud King Francis I, defeated by the Emperor Charles and a prisoner in Madrid, was eventually forced to relinquish all hope of Italian conquest.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther, and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to the Turks, while proud King Francis I, defeated by the Emperor Charles and a prisoner in Madrid, was eventually forced to relinquish all hope of Italian conquest. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther, and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to the Turks, while proud King Francis I, defeated by the Emperor Charles and a prisoner in Madrid, was eventually forced to relinquish all hope of Italian conquest. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther, and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to the Turks, while proud King Francis I, defeated by the Emperor Charles and a prisoner in Madrid, was eventually forced to relinquish all hope of Italian conquest. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

First published in Venice in 1502, Camillo Leonardi's Speculum Lapidum is an encyclopedic summary of all classical and medieval sources of lithotherapy. Today Jana Byars talks to Liliana Leopardi about her new translation, Speculum Lapidum: A Renaissance Treatise on the Healing Properties of Gemstones (Penn State University Press, 2023). In early modern Europe precious and semiprecious stones were valued not only for their beauty and rarity but also for their medical and magical properties. Lorenzo de' Medici, Philip II of Spain, and Popes Leo X and Clement VII were all treated with expensive potions incorporating ground gems such as rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. Medical and magical/astrological lapidaries, texts describing the stones' occult and medical qualities as well as their abilities to ward off demons and incantations, were essential resources for their use.  In describing the natural, manifest, and occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones as well as their graven images and applications, the Speculum Lapidum provides tremendous insight into the role that medical astrology and astral magic played in the life of an Italian court in the early modern period. Liliana Leopardi's English translation, complete with critical apparatuses, gives unprecedented access to this key text within the magical lapidary genre. A vital addition to the existing canon of lapidaria in translation, Leopardi's work will be of special importance for students and scholars of the history of magic, medicine, religion, and Renaissance humanism, and it will fascinate anyone interested in the occult properties of precious and semiprecious stones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend Pope Francis made an historic visit to Marseille, France; the first papal visit to the port city since Clement VII in 1533. The purpose of the trip is to show solidarity with the migrants as the French government takes a stricter stance amid rising Mediterranean crossings. Edward Stourton speaks to French Christian Journalist, Sophie Lebrun. Relations between Canada and India have become strained after the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau linked the Indian state with the killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil. Hardeep Singh Nijjar - a Canadian citizen - is the third prominent Sikh figure to have died unexpectedly in recent months. India strongly denies the allegations and further suspended visa processing for Canadian nationals travelling to India. BBC Monitoring's Nurussanda Garg has the latest on the story and Professor Gurharpal Singh explains the origins of the pro-Khalistan movement. One in seven local authorities in England have adopted a definition of Islamophobia that was rejected by the Government in 2019. While it's since been adopted by Labour, the Lib Dems and the Scottish Conservatives, free speech campaigners say it's confusing and in danger of conflating race and religion. Linsay Taylor from Muslim Engagement and Development and Stephen Evans from the National Secular Society discuss whether the term adequately differentiates between the discrimination of Muslims and the right to be able to criticise a religion. Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Bara'atu Ibrahim & Jonathan Hallewell Editors: Tim Pemberton & Dan Tierney.

The Age of the Condottieri - A Short History of Mediaeval Italy from 1409-1530 by Oscar Browning audiobook. Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to the Turks, while proud King Francis I, defeated by the Emperor Charles and a prisoner in Madrid, was eventually forced to relinquish all hope of Italian conquest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clement VII brings back the artistic glories of Renaissance Rome, but disaster for himself, his family, and for Rome looms overhead.  The theme music is "La Disperata", composed by Vincenzo Ruffo (ca. 1510-1587) and performed by Jon Sayles. Check out pictures, bibliographies, and more at http://www.medicipodcast.com. Support us at Patreon.

Full Text of ReadingsWednesday of Holy Week Lectionary: 259The Saint of the day is Saint Vincent FerrerSaint Vincent Ferrer's Story The polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is. Despite parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19. After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Peter de Luna—who would figure tragically in his life. Of a very ardent nature, Vincent practiced the austerities of his Order with great energy. He was chosen prior of the Dominican house in Valencia shortly after his ordination. The Western schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes. Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced the election of Urban was invalid, though Catherine of Siena was just as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope. In the service of Cardinal de Luna, Vincent worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII. Vincent worked for him as apostolic penitentiary and Master of the Sacred Palace. But the new pope did not resign as all candidates in the conclave had sworn to do. He remained stubborn, despite being deserted by the French king and nearly all of the cardinals. Vincent became disillusioned and very ill, but finally took up the work of simply “going through the world preaching Christ,” though he felt that any renewal in the Church depended on healing the schism. An eloquent and fiery preacher, he spent the last 20 years of his life spreading the Good News in Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low Countries and Lombardy, stressing the need of repentance and the fear of coming judgment. He became known as the “Angel of the Judgment.” Vincent tried unsuccessfully, in 1408 and 1415, to persuade his former friend to resign. He finally concluded that Benedict was not the true pope. Though very ill, he mounted the pulpit before an assembly over which Benedict himself was presiding, and thundered his denunciation of the man who had ordained him a priest. Benedict fled for his life, abandoned by those who had formerly supported him. Strangely, Vincent had no part in the Council of Constance, which ended the schism. Reflection The split in the Church at the time of Vincent Ferrer should have been fatal—36 long years of having two “heads.” We cannot imagine what condition the Church today would be in if, for that length of time, half the world had followed a succession of popes in Rome, and half an equally “official” number of popes in say, Rio de Janeiro. It is an ongoing miracle that the Church has not long since been shipwrecked on the rocks of pride and ignorance, greed and ambition. Contrary to Lowell's words, “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne,” we believe that “truth is mighty, and it shall prevail”—but it sometimes takes a long time. Saint Vincent Ferrer is the Patron Saint of: BuildersBusinessmenReconciliation Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Become a valuable contributor & member by supporting us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AudioWikipedia Please consider supporting my podcast at Ko-fi.com if you enjoy it: https://ko-fi.com/audiowikipedia ***************** Biagio da Cesena Biagio Martinelli (Cesena 1463 – Rome 1544), better known as Biagio da Cesena (meaning "from Cesena", his native city), was a 16th-century Italian official who served as Papal Master of Ceremonies. He is widely known for his negative reaction to the nude figures presented in Michelangelo's fresco of The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. In 1518 Biagio became Papal Master of Ceremonies to Pope Leo X. He would also act in this role for Popes Adrian VI, Clement VII, and Paul III. After the completion of The Last Judgment Biagio said of the fresco, "it was mostly disgraceful that in so sacred a place there should have been depicted all those nude figures, exposing themselves so shamefully". Biagio went on to say that the painting was more suitable "for the public baths and taverns" than a papal chapel. In response, Michelangelo worked Biagio's face into the scene as Minos, judge of the underworld (in the far bottom-right corner of the fresco) with donkey ears (indicating foolishness), while his nudity is covered by a coiled snake biting his penis. It was widely said that when Biagio complained to Pope Paul III, the pontiff joked that his jurisdiction did not extend to hell and the portrait would have to remain. Title: Biagio da Cesena Find out about the author(s) & basic information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biagio_da_Cesena Read the full article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biagio_da_Cesena [CC] license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0 Photo By Michelangelo - File: Rome Sistine Chapel 01.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=809295 Follow us on Twitter: @Audiowikipedia1

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Lectionary: 252All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Vincent FerrerThe polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is. Despite parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19. After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Peter de Luna—who would figure tragically in his life. Of a very ardent nature, Vincent practiced the austerities of his Order with great energy. He was chosen prior of the Dominican house in Valencia shortly after his ordination. The Western schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes. Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced the election of Urban was invalid, though Catherine of Siena was just as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope. In the service of Cardinal de Luna, Vincent worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII. Vincent worked for him as apostolic penitentiary and Master of the Sacred Palace. But the new pope did not resign as all candidates in the conclave had sworn to do. He remained stubborn, despite being deserted by the French king and nearly all of the cardinals. Vincent became disillusioned and very ill, but finally took up the work of simply “going through the world preaching Christ,” though he felt that any renewal in the Church depended on healing the schism. An eloquent and fiery preacher, he spent the last 20 years of his life spreading the Good News in Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low Countries and Lombardy, stressing the need of repentance and the fear of coming judgment. He became known as the “Angel of the Judgment.” Vincent tried unsuccessfully, in 1408 and 1415, to persuade his former friend to resign. He finally concluded that Benedict was not the true pope. Though very ill, he mounted the pulpit before an assembly over which Benedict himself was presiding, and thundered his denunciation of the man who had ordained him a priest. Benedict fled for his life, abandoned by those who had formerly supported him. Strangely, Vincent had no part in the Council of Constance, which ended the schism. Reflection The split in the Church at the time of Vincent Ferrer should have been fatal—36 long years of having two “heads.” We cannot imagine what condition the Church today would be in if, for that length of time, half the world had followed a succession of popes in Rome, and half an equally “official” number of popes in say, Rio de Janeiro. It is an ongoing miracle that the Church has not long since been shipwrecked on the rocks of pride and ignorance, greed and ambition. Contrary to Lowell's words, “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne,” we believe that “truth is mighty, and it shall prevail”—but it sometimes takes a long time. Saint Vincent Ferrer is the Patron Saint of: Builders Businessmen Reconciliation Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

A video trailer (mainly for spotify podcasts) prefacing the new miniseries looking at some of the most important Popes in 16th century History. From Julius II, to Medici Popes Leo X & Clement VII to Pius IV & V, make sure to tune in once the current series looking at Venetian Doges of the 16th century finishes. Paintings all public domain via commons Song-Excerpt from Cantus Firmus Monks (free to use via YouTube Audio Library)

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This week! Uncle Mark thinks we need to take a long, hard look at Medusa, Uncle Doug tells us about the most hopeless Pope with Clement VII, and we break the news about a much-needed break.

The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli, Full Audiobook with relaxing chillhop lofi hip hop music, narrated by Bob Neufeld: https://librivox.org/the-prince-by-niccolo-machiavelli-3/ Subscribe for more Chillbooks - audiobooks with background music, get the knowledge while you chill, study or vibe! - Special thanks to Bob Neufeld: Librivox: https://librivox.org/reader/3912

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The Prince (Italian: Il Principe [il ˈprintʃipe], Latin: De Principatibus) is a 16th-century political treatise by the Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. From his correspondence, a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus (Of Principalities). However, the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after Machiavelli's death. This was carried out with the permission of the Medici pope Clement VII, but "long before then, in fact since the first appearance of The Prince in manuscript, controversy had swirled about his writings". Although The Prince was written as if it were a traditional work in the mirrors for princes style, it is generally agreed that it was especially innovative. This is partly because it was written in the vernacular Italian rather than Latin, a practice that had become increasingly popular since the publication of Dante's Divine Comedy and other works of Renaissance literature. The Prince is sometimes claimed to be one of the first works of modern philosophy, especially modern political philosophy, in which the "effectual" truth is taken to be more important than any abstract ideal. It is also notable for being in direct conflict with the dominant Catholic and scholastic doctrines of the time, particularly those concerning politics and ethics. Although it is relatively short, the treatise is the most remembered of Machiavelli's works and the one most responsible for bringing the word Machiavellian into usage as a pejorative. It even contributed to the modern negative connotations of the words politics and politician in Western countries. In subject matter it overlaps with the much longer Discourses on Livy, which was written a few years later. In its use of near-contemporary Italians as examples of people who perpetrated criminal deeds for politics, another lesser-known work by Machiavelli which The Prince has been compared to is the Life of Castruccio Castracani.The descriptions within The Prince have the general theme of accepting that the aims of princes – such as glory and survival – can justify the use of immoral means to achieve those ends: --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/support

Episode 3: St. Thomas More - Show Notes Corrections or clarifications on a few point are provided below in the Summary. Also, since this discussion went long, we have divided the recording into three parts, separated by short breaks: • Part 1: Early Life (beginning to 35:40) • Part 2: Beginning of the Reformation (35:40 to 57:06) • Part 3: Martyrdom (57:06 to end) *Special Thank You to Paul Spring for allowing us to use his song "Itasca" from the album Borderline EP (2014)! Brief Chronology: • 1478 - Birth of Thomas More • 1485 - Battle of Bosworth Field (end of Plantagenet and beginning of Tudor dynasty) • 1490-92 - More is a page in Cardinal Morton's household • 1504 or 1505 - Marriage to first wife, Jane Colt, mother to More's four biological children • 1511- Death of Jane Colt and marriage to second wife, Alice Middleton • 1515 - More writes Utopia (published 1516) • 1517 - Martin Luther posts his Ninety-Five Theses (starting Protestant Reformation) • 1525 - Peasants' War in Germany; William Tyndale translates New Testament • 1527 - Rome sacked by Charles V's army • 1529-1532 - More is made Lord Chancellor • 1533 - Marriage of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn • 1534 - More is imprisoned in Tower of London • 1535 - Trial and execution of Thomas More • 1935 - Canonization by Pope Pius XI Episode Summary: This was a long conversation, but we hope you get a lot out of good information from it! Thomas More was (probably) born February 7, 1478 in London, England. His childhood was a unstable time for England: the final years of a civil war between rival branches of the ruling Plantagenet family called the Wars of the Roses. Thomas More would become an important official under the new Tudor dynasty, especially under Henry VII's son Henry VIII. More studied grammar, logic and rhetoric from a young age and was eventually sent to Oxford and the Inns of Court to study law. He also spent some years as part of the household of Cardinal Morton, which may have helped shape him spiritually. More's family came from a middle class background: his grandfathers were a baker and brewer. His father John More was sent to study law and eventually became a judge. However, the family seems to have been targeted by Henry VII after a young Thomas More opposed a tax in parliament that the king wanted. (+ Correction to the episode: the tax was related to posthumous knighting of Arthur and a dowry for Princess Margaret's marriage to the king of Scotland). After Henry VII's death, More found favor with his son Henry VIII and eventually More rose to the high position of Lord Chancellor, technically the highest judicial post, but which also included other duties at the king's discretion. Both before and after becoming Lord Chancellor, More was responsible for suppressing what were then considered heresies (Protestantism), a fact which has made him controversial for modern scholars. The Reformation is traditionally reckoned to have begun with Martin Luther posting his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of Wittenberg Cathedral in 1517. The reformation spread to the rest of Europe and started to take on new forms. In England it was viewed as a dangerous sequel to the Lollard movement. Henry VIII's government, fearing sedition and social chaos, violently suppressed the Protestants. More was the highest lay official in this government and vehemently opposed to the Protestants' attack on tradition. Six people were executed for heresy during his time in office and many protestant books were seized and burned. During this period More wrote books against the ideas of Luther and Tyndale, who had ironically been influenced by the ideas of More's friend Erasmus. (+ Another correction to the episode: the Bible text that Zwingli and other reformers liked, which Jake butchers is," The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing." - John 6:63). Nonetheless, More was moderate in his response to his son-in-law William Roper's temporary conversion to Protestantism and he may have sensed that the Reformation would eventually gain the upper hand. He privately confided to Roper, "'And yet, son Roper, I pray God,' said he, 'that some of us, as high as we seem to sit upon the mountains, treading heretics under our feet like ants, live not the day that we gladly would wish to be at league and composition with them, to let them have their churches quietly to themselves, so they would be content to let us have ours quietly to ourselves." (Roper, The Life of Sir Thomas More, Knight, p. 18). Ironically, More became a victim of the same government he had served. More took over office as Lord Chancellor, following the fall of Cardinal Wolsey from royal favor, in a turbulent time. While central Europe was dividing along sectarian lines, Italy was fought over by France and the Holy Roman Empire. England shifted first from an alliance with the Holy Roman Empire (championed by Wolsey) to an alliance with France when it became clear that Emperor Charles V would not support Henry VIII's claim to be king of France. However, despite Wolsey's efforts, Pope Clement VII would not approve Henry VIII divorce from Queen Catherine, Charles V's aunt. Clement VII was apparently fearful after Charles V's troops sacked Rome in 1527, but he also may have realized that the annulment could have tarnished his spiritual and moral authority, which was already in jeopardy due to the Reformation (Richard Marius, Thomas More, p. 214-15). In his position of power, More's beliefs eventually became impossible to reconcile with King Henry VIII's objectives of divorcing Catherine and declaring himself supreme head of the Church of England. More was allowed to resign, but refused to publicly support the marriage or the new laws enacting the English Reformation. Anne Boleyn and the royal secretary Thomas Cromwell, both favoring reformation, increasingly targeted More. After refusing an oath to support the marriage to Anne Boleyn and succession, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. After over a year of confinement, during which he continued to refuse to take the oath or to say directly why he would not, he was finally put on trial for treason. When he was executed on July 6, 1535, More told onlookers "to pray for him, and to bear witness with him that he should now suffer death in and for the faith of the Holy Catholic Church." (Roper, p. 50) Four hundred years later, in 1935, Pope Pius XI declared Thomas More a saint along with his fellow martyr St. John Fisher. Even if Thomas More had not risen to high office or been martyred for his faith, he would still be famous today as a renaissance humanist and writer. He left behind political works such as Utopia as well as religious and philosophical writings, such as the Dialogue Concerning Heresies and the Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation. He was friends with the famous humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam, who remembered More after his execution as follows: " [...] Thomas More, who was the chief magistrate of his country, whose heart was whiter than snow, a genius such as England never had before, nor ever will have again, a country by no means lacking genius" (Erasmus’ Dedicatory Preface to Ecclesiastes, August 1535, online at The Center for Thomas More Studies). Primary Sources: * Utopia by Thomas More, ed. by Edward Surtz, S.J . (Yale Univ. Press, 1964). * Final Letters by Thomas More, ed. by Alvaro de Silva (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2000) * The Life of Sir Thomas More, Knight by William Roper - Citations above are to the edition published in Lives of Saint Thomas More, ed. by E.E. Nichols (J.M.Dent & Sons, Ltd, 1963). This is a short memoir of More by his son-in-law William Roper. * The Center for Thomas More Studies: https://thomasmorestudies.org/index.html Secondary Sources: * Thomas More: A Biography by Richard Marius (Alfred A. Knopf, 1984). * The King's Good Servant but God's First: The Life and Writings of St. Thomas More by James Monti (Ignatius Press, 1997). * The Cambridge Companion to Thomas More, ed. by George Logan (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2011) - Especially recommended is the essay, "Thomas More and the heretics: statesman or fanatic?" by Richard Rex . * Reformation Divided: Catholics, Protestants, and the Conversion of England by Eamon Duffy (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017). * The Reformation: A History by Diarmaid McCulloch (Penguin, 2004). Movies: * A Man of All Seasons (1967) - Highly recommended award-winning movie based on the play by Robert Bolt. (source for the quote, "This isn't Spain, this is England!" featured in the episode). Image Credit: "Thomas More and His Family" (1592) - Rowland Lockey [Public domain]

Turin apart at the seams... The deep dive on the Shroud of Turin continues in part 2! Skeptics of the Shroud of Turin's authenticity bring up a number of points on why it's not actually the burial sheet of Jesus. Flora takes a look at the arguments presented against the shroud's authenticity as well as questions that popped up along the way. Could this thing actually be 2,000 years old? Is it the holy relic many people think it is? Science on the dating, image formation, and theories on who made it are addressed. David also explains his thoughts and opinions on the shroud's authenticity, based on his research into this topic. Listen to the other side of the debate and ponder this mystery to your heart's content in this episode of Blurry Photos! Music Rites, Danse Macabre, Long Note 4, Hiding Your Reality - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Sources Nickell, Joe. Inquest on the Shroud of Turin: Latest Scientific Findings. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. 1998. Meacham, William. "The Authentication of the Turin Shroud, An Issue in Archeological Epistemology". Current Anthropology. 1983 Wilson, Ian. The Shroud of Turin: The Burial Cloth of Jesus Christ? Rev. ed. Garden City, New York: Image Books. 1979. McCrone, Walter C. Judgment Day for the Turin Shroud. Chicago: Microscope. 1996. D’Arcis, Pierre. Memorandum to the Avignon Pope, Clement VII, translated from Latin by Rev. Herbert Thurston, 1389. Reprinted in Wilson 1979, 266–272. Radiocarbon Dating of the Shroud of Turin, Nature, Vol. 337, No. 6208, pp. 611-615, 16th February, 1989. Web. https://www.nature.com/articles/337611a0?foxtrotcallback=true Chivers, Tom. The Turin Shroud is Fake. Get Over It. Signs of the Times. Dec. 20, 2011. Web. https://www.sott.net/article/239118-The-Turin-Shroud-is-fake-Get-over-it Lusher, Adam. 628 Year Old Fake News: Scientists Prove Turin Shroud Not Genuine (Again). London: The Independent. Jul. 16, 2018, Web. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turin-shroud-latest-fake-forgery-scientific-blood-pattern-spatter-study-carbon-dating-debunked-a8450101.html Nickell, Joe. Crucifixion Evidence Debunks Turin "Shroud". Center for Inquiry. Jun. 18, 2018. Web. https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/crucifixion-evidence-debunks-turin-shroud/ Ramsey, Christopher. The Shroud of Turin. Oxford, U.K: Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. Mar. 2008. Web. http://c14.arch.ox.ac.uk/shroud.html Viviano, Frank. Why Shroud of Turin's Secrets Continue to Elude Science. National Geographic. Apr. 17, 2015. Web. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150417-shroud-turin-relics-jesus-catholic-church-religion-science/ Nickell, Joe. Fake Turin Shroud Deceives National Geographic Author. Center for Scientific Inquiry. Apr. 23, 2015. Web. https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/fake_turin_shroud_deceives_national_geographic_author Ateo, John L.; C., Rachel. The Shroud of Turin: Burial Cloth of Jesus or Cheap Fake. Silly Beliefs. 2009. Web. http://www.sillybeliefs.com/shroud.html Ford, David. The Shroud of Turin's 'Blood' Images. University of Maryland Baltimore County. Dec. 10, 2000. Web. https://www.shroud.com/pdfs/ford1.pdf Nickell, Joe. Claims of Invalid "Shroud" Radiocarbon Date Cut from Whole Cloth. Center for Inquiry. Mar. 2, 2005. Web. https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/claims_of_invalid_ldquoshroudrdquo_radiocarbon_date_cut_from_whole_cloth Freeman, Charles. The Shroud of Turin and the Image of Edessa: A misguided Journey. The Skeptical Shroud of Turin Website. May 24, 2012. Web. http://www.llanoestacado.org/freeinquiry/skeptic/shroud/articles/freeman_shroud_edessa_misguided_journey/ The Popes and the Holy Shroud. Vatican Insider. Apr. 19, 2015. Web. https://www.lastampa.it/2015/04/19/vaticaninsider/the-popes-and-the-holy-shroud-7zDmX3UXVSnSYsPpJKsEkI/pagina.html Boese, Alex. The Medieval Relic Trade. The Museum of Hoaxes. 2015. Web. http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_medieval_relic_trade Calvin, John. A Treatise on Relics. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter & Co. 1870. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32136/32136-h/32136-h.html McCrone, Walter. McCrone: The Shroud of Turin. Chicago: McCrone Research Institute. 2018. Web. https://www.mccroneinstitute.org/v/64/the-shroud-of-turin Dave. Is the Shroud of Turin Really Jesus? Skeptical Science. Dec. 28, 2015. Web. https://www.skeptical-science.com/religion/is-the-shroud-of-turin-really-jesus/ Carroll, Robert Todd. "Shroud" of Turin. The Skeptic's Dictionary. Oct. 29, 2015. Web. http://skepdic.com/shroud.html

Clement VII, one of the rival popes of the fourteenth century, after first trying to hush up those who would expose the shroud of Turin, signed papers declaring it a fraud. Supposedly, the artist who painted it acknowledged it as a forgery. According to contemporary documents, certain men, for hire, had pretended the "relic" cured them, giving it a reputation, because the forgers desired to make money off it. At that time Bishop Pierre D'Arcis excommunicated those who showed it, but they were raking in so much money they found ways to get around his decision. The Dukes of Savoy guarded the lucrative object. In 1502 the current Duke requested and obtained papal permission to build a chapel to exhibit the "holy" relic. The Sainte Chapelle of the Holy Shroud was officially completed on this day, June 11, 1502. With great fanfare the Shroud was exhibited and then locked away. Pope Julius II established a feast and mass for the shroud. Countless pilgrims visited the site. The shroud was reputed to have marvelous powers of protecting people. It could not, however, protect itself, and on December 4, 1532, its chapel caught fire. Brave individuals rushed in to rescue the cloth which had supposedly covered Christ in his burial. Before they could reach it, silver had melted and scorched the cloth and even burnt holes through it. When the Dukes of Savoy transferred their headquarters to Turin, the shroud went with them, and it is as the Shroud of Turin that it is best known. A black marble chapel was built for it there. 2 Thes. 2: 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Letter 6 - Spiritual Progress and Christian Service Cremona, October 8, 1538To the Reverend Father and brother in Christ, Mr. Bartolomeo Ferrari.82 To the Reformed.  In VicenzaMY DEAR BROTHER IN CHRIST, Why do you entertain any doubt?  Haven’t you experienced in this undertaking that you never lacked the necessary means to help those in need?  Nothing is more certain and reliable than experience. Those who love you do not possess the wealth either of a Paul or of a Magdalene; they do, however, trust in the One who enriched them both.  Thus, as a result of both your faith and theirs, God will provide for any person under your care.You can be sure that, before you speak and in the very moment of speaking, Jesus Crucified will anticipate and accompany, not only every word of yours, but your every holy intention.  St. Paul said that he would push forward but stay within the limits of the work that Christ had set for him.92  As for you, Jesus Crucified has also set a limit when he promised that you would get enough strength to pierce to their marrow the hearts of people.93  Don’t you see that He Himself has opened the doors for you with His own hands?  Who, then, will hinder you from entering those hearts and from changing them so completely as to renew them and beautify them with holy virtues?  Nobody, of course—neither the devil nor any other creature.94 And don’t let any weakening that you may experience in your preaching and in your pastoral work stop you; for just as through constant school exercises, ignorance is dispelled and iron is kept shiny the more it is used, so it is with Christian asceticism.  At the beginning, Paul was not what he became afterward.  So it is with everybody else.  You can be assured then that on the foundation of Paul, you are going to build not structures made of hay or wood but of gold and precious stones;95 and the heavens with their treasures will be opened to you and to the souls entrusted to you.96Sweet hearts of my heart, I embrace you, as I am certain you will grow perfect according to your interior dispositions.  Oh!  Were you only here with me, nothing in the world could prevent me from embracing and covering you with endless signs of affection.  But You, dear Jesus, embrace them on my behalf.Dear saintly son, the project in which you are now engaged is also my responsibility, as you probably have noticed.  I could not help but be with you, for nowhere else is my heart than with yours.  Therefore, may the ample freedom, which I have always given you, be for you a sure guarantee that your undertakings will conclude happily with profit to all.Good Mother Prioress, don’t waste your time in personal trifles.  Even if you might consider yourself a devil, worthy of being submerged not only in muddy water but also in a cesspool, and you were utterly convinced of it, don’t worry about it.  Instead, give yourself totally to serving those people who have already been entrusted to your care, and who will continue to be entrusted to you by Jesus Crucified in the future.Oh, you who are the very mirror of my life, remember that you are generous and that Jesus Crucified has always been abundantly generous with you; how then can they who love you as they love themselves fail to be at your side to help you?And you, Franceschina,97 if you acknowledge that you have derived benefit from evil—not, of course, through your own efforts but through the efforts of those who strive to give you life in Christ—be convinced that you owe them, in sheer gratitude, what you are already giving them: I mean your diligence in pleasing them by undertaking the works which they have entrusted to you.  Do make progress, and help the others make progress as well.And all of you do the same.I do not recommend our Sylvestrines to you because they are indeed very much recommended as they are already yours.  Please, tell them on my behalf, when and how you think it convenient, generally and in particular, whatever you wish.As to those who are outside our community, if you think it fit to write something to them on my behalf, it is up to you, for you know better than I do what is to be said to them.  Besides, overburdened as I am with other cares, I am quite limited; so much so that I am unable to respond to the needs of those to whom I am bound to attend and for whom indeed I feel obligated.Now I would like to write to my sweet Paolina,98 but I do not find the time.  Likewise, it would be a pleasure to write to my faithful Donna Lucrezia,99 but I can’t.  Please, tell her that I would like her to be like me by trying not only to progress in her own life—a small achievement after all—but also to help the others on the same road.Again, tell my Doyenne100 that I think of her and her sister as well.  Tell my sweet Donna Faustina101 that I do not forget her—how could I?—and that she can count on my promise.Finally, you can assure them all that I am theirs, and that Jesus Crucified makes me love them very much indeed, because they are generous.To our amiable Fra Bono102 and Master Castellino,103 priest, lots of greetings in Christ; kiss them for me.  To them too, I would have liked to write, but as I really can’t, present them with my apology.  Particularly let our worthy Father Abbot104 be assured that he is among brothers, and that it is a temptation from the evil one to have him withdraw from them.  The devil is afraid lest what he dislikes should come true, and, in fact, he knows by experience that our friend’s simplicity has always borne fruit, and that every time he has cast the net, he has always caught large and good fish.As for my saintly priest Castellino, I wish to see him, and I would like him not to deprive me of his presence, for I am about to begin negotiations for St. Barnabas,105 and I do not want him to miss the inaugural benediction.  I would never do this without his presence.  Besides, I want you to send him as your delegate to the conclusion of the transaction.  I know that you will miss his presence, but, as I am aware of your being always ready to satisfy the wishes of others before your own, I beg you to endure his absence and to send him to me.  Be so kind as to remember me to him and entreat him to come soon, so that we may be together for this enterprise.Remember me to our beloved ones: Mr. Lodovico,106 Mr. Antonio,107 my faithful Franceschi’s,108 my host Mr. Andrea,109 and all the others.  A kiss to all from me.Greetings also to Count Brunoro,110 Giulio,111 the barber and his wife, the Reverend Fathers Alessandro, Luigi, and Antonio.112  I would like everyone to know the self-sacrificing devotion of our Fra Bono113 because then the Forty Hours Devotion and the other apostolic works would indeed make progress.  Suggest to Madonna Maddalena114 that she get acquainted with him.  Remember me to her.  If you dismiss Donna Giovanna,115 let me know.  As for Gerolamo,116 I really do not know what to say; it is not my concern.My dearly beloved one, if I have left out anyone or anything, since I am quite tired, you take care of it.  May Christ bless you one by one in the depth of your hearts, and give you His own Spirit.From Cremona, October 8, 1538.If Madonna117 has not yet taken care of your brother,118 have no misgiving because today or tomorrow I will be going to Guastalla, and I will take care of the matter, along with Paola Antonia119 who has already written to her about it.May Christ make you holy.Yours in Christ, Father Anthony Mary, Priest and Mother A[ngelic] P[aola] A[ntonia Negri]120If you like the letters which I had Mr. Camillo [Negri]121 write, give them to the addressees.REFLECTIONSChrist crucified provides for all the needs of his disciples, even before they ask, anticipating their intentions.Christ crucified invigorates our feeble energies so that we can reach out to the hearts of those who are entrusted to us. Therefore, we should not let our inadequacies discourage us.Not even unreasonable scruples should stop us from doing good to our neighbor.We must be grateful to those who help us in our weakness with hard work and sacrifice.QUESTIONSHave I so much familiarity with Jesus that I can talk to him as if he were visibly present, fully confident that he listens to me and will take care of me at the proper time?Have I ever tried with confidence to entrust others to God, certain that he will do more than I, a poor fellow, can do?Do I know that perfectionism, an exaggerated analysis of my behavior, and consequently rejection of my human and spiritual giftedness can hinder me from doing the good that I can do?Do I already get into the habit of thanking those who help me in my difficulties?FOOTNOTES  82. See Letter II, Introduction.83. See Letter V, Introduction.84. See Giuseppe M. Cagni, “In missione col S. Fondatore.” Quaderni di Vita Barnabitica 8 (1989) 122–123. 85See n. 103.86. See n. 16.87. See Letter V, Introduction.88 See n. 63.89. See Cagni “In missione col. S. Fondatore,” 124.90. See Battista Soresina, Appendix I. P. Anacleto Secco, De Clericorum Regularium S. Pauli Congregatione et Parentibus Synopsis (Milan: Francesco Vigono, 1862).  “In missione col. S. Fondatore,” 126.91. See Cagni “In missione col. S. Fondatore,” 12792. 2 Cor 10:13.93. Heb 4:12.94. Rom 8:39.95. 1 Cor 3:12.96. Acts 7:55.97. Franceschina Conforti Adriani.  See Introduction of this letter.98. Paolina Muzzani: a Sylvestrine in Vicenza.99. Lucrezia Angariani: a Sylvestrine in Vicenza.100. Probably Felicita Muzzani, sister of Paolina, or of Fosca, all Sylvestrines in Vicenza.101. From Cologne, Germany.  A Sylvestrine in Vicenza.102. See n. 16103. Lorenzo (Paolo) Davidico, called Castellino (1523–1574), talented but quixotic character, who was a member of the mission band in Vicenza and Verona (1536–1545), and was dismissed from the Congregation in 1547 by Fr. Besozzi (see n. 181) because he finally proved to be unsuitable for community life.  However, he remained in excellent relationship with the Barnabites.  He had a degree in Civil and Canon Law, and published many ascetical works.104. See n. 16.105. The acquisition and furnishing of the historical mother house of the Barnabites (1545), a house and the church of St. Barnabas.  Originally called Sons of St. Paul by their Founder, they became known as Barnabites after they moved to St. Barnabas. This popular name, Barnabites,  later acquired official status in addition to the name of Clerics Regular of St. Paul, an appellation first used in the Bull of Julius III (August 11, 1550) which, among other things, authorized the solemn profession of vows (see Premoli, Storia 500).106. A member of the Third Family, the Laity of St. Paul, from Vicenza.107. A member of the Third Family, from Vicenza.108.  A member of the Third Family, from Vicenza.109. Possibly fromVerona.  He lodged Anthony Mary and his missionaries in Vicenza.110. Brunoro Da Porto, a member of a noble and influential family of Vicenza, and a military leader at the service of the republic of Venice. 111. Giulio Da Porto, Brunoro’s brother.112. Priests from Vicenza.113. See n. 16.114. Maddalena Valmarana (d. 1569).  See Introduction of this letter.115. A Sylvestrine.116. Unidentified.117. Countess Ludovica Paola Torelli.  See n . 12.118. Basilio Ferrari (1493–1574) Bartolomeo’s brother, who resided in Rome since 1521, as papal secretary of Clement VII and Paul III.  As such he was able to secure the approval of the Barnabites (see n. 25)  and the Angelics (see Letter V, Introduction). In the church of St. Barnabas in Milan, he commissioned the chapel of Sts. Bartholomew and Francis.  Basilio’s name is the eighth on a list of forty-five early benefactors, or rather de facto affiliates, of the Barnabite Congregation.  In the words of Fr. Geralamo Marta, fourth Superior General (1551–1554, 1556–1558, 1559–1566), Basilio’s soul was “through Divine Providence glued, as it were, to our souls as Jonathan’s soul to David’s.”119. See n. 59.120. See n. 59.121. Camillo Negri (1509–1544): brother of Angela, Porzia, and Virginia (Paola Antonia) Negri.  One of Anthony Mary’s first eight companions (see n. 25).  See also Letter 10.  

____________________________________________LETTER 7 Guastalla, November 3, 1538To the children of Paul the Apostle and ours too: Mr. Giacomo Antonio [Morigia],122 Mr. Battista [Soresina],123and all the others. At St. Ambrose’s.  In Milan   MY SWEETEST CHILDREN IN CHRIST,It seems that the devil is sowing doubts in me about what is going on among you.  Yes, he is suggesting to me that, since none of us is present in the community, among all other evils that he has sown and is still sowing in your hearts, there reigns confusion in our house.  In fact nothing there goes on in an orderly fashion.  I certainly do not want to believe this, but, just the same, I want to open my heart to you.  And do not believe that it is my habit, as it seems to you, to send you harsh letters.  No, they are prompted by my extreme love, which makes me worry about you.My suspicion, then, does not lead me to conclude, but at least to doubt very much, that the devil is telling me the truth.  In fact, it seems that some among you, as if dozing or sleeping, are not complying with the intentions of their Superiors.As you know, my dearly beloved, it would be a good thing indeed if our Superiors were to write down on paper all rules and regulations.  But what good would they be if they were not also written in our minds?  If, for instance, there were someone, not a disciple of ours, who nonetheless would take delight in interpreting our intentions carefully and in carrying them out faithfully, always keeping them before his eyes—this one, indeed, would be a far better and more genuine disciple of ours than the one who had our intentions written on paper, but not in his heart, even if he loved to call himself our disciple.Do not believe it to be a small evil to forget or to neglect our Superiors’ intentions.  For what else would that look like but lose interest in our initial resolutions, or having our Superiors clearly understand that, should they pass away or, for some reason, absent themselves, we would soon leave aside their directives?  Is it possible that those who possess greater fervor than their teachers may be inclined to dismantle the foundations established by the latter?  Does not just the opposite happen: that far from abolishing them, they would add some more, not, of course, to contradict the former, but to bring them to greater perfection and to consolidate them?Thanks be to God for blinding us so as to enable you to see better and to beget your own children as legitimate children, since your parents begot you as bastards!  If your eyes are blind and adulterous, can you imagine what the rest of your body will be?132I am not making these remarks to shame you,133 but only because I would like you to show your Superiors the same attachment that they show you.  But shouldn’t your virtuous hearts, because of the natural knowledge engraved in them, sustain you so that you may no longer need written laws?  And if you are generous, you will learn to conduct yourselves with the law engraved in your hearts, rather than with external laws.  Thus you will move forward to fulfill not so much the word of the law but its spirit.  If you then do not want to obey like slaves, but like family children, that is the way you should act.Thus, if you have a Superior, you will let him direct you, as if there were an angel for that task, without caring who the Superior is—this or that person. And whether the Superior is present or absent, you will always safeguard the union of the body with its head and never cause divisions.  You will be careful in the future not to stick rigidly to your Superiors’ words and guidelines, but you will learn to be flexible in each circumstance by interpreting their intentions for the best.And, again, you will not foolishly try to be equal to others by imitating their way of behaving and talking because, if it is all right for an immature person like a child to say “mommy” and “daddy”, it is not so for an adult.  It is quite the same in spiritual matters.Likewise, let us suppose that one meddles in things which somebody else is already concerned with; the latter should not take offense at that. What do you think our life is all about?  Do we, by chance, aim to become lords and masters of this world, rather than to help each other make progress and humble ourselves more and more?  If this is the case, as indeed it is, why do some tear down that which others build?Please, take care lest favors weaken your spirits, and praises cloud your minds; rather let us encourage ourselves and others in Christ.  Let none of you disobey orders, and if anyone would do that, you must instead observe them with greater fidelity.  In the absence of the Superior, be your own Superiors and work for victory over yourselves.Vie with one another to become humbler, simpler, and readier to seek not so much your own will but Christ’s in you.  In this way you will easily put on Christ.134  You will avoid doing things routinely, and will accomplish the will of our holy Father, who, as you may recall, wants us to be foundation and pillars135 in the renewal of Christian spirit.If you only knew how many promises of this blessed renewal have been made to several holy men and women, you would see that all of them are certainly to be fulfilled in the sons and daughters of our holy Father, unless Christ had wanted to deceive them, which is impossible because He faithfully keeps His promises.O dear Father, you have constantly toiled and suffered, and we enjoy the fruits of your zeal.  The cross was your dowry, and we will inherit abundant rest.  In other words, by always carrying and, as it were, eating up crosses, we will yield fruits, both yours and ours.I entreat you, children and offspring of Paul, to open wide your hearts.136  For those who have nurtured and still nurture you, have hearts larger than the ocean!  And be no less worthy of the vocation to which you have been called!137  If you really mean it, you will be here and now heirs and legitimate children of our holy Father and of the great saints; and Jesus Crucified will extend His arms over you.  I am not lying to you!  Who of us could do this?  See, then, that you please me, and keep in mind that, whether I am present or absent, you owe it to me to make me happy.  That’s all.May Christ Himself write our greetings in your hearts.From Guastalla, November 3, 1538. Yours in Christ, Anthony Mary, Priest,Priest of Paul the Apostle,and Angelic P[aola] A[ntonia Negri].138  REFLECTIONSIt is typical of the devil to raise doubts in us about somebody’s behavior, leading us to judge his attitude and conduct negatively. This should not keep us from offering fraternal correction. When somebody makes mistake, we should correct him, but without judging his intentions that are known only to God.Our conduct must always be consistent whether we are in the presence of superiors or alone. We must always act according to our conscience because God is always present, and He sees what we do.Since the virtue of obedience is a product of love, we obey not only the commands of our superiors but also their desires, not only what is written but also what is simply stated.Obedience to superiors implies not only execution of their orders to the letter but also acceptance of their will with an understanding of their intentions.When we notice that others perform better than we do, we should not be jealous, but rather we should give glory to God and strive to imitate them.To renew Christian fervor, we must humbly conform ourselves to God’s will, avoid doing things only out of habit, and learn to savor the cross in order to harvest its fruits.QUESTIONSDo I know the difference between criticism, rash judgment, and giving fraternal correction?Is my behavior determined by the presence or absence of superiors?Does love of God and superiors motivate me to obey not only externally but also internally?Does my obedience consist only in doing what I am commanded to do or also in meeting the superior’s intentions?Does the success of others arouse in me envy or imitation?When facing life’s difficulties, do I tend to complain, or do I endure these difficulties with faith and patience?FOOTNOTES 122. See Letter II, Introduction.123. See Introduction of this letter and also Letter X.124. They were acquired by Anthony Mary with the financial help of Bartolomeo Ferrari and Countess Torelli between the fall 1533 and summer of 1534.  For all practical purposes, the church of St. Catherine functioned as their chapel.  By 1533 this small complex housed nine religious.  See n. 25.125. See Premoli, Storia 39.  The formal donation occured on April 12, 1539 (Ibid. 17. N. 2).126. The county was sold on October 3, 1538 to Prince Ferrante Gonzaga for the sum of 22,180 gold coins.  See Premoli, Storia 42.  For Anthony Mary’s next and last involvement in Guastalla see Letter IX, Introduction.127. See n. 25.128. Battista Soresina (c. 1512–1601), one of Anthony Mary’s first eight companions, was ordained on December 16, 1538.  See n. 25 and Letter X, Introduction.129. See Gabuzio 42.130. Antonio M. Gentili, I Barnabiti (Rome: Padri Barnabiti, 1967) 93, no. 64.131. The writing of the Constitutions was authorized by the Brief of Clement VII, 1533, and the Bull of Paul III, 1535 and we know from a 1570 letter of Fr. Nicolo D’ Aviano (1509–1584) that “Father Anthony Mary of beloved memory” authored a set of Constitutions.  However, these Constitutions were only an outline, written in Lombard Italian, and were based on a previous Latin outline by Fra Battista da Crema.  They were never promulgated.  They were first published by Orazio Premoli in 1913.  It should be noted that Anthony Mary was in no rush to write any Constitutions because, first, his community was still small and, second and most importanly, he wanted to test their validity beforehand on the actual performance of his religious.  See Premoli, Storia 22–23.132. Cf. Matt 6:23.133. Cf. 1 Cor 4:14.134. Rom 13:14.135. 1 Tim 3:15.136. 2 Cor 6:11–13.137. Eph 4:1.138.See n. 59.

The title of this episode of CS is The Not-So Great After All Schism.At the end of our last episode, a Frenchman, the Archbishop of Bordeaux was elected by the College of Cardinals in 1305 as Pope Clement. But Clement never set foot in Rome, because the locus of political power had shifted to France and her King, Philip.  This marks the beginning of what's called the Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy, a 72–year long period when France dominated the papacy. After Clement, the next 6 Popes, all French, made their headquarters in Avignon, France rather than Rome. Though it began as a small town when Clement first located there, over the next 70 years it grew to a population of some 80,000, nearly all of them associated in some way with the Church bureaucracy.This transfer of the papacy from Rome to France had a profound impact on the way all Europe came to see both the Pope and the leadership of the Church. Rome was the Eternal City. The Church of Rome, with the Pope as its bishop, went all the way back to Peter. That's why people regarded it as special; why it called the shots for everyone else. If the Pope no longer sat in Rome, if he could now reside in some other church, what did that say about his authority? Was he indeed Peter's successor? Was he truly The Vicar of Christ? And what did it mean when the Pope seemed to be little more than the political mouthpiece for the King of France?While the French enjoyed having the Pope close to home, the rest of Europe didn't find it much to their liking. The duchies and other regions of what would later be called Germany in particular resented it, being in constant tension with their French neighbors.A good part of the hostility toward the Avignon papacy revolved around the abuse of money. Since the Papal States in Italy were no longer contributing, the papacy nearly went bankrupt. To replace lost income, French popes employed a slew of schemes. There were fees for this and taxes for that. Whenever a new bishop was appointed, his first year's income went to the Pope. Veteran bishops were transferred between churches, so the Pope could start the process all over again. Sometimes no bishop would be appointed so the entire income went to Avignon.The most lucrative practice was the granting of indulgences. These were passed out for just about any reason; any venture the Church figured was in its interest. From minor public works to war could earn someone an indulgence. And what the indulgences earned those they were granted, grew as time passed. The common people, who couldn't afford to purchase such spiritual extravagances, and trusted in a more sincere form of devotion, saw all of this as a gross departure from the path of genuine righteousness. Bitter feelings toward Avignon grew, especially when the Pope demanded an increase in revenue under the threat of excommunication. Hell was for un-repentant sinners, not people who couldn't afford to pay ever more taxes and fees.By 1360, the outcry over the French domination of the Church made it clear the Avignon papacy could not continue. But no one foresaw the incredible events a return to Rome would bring.In 1377, the elderly Pope Gregory XI re-entered Rome. But the joy that attended the re-establishment of the papacy there was short-lived. Gregory died within a year. The College of Cardinals, still filled by Frenchmen, yielded to the clamor of a Roman mob and chose an Italian. On Easter Sunday, April 18, Urban VI was crowned as the new Vicar of Christ. As the next months unfolded, it became clear Urban was a harsh dictator. The Cardinals had second thoughts about his election. In August, they announced that in their earlier decision, a mob had forced the selection of an apostate and the proceedings were invalid.End of Round One.A month later, the so-called apostate Pope Urban VI fired off Round Two by creating a new College of Cardinals. The sitting College, dominated by French cardinals, chose a new Pope from among their number, Clement VII. Clement took a tour of Italy to present himself as the real Pope, then headed back to à Avignon.This brings us to what's known as “The Great Schism.” It lasted 39 years. Each papal court had its own College of Cardinals, insuring the succession of its choice. Each Pope claimed to be the true Vicar of Christ, with the power to excommunicate those who refused to acknowledge him. The other guy was “antichrist.”Of course, the French went with Clement; Italy and most of the rest of Europe, with Urban. But since England went with Urban, Scotland went with – can you guess? Yep – Clement. Within each kingdom, there were minorities of support for the “other guy.” Riots broke out. Property was burned and a new crusade was called for.In 1395, professors at the University of Paris proposed a general council, representing the Universal Church, to meet and heal the schism. Problems immediately arose. Canon Law said only the Pope could call a general council; and only the Pope could ratify any decision it made. Which Pope had those rights? In effect, Canon Law prohibited the reunion of Christendom.By 1409, a majority of cardinals from both sides agreed something had to be done. They met for a general council at Pisa in Italy. They deposed both Popes and elected a new man, Alexander V. Wouldn't you just know it; neither of the two deposed prelates accepted the action. Now the Church had not two, but three Popes!One of them called for a crusade against another and sold indulgences to pay for it. This ridiculousness finally stirred the people of Europe to action. In 1414, the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund assembled the most impressive Church gathering of the era at the German city of Constance. Even the Eastern Greek Orthodox Church sent representatives.For the first time, voting took place on a purely national basis. Each nation had one vote. The national structure of the council was highly significant. It shows that the Church was reluctantly coming to realize the new alignment of power turning Europe into the modern world.It took three years, but eventually the council got one of the Popes to step aside, deposed the other two and chose a new Pope, Martin V. One of the deposed popes tried to retain his title, but for all practical purposes, the council in Constance brought an end to the Great Schism.Just when it seemed things would get back to normal, the new Pope made a move which seemed to slit his own throat. The instant he was seated, he repudiated all acts of the council, except the one by which he ruled. Yet it was the council's acts that had built the authority by which they could name him Pope. It was as if he said his election was based on a fiction.Looking back, Pope Martin's actions seem foolish, but he had good reason to deny the work of the council. It raised an important question: Who's greater, a council that seats a Pope, or the Pope who's authority convenes councils?This blatant foray into political machinations dug a trough for the papacy it would be a while getting out of.As we end this episode on the Not-So-Great-After-All Schism, it seems a good place to pause and make an editorial comment.Over the years I've done this podcast, I've had only a few Roman Catholics who've gone after me for not being fair with the Church and Papacy. A lot more have remarked on how fair they've found the podcast. So let me say this à The Church, whether we're talking about the Eastern Orthodox, the Church in the East, the Roman Catholic Church, or the dozens of Protestant groups have a mixed record when it comes to faithfulness to God. There are high points and low. Golden Ages, Glided Ages, and periods of growdy mud. There's no point in white-washing those times in Church History when the People of God didn't act like it. This era of the Great Schism is at best an embarrassment. No amount of spin can make it anything else.Pope Alexander VI's real name was Roderigo Borgia. He ruled from 1492–1503 and was grossly immoral; obsessed with providing wealth and power for his children. Yes, I said “children.” So much for being celibate. The entire 15th C is an abysmal period for the Popes as they were far more interested in politics and the arts than the things of God. As Shelly puts it, “The pope often could not make up his mind whether he was the successor of Peter or Caesar. Political corruption and immorality in the Vatican reached unbelievable heights under the Borgias.”And while things were horribly out of whack in the upper reaches of Church Hierarchy, there were many godly bishops, priests, and deacons who served their parishes well, with a heart to glorify God. It's just that the Papacy was certainly no example to follow.So, Pope Martin tried to up-end the Council of Constance but what happened there was not to be forgotten by the representatives. Estrangement from the Vatican was growing. Men began to think in terms of “national churches,” and a church governed by representative bodies instead of a tyrannical dictator.The ground for the Reformation was being plowed.