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| Alphabetical [« »] thanks 15 that 1517 thawed 1 the 6359 thefts 2 their 592 theirs 5 | Frequency [« »] ----- ----- ----- 6359 the 4212 of 3890 and 2623 to | St. Catherine of Siena The Dialogue of Saint Catherine IntraText - Concordances the |
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1 Intro, 0| would be hard to say whether the Age of the Saints, le moyen 2 Intro, 0| to say whether the Age of the Saints, le moyen age enorme 3 Intro, 0| delicat, has suffered more at the hands of friends or foes. 4 Intro, 0| is at least certain that the medieval period affects 5 Intro, 0| those who approach it in the manner of a powerful personality 6 Intro, 0| with indifference. When the contempt of the eighteenth 7 Intro, 0| indifference. When the contempt of the eighteenth century for the 8 Intro, 0| the eighteenth century for the subject, the result of that 9 Intro, 0| century for the subject, the result of that century's 10 Intro, 0| imagination, was thawed by the somewhat rhetorical enthusiasm 11 Intro, 0| of Chateaubriand and of the Romanticists beyond the 12 Intro, 0| the Romanticists beyond the Rhine, hostility gave place 13 Intro, 0| undiscriminating admiration. The shadows fell out of the 14 Intro, 0| The shadows fell out of the picture; the medieval time 15 Intro, 0| fell out of the picture; the medieval time became a golden 16 Intro, 0| Christian society reached the zenith of perfection which 17 Intro, 0| succeeding ages. Then came the German professors with all 18 Intro, 0| German professors with all the paraphernalia of scientific 19 Intro, 0| perhaps, a juster view of the matter. The Germans, too, 20 Intro, 0| juster view of the matter. The Germans, too, have had disciples 21 Intro, 0| certain level of education, the same views prevail as to 22 Intro, 0| same views prevail as to the principles on which historical 23 Intro, 0| any personal heresy as to the standards of legitimate 24 Intro, 0| of legitimate evidence, the same facts still seem to 25 Intro, 0| narrandum, is not history; the historian's task is not 26 Intro, 0| established dates: it is then that the most delicate part of his 27 Intro, 0| History, to be worthy of the name, must produce the illusion 28 Intro, 0| of the name, must produce the illusion of living men and 29 Intro, 0| personal appreciation of the particular men and women 30 Intro, 0| men and women engaged in the episodes with which it deals. 31 Intro, 0| be no tampering; but for the determination of their significance, 32 Intro, 0| a course of policy or of the character of those who were 33 Intro, 0| depend in great measure on the personality of the historian. 34 Intro, 0| measure on the personality of the historian. It is evident 35 Intro, 0| evident that a man who lacks the sympathetic power to enter 36 Intro, 0| sympathetic power to enter into the character that he attempts 37 Intro, 0| it is perhaps truer of the history of the middle ages 38 Intro, 0| truer of the history of the middle ages than of that 39 Intro, 0| more recent period, nor is the reason of this far to seek. 40 Intro, 0| reason of this far to seek. The middle ages were a period 41 Intro, 0| has been. In modern times the formula, an abstraction 42 Intro, 0| abstraction such as "Capital" or the "Rights of Man" has largely 43 Intro, 0| of Man" has largely taken the place of the individual 44 Intro, 0| largely taken the place of the individual as a plastic 45 Intro, 0| individual as a plastic force. The one great Tyrant of the 46 Intro, 0| The one great Tyrant of the nineteenth century found 47 Intro, 0| found his opportunity in the anarchy which followed the 48 Intro, 0| the anarchy which followed the French Revolution. The spoil 49 Intro, 0| followed the French Revolution. The spoil was then necessarily 50 Intro, 0| was then necessarily to the strong. But even Napoleon 51 Intro, 0| rather by a conspiracy of the slowly developing anonymous 52 Intro, 0| forces of his time than by the superior skill or strength 53 Intro, 0| of an individual rival. The lion could hardly have been 54 Intro, 0| caught in such meshes in the trecento. Then, the fate 55 Intro, 0| meshes in the trecento. Then, the fate of populations was 56 Intro, 0| populations was bound up with the animosities of princes, 57 Intro, 0| in order to understand the state of Europe at any particular 58 Intro, 0| necessary to understand the state of soul of the individuals 59 Intro, 0| understand the state of soul of the individuals who happened, 60 Intro, 0| individuals who happened, at the time, to be the political 61 Intro, 0| happened, at the time, to be the political stakeholders. ~ 62 Intro, 0| be thought, however, that the personality of the prince 63 Intro, 0| that the personality of the prince was the only power 64 Intro, 0| personality of the prince was the only power in the medieval 65 Intro, 0| prince was the only power in the medieval state, for the 66 Intro, 0| the medieval state, for the prince himself was held 67 Intro, 0| force which we, in spite of the petulant acerbity of modern 68 Intro, 0| appear as suppliants before the Judgment- seat of Christ, 69 Intro, 0| Judgment- seat of Christ, and the theory of medieval Christianity 70 Intro, 0| considerably in favor of the serf. The Father of Christendom, 71 Intro, 0| considerably in favor of the serf. The Father of Christendom, at 72 Intro, 0| anointed and consecrated as the social exponent of the Divine 73 Intro, 0| as the social exponent of the Divine Justice, could not, 74 Intro, 0| his stewardship. Nor did the medieval mind, distinguishing 75 Intro, 0| distinguishing between the office and the individual, 76 Intro, 0| distinguishing between the office and the individual, by any means 77 Intro, 0| shrink from contemplating the fate of the faithless steward. 78 Intro, 0| contemplating the fate of the faithless steward. In a " 79 Intro, 0| by Angelico at Florence, the ministers of justice seem 80 Intro, 0| special joy in hurrying off to the pit popes and cardinals 81 Intro, 0| led some to suppose that the medieval Church weighed 82 Intro, 0| medieval Church weighed on the conscience of Christendom 83 Intro, 0| an arbitrary fact: that the priesthood, aided by the 84 Intro, 0| the priesthood, aided by the ignorance of the people, 85 Intro, 0| aided by the ignorance of the people, succeeded in establishing 86 Intro, 0| monstrous claim to control the destinies of the soul by 87 Intro, 0| control the destinies of the soul by quasi-magical agencies 88 Intro, 0| quasi-magical agencies and the powers of excommunication. 89 Intro, 0| Nothing can be further from the truth. Probably at no period 90 Intro, 0| Probably at no period has the Christian conscience realized 91 Intro, 0| realized more profoundly that the whole external fabric of 92 Intro, 0| its discipline, was but the phenomenal expression, necessary 93 Intro, 0| sacred in its place, of the Idea of Christianity, that 94 Intro, 0| Idea of Christianity, that the vitality of that Idea was 95 Intro, 0| vitality of that Idea was the life by which the Church 96 Intro, 0| Idea was the life by which the Church lived, and that by 97 Intro, 0| well as subjects, would at the last be judged. When Savonarola 98 Intro, 0| When Savonarola replied to the Papal Legate, who, in his 99 Intro, 0| his confusion, committed the blunder of adding to the 100 Intro, 0| the blunder of adding to the formula of excommunication 101 Intro, 0| of excommunication from the Church Militant, a sentence 102 Intro, 0| sentence of exclusion from the Church Triumphant, "You 103 Intro, 0| cannot do it," he was in the tradition of medieval orthodoxy. 104 Intro, 0| orthodoxy. Moreover, even though the strict logic of her theory 105 Intro, 0| might have required it, the hierarchical Church was 106 Intro, 0| Church was not considered as the sole manifestation of the 107 Intro, 0| the sole manifestation of the Divine Will to Christendom. 108 Intro, 0| Divine Will to Christendom. The unanimity with which the 109 Intro, 0| The unanimity with which the Christian idea was accepted 110 Intro, 0| accepted in those times made the saint a well-known type 111 Intro, 0| just as nowadays we have the millionaire or the philanthropist. 112 Intro, 0| have the millionaire or the philanthropist. Now the 113 Intro, 0| the philanthropist. Now the saint, although under the 114 Intro, 0| the saint, although under the same ecclesiastical dispensation 115 Intro, 0| to be exempt from many of the limitations of fallen humanity. 116 Intro, 0| were of certain efficacy; the customary uniformities of 117 Intro, 0| constantly transcended by the power that dwelt within 118 Intro, 0| he was often accepted by the people as the bearer to 119 Intro, 0| accepted by the people as the bearer to Christendom of 120 Intro, 0| Divine message over and above the revelation of which the 121 Intro, 0| the revelation of which the hierarchy was the legitimate 122 Intro, 0| which the hierarchy was the legitimate guardian. Not 123 Intro, 0| warning or correction to the hierarchy. Sabatier points 124 Intro, 0| Sabatier points out truly that the medieval saints occupied 125 Intro, 0| medieval saints occupied much the same relation to the ecclesiastical 126 Intro, 0| much the same relation to the ecclesiastical system as 127 Intro, 0| ecclesiastical system as the Prophets of Israel had done, 128 Intro, 0| of Israel had done, under the older dispensation, to the 129 Intro, 0| the older dispensation, to the Jewish Priesthood. They 130 Intro, 0| lips touched by coal from the altar denounced iniquity 131 Intro, 0| wherever they found it, even in the highest places. It is needless 132 Intro, 0| had they been so indeed the state of Europe might have 133 Intro, 0| as for other Christians, the organization of the Church 134 Intro, 0| Christians, the organization of the Church was Divine; it was 135 Intro, 0| Church was Divine; it was by the sacred responsibilities 136 Intro, 0| office that they judged the unworthy pastor. ~ 137 Intro, 0| this attitude occurs in the life of the Blessed Colomba 138 Intro, 0| attitude occurs in the life of the Blessed Colomba of Rieti. 139 Intro, 0| simple peasant, was called to the unusual vocation of preaching. 140 Intro, 0| unusual vocation of preaching. The local representatives of 141 Intro, 0| local representatives of the Holy Office, alarmed at 142 Intro, 0| Holy Office, alarmed at the novelty, imprisoned her 143 Intro, 0| imprisoned her and took the opportunity of a visit of 144 Intro, 0| visit of Alexander VI. to the neighboring town of Perugia 145 Intro, 0| Holiness for examination. When the saint was brought into the 146 Intro, 0| the saint was brought into the Pope's presence, she reverently 147 Intro, 0| presence, she reverently kissed the hem of his garment, and, 148 Intro, 0| overcome with devotion at the sight of the Vicar of Christ, 149 Intro, 0| devotion at the sight of the Vicar of Christ, fell into 150 Intro, 0| during which she invoked the Divine judgment on the sins 151 Intro, 0| invoked the Divine judgment on the sins of Rodrigo Borgia. 152 Intro, 0| stop her; she was beyond the control of inquisitor or 153 Intro, 0| of inquisitor or guards; the Pope had to hear her out. 154 Intro, 0| Vetus Civitas Virginis. The town seems to have descended 155 Intro, 0| and lightly settled on the summits of three hills which 156 Intro, 0| clustering towers. As seen from the vineyards which clothe the 157 Intro, 0| the vineyards which clothe the slopes of the hills or with 158 Intro, 0| which clothe the slopes of the hills or with its crenellated 159 Intro, 0| Campanile silhouetted against the evening sky from the neighboring 160 Intro, 0| against the evening sky from the neighboring heights of Belcaro, 161 Intro, 0| neighboring heights of Belcaro, the city is familiar to students 162 Intro, 0| familiar to students of the early Italian painters. 163 Intro, 0| Italian painters. It forms the fantastic and solemn background 164 Intro, 0| of many a masterpiece of the trecentisti, and seems the 165 Intro, 0| the trecentisti, and seems the only possible home, if home 166 Intro, 0| they can have on earth, of the glorified persons who occupy 167 Intro, 0| glorified persons who occupy the foreground. It would create 168 Intro, 0| come, while walking round the ancient walls, suddenly, 169 Intro, 0| suddenly, at a turn in the road, on one of the sacred 170 Intro, 0| turn in the road, on one of the sacred groups so familiarly 171 Intro, 0| familiarly recurrent to the memory in such an environment: 172 Intro, 0| Siena, once the successful rival of Florence 173 Intro, 0| politics, has, fortunately for the more vital interests which 174 Intro, 0| hundred years; in truth the town has never recovered 175 Intro, 0| has never recovered from the plague which, in the far-off 176 Intro, 0| from the plague which, in the far-off days of 1348, carried 177 Intro, 0| population. Grassy mounds within the city walls mark the shrinking 178 Intro, 0| within the city walls mark the shrinking of the town since 179 Intro, 0| walls mark the shrinking of the town since the date of their 180 Intro, 0| shrinking of the town since the date of their erection, 181 Intro, 0| population at less than 23,000. The free Ghibelline Republic 182 Intro, 0| September 1260, defeated, with the help of Pisa, at Monte Aperto, 183 Intro, 0| of Pisa, at Monte Aperto, the combined forces of the Guelf 184 Intro, 0| the combined forces of the Guelf party in Tuscany, 185 Intro, 0| Austrian, to be content with the somewhat pinchbeck dignity 186 Intro, 0| Italian Prefettura. At least the architectural degradation 187 Intro, 0| has overtaken Florence at the hands of her modern rulers 188 Intro, 0| measure, spared to Siena. Even the railway has had the grace 189 Intro, 0| Even the railway has had the grace to conceal its presence 190 Intro, 0| conceal its presence in the folds of olive which enwrap 191 Intro, 0| folds of olive which enwrap the base of the hill on which 192 Intro, 0| which enwrap the base of the hill on which the city is 193 Intro, 0| base of the hill on which the city is set. ~ 194 Intro, 0| Once inside the rose-colored walls, as we 195 Intro, 0| rose-colored walls, as we pass up the narrow, roughly paved streets 196 Intro, 0| specimens of Italian Gothic like the Palazzo Saracini, others 197 Intro, 0| others again illustrating the combination of grace and 198 Intro, 0| and strength which marked the domestic architecture of 199 Intro, 0| domestic architecture of the Renaissance at its prime, 200 Intro, 0| Renaissance at its prime, like the Palazzo Piccolomini, we 201 Intro, 0| from anything with which the experience of our own utilitarian 202 Intro, 0| visibly interpreted by the deeper truth of an art whose 203 Intro, 0| rough-hewn stone stained to the color of tarnished silver 204 Intro, 0| tarnished silver with age, once the home of that Madonna Pia 205 Intro, 0| whose story lives forever in the verse of Dante. Who shall 206 Intro, 0| actual tale of days and the immortal life given her 207 Intro, 0| immortal life given her by the poet? In her moment of suffering 208 Intro, 0| tradesman's dwelling. In the fourteenth century it belonged 209 Intro, 0| converted into a chapel, over the door of which are inscribed 210 Intro, 0| door of which are inscribed the words: Sponsae Xti Katerinae 211 Intro, 0| who still lives one of the purest glories of the Christian 212 Intro, 0| of the purest glories of the Christian Church under the 213 Intro, 0| the Christian Church under the name of St. Catherine of 214 Intro, 0| years have passed since the daughter of the Siennese 215 Intro, 0| passed since the daughter of the Siennese dyer entered into 216 Intro, 0| Siennese dyer entered into the rest of that sublime and 217 Intro, 0| touching symbolism under which the Church half veils and half 218 Intro, 0| reveals her teaching as to the destiny of man. Another 219 Intro, 0| of poor Madonna Pia, of the intertwining of the world 220 Intro, 0| of the intertwining of the world of fact with the deeper 221 Intro, 0| of the world of fact with the deeper truth of art. ~ 222 Intro, 0| St. Catherine was born at the same time as a twin-sister, 223 Intro, 0| reputation for piety. Lapa, the daughter of one Mucio Piagenti, 224 Intro, 0| family lived together in the manner still obtaining in 225 Intro, 0| still obtaining in Italy, in the little house, till the death 226 Intro, 0| in the little house, till the death of Giacomo in 1368. ~ 227 Intro, 0| Who can read unmoved of the struggles towards his ideal 228 Intro, 0| Augustine or a Loyola, or of the heroic courage of a Theresa, 229 Intro, 0| affirming against all human odds the divinity of her mission, 230 Intro, 0| incredible assertions by the steadfastness of her will? 231 Intro, 0| There are other pages in the lives of the saints, less 232 Intro, 0| other pages in the lives of the saints, less dramatic, it 233 Intro, 0| and poetry all their own: the childhood of those servants 234 Intro, 0| have borne His yoke from the dawn of their days forms 235 Intro, 0| their charming theme. Here the blasting illuminations of 236 Intro, 0| blasting illuminations of the Revelation are toned down 237 Intro, 0| and tender glow, in which the curves and lines of natural 238 Intro, 0| more pathetically human. The hymn at Lauds for the Feast 239 Intro, 0| human. The hymn at Lauds for the Feast of the Holy Innocents 240 Intro, 0| at Lauds for the Feast of the Holy Innocents represents 241 Intro, 0| their palms and crowns under the very altar of Heaven: -- ~ 242 Intro, 0| or monasteries instead of the soldiers and housekeeping 243 Intro, 0| pious revels: we are told of the Blessed Hermann Joseph, 244 Intro, 0| Blessed Hermann Joseph, the Premonstratensian, that 245 Intro, 0| were joyously shared by the Divine Child Himself. He 246 Intro, 0| rationalize this white mythology. The tiny Catherine was no exception 247 Intro, 0| Catherine was no exception to the rest of her canonized brothers 248 Intro, 0| brothers and sisters. At the age of five it was her custom 249 Intro, 0| five it was her custom on the staircase to kneel and repeat 250 Intro, 0| devotion so pleasing to the angels, that they would 251 Intro, 0| without letting her feet touch the ground, much to the alarm 252 Intro, 0| touch the ground, much to the alarm of her mother, who 253 Intro, 0| Father Raymond of Capua, the Dominican confessor of the 254 Intro, 0| the Dominican confessor of the family, her fears of an 255 Intro, 0| Nor were these phenomena the only reward of her infant 256 Intro, 0| of her infant piety. From the day that she could walk 257 Intro, 0| parents' friends, who gave her the pet name of Euphrosyne, 258 Intro, 0| of Euphrosyne, to signify the grief-dispelling effect 259 Intro, 0| morning on an errand to the house of her married sister 260 Intro, 0| important symbolical bearing on the great task of her after-life, 261 Intro, 0| Catherine, being arrived at the age of six, went one day 262 Intro, 0| little older than herself, to the house of their sister Bonaventura, 263 Intro, 0| accomplished, while they were on the way back from their sister' 264 Intro, 0| certain valley, called by the people Valle Piatta, the 265 Intro, 0| the people Valle Piatta, the holy child, lifting her 266 Intro, 0| lifting her eyes, saw on the opposite side above the 267 Intro, 0| the opposite side above the Church of the Preaching 268 Intro, 0| side above the Church of the Preaching Friars a most 269 Intro, 0| imperial throne, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, clothed 270 Intro, 0| Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, clothed in pontifical 271 Intro, 0| papal tiara; with Him were the princes of the Apostles, 272 Intro, 0| Him were the princes of the Apostles, Peter and Paul, 273 Intro, 0| Apostles, Peter and Paul, and the holy evangelist John. Astounded 274 Intro, 0| to Himself, fixed on her the eyes of His Majesty, and, 275 Intro, 0| right hand, and, making the sign of the Holy Cross in 276 Intro, 0| and, making the sign of the Holy Cross in the manner 277 Intro, 0| sign of the Holy Cross in the manner of a bishop, left 278 Intro, 0| a bishop, left with her the gift of His eternal benediction. 279 Intro, 0| His eternal benediction. The grace of this gift was so 280 Intro, 0| love, forgetting not only the road she was on, but also 281 Intro, 0| lifted and immovable eyes in the public road, where men and 282 Intro, 0| to stand there as long as the vision lasted, had she not 283 Intro, 0| diverted by others. But while the Lord was working these marvels, 284 Intro, 0| was working these marvels, the child Stephen, leaving her 285 Intro, 0| seeing her immovable in the distance and paying no heed 286 Intro, 0| eyes again on high; but the vision had entirely disappeared, 287 Intro, 0| disappeared, according to the will of Him who had granted 288 Intro, 0| eyes to earth." Such was the "call" of St. Catherine 289 Intro, 0| on mystical significance, the appearance of Christ, in 290 Intro, 0| appearance of Christ, in the semblance of His Vicar, 291 Intro, 0| fitly appear to symbolize the great mission of her after-life 292 Intro, 0| mission of her after-life to the Holy See. * * * ~ 293 Intro, 0| Much might be said of the action of Catherine on her 294 Intro, 0| of their personality on the events of their time. Catherine 295 Intro, 0| of their time. Catherine the Peacemaker reconciles warring 296 Intro, 0| feud between Florence and the Holy See. Catherine the 297 Intro, 0| the Holy See. Catherine the Consoler pours the balm 298 Intro, 0| Catherine the Consoler pours the balm of her gentle spirit 299 Intro, 0| of her gentle spirit into the lacerated souls of the suffering 300 Intro, 0| into the lacerated souls of the suffering wherever she finds 301 Intro, 0| wherever she finds them, in the condemned cell or in the 302 Intro, 0| the condemned cell or in the hospital ward. She is one 303 Intro, 0| hospital ward. She is one of the most voluminous of letter-writers, 304 Intro, 0| last, but not least, with the distant Pope at Avignon. ~ 305 Intro, 0| was cast on evil days for the Church and the Peninsula. 306 Intro, 0| days for the Church and the Peninsula. The trecento, 307 Intro, 0| Church and the Peninsula. The trecento, the apogee of 308 Intro, 0| Peninsula. The trecento, the apogee of the middle ages 309 Intro, 0| trecento, the apogee of the middle ages was over. Francis 310 Intro, 0| among their ranks, still the first fervor of the original 311 Intro, 0| still the first fervor of the original inspiration was 312 Intro, 0| brightness that had fled. The moral state of the secular 313 Intro, 0| fled. The moral state of the secular clergy was, according 314 Intro, 0| herself, too often one of the deepest degradation, while, 315 Intro, 0| deepest degradation, while, in the absence of the Pontiff, 316 Intro, 0| while, in the absence of the Pontiff, the States of the 317 Intro, 0| absence of the Pontiff, the States of the Church were 318 Intro, 0| the Pontiff, the States of the Church were governed by 319 Intro, 0| blood and lust, who ground the starving people under their 320 Intro, 0| their subjects could learn the path of peace. The Pope' 321 Intro, 0| learn the path of peace. The Pope's residence at Avignon, 322 Intro, 0| s residence at Avignon, the Babylonish Captivity, as 323 Intro, 0| called, may have seemed, at the time when his departure 324 Intro, 0| temporary retreat before the anarchy which was raging 325 Intro, 0| anarchy which was raging round the city of St. Peter. But not 326 Intro, 0| became evident that Philip the Fair, the astute adviser 327 Intro, 0| evident that Philip the Fair, the astute adviser to whose 328 Intro, 0| submitted in leaving Rome, was the only one who profited by 329 Intro, 0| only one who profited by the exile of the Pope. Whatever 330 Intro, 0| profited by the exile of the Pope. Whatever the truth 331 Intro, 0| exile of the Pope. Whatever the truth may be about the details 332 Intro, 0| Whatever the truth may be about the details of Clement's election, 333 Intro, 0| far as his subservience to the French king went, he might 334 Intro, 0| Archbishop of Bordeaux to the end of his days. He accepted 335 Intro, 0| presents from Philip; he placed the papal authority at his service 336 Intro, 0| authority at his service in the gravely suspicious matter 337 Intro, 0| gravely suspicious matter of the suppression of the Templars. 338 Intro, 0| matter of the suppression of the Templars. Gradually the 339 Intro, 0| the Templars. Gradually the Holy See in exile lost its 340 Intro, 0| and became more and more the vassal of the French crown. 341 Intro, 0| more and more the vassal of the French crown. Such a decline 342 Intro, 0| enough in theory to apply to the situation such maxims as 343 Intro, 0| Petrus ibi Ecclesia, or, as the Avignonese doctors paraphrased 344 Intro, 0| French Pope, living under the eye and power of the French 345 Intro, 0| under the eye and power of the French king. The Romans, 346 Intro, 0| power of the French king. The Romans, who had always treated 347 Intro, 0| who had always treated the Pope badly, were furious 348 Intro, 0| exceed their contempt for the Popes of Avignon, who, as 349 Intro, 0| for his genuine zeal in the cause of learning, or the 350 Intro, 0| the cause of learning, or the energy with which he restored 351 Intro, 0| ecclesiastical studies in the Western Schools. For Benedict 352 Intro, 0| abstemious student, they invented the phrase: bibere papaliter -- 353 Intro, 0| papaliter -- to drink like the Pope. Clement VI. they called 354 Intro, 0| forgetting his noble charity at the time of the plague, and 355 Intro, 0| noble charity at the time of the plague, and also the fact 356 Intro, 0| of the plague, and also the fact that Rome herself had 357 Intro, 0| a singular commentary on the ethics of the Gospel. ~ 358 Intro, 0| commentary on the ethics of the Gospel. ~ 359 Intro, 0| The real danger ahead to Christendom 360 Intro, 0| ahead to Christendom was the possibility of an Italian 361 Intro, 0| position by recourse to the heretical elements scattered 362 Intro, 0| elements scattered through the peninsula. Those elements 363 Intro, 0| were grave and numerous. The Fraticelli or Spiritual 364 Intro, 0| Franciscans, although crushed for the time by the iron hand of 365 Intro, 0| crushed for the time by the iron hand of Pope Boniface, 366 Intro, 0| inherited a garbled version of the mysticism of Joachim of 367 Intro, 0| belief in a new revelation of the Spirit, which was to supersede 368 Intro, 0| which was to supersede the dispensation of the Son 369 Intro, 0| supersede the dispensation of the Son as that had taken the 370 Intro, 0| the Son as that had taken the place of the dispensation 371 Intro, 0| that had taken the place of the dispensation of the Father. 372 Intro, 0| place of the dispensation of the Father. According to the 373 Intro, 0| the Father. According to the Eternal Gospel of Gerard 374 Intro, 0| adroit manipulation, from the writings of Abbot Joachim, 375 Intro, 0| writings of Abbot Joachim, the Roman Church was on the 376 Intro, 0| the Roman Church was on the eve of destruction, and 377 Intro, 0| destruction, and it was the duty of the Spirituali, 378 Intro, 0| and it was the duty of the Spirituali, the saints who 379 Intro, 0| duty of the Spirituali, the saints who had received 380 Intro, 0| saints who had received the new dispensation, to fly 381 Intro, 0| dispensation, to fly from the contamination of her communion. 382 Intro, 0| were fermenting north of the Alps; the preaching of Wycliffe, 383 Intro, 0| fermenting north of the Alps; the preaching of Wycliffe, the 384 Intro, 0| the preaching of Wycliffe, the semi-Islamism of the Hungarian 385 Intro, 0| Wycliffe, the semi-Islamism of the Hungarian Beghards, the 386 Intro, 0| the Hungarian Beghards, the Theism of the Patarini of 387 Intro, 0| Beghards, the Theism of the Patarini of Dalmatia, the 388 Intro, 0| the Patarini of Dalmatia, the erotic mysticism of the 389 Intro, 0| the erotic mysticism of the Adamites of Paris, indicated 390 Intro, 0| a widespread anarchy in the minds of Christians. Moreover, 391 Intro, 0| of Christians. Moreover, the spiritual difficulties of 392 Intro, 0| spiritual difficulties of the Pope were complicated by 393 Intro, 0| come to be essential to the action of the Holy See that 394 Intro, 0| essential to the action of the Holy See that the successor 395 Intro, 0| action of the Holy See that the successor of the penniless 396 Intro, 0| See that the successor of the penniless fisherman should 397 Intro, 0| should have his place among the princes of the earth. ~ 398 Intro, 0| place among the princes of the earth. ~ 399 Intro, 0| The papal monarchy had come 400 Intro, 0| what seems to have been the inevitable force of circumstances. 401 Intro, 0| force of circumstances. The decay of the Imperial power 402 Intro, 0| circumstances. The decay of the Imperial power in Italy 403 Intro, 0| Imperial power in Italy due to the practical abandonment of 404 Intro, 0| practical abandonment of the Western Empire -- for the 405 Intro, 0| the Western Empire -- for the ruler of Constantinople 406 Intro, 0| an effective Emperor of the West -- had resulted in 407 Intro, 0| of secular importance to the See of Rome. To the genius 408 Intro, 0| importance to the See of Rome. To the genius of Pope Gregory I., 409 Intro, 0| Pope Gregory I., one of the few men whom their fellows 410 Intro, 0| Saint and Great, was due the development of the political 411 Intro, 0| was due the development of the political situation thus 412 Intro, 0| his day was St. Gregory the Great. Seldom, if ever, 413 Intro, 0| Great. Seldom, if ever, has the papal dignity been sustained 414 Intro, 0| still call themselves today, the instinct of government was 415 Intro, 0| hereditary right. He had the defects as well as the qualities 416 Intro, 0| had the defects as well as the qualities of the statesman. 417 Intro, 0| well as the qualities of the statesman. His theological 418 Intro, 0| gracious condescension to the limitations of human nature. 419 Intro, 0| had consulted him as to the best means of extirpating 420 Intro, 0| best means of extirpating the pagan customs of our English 421 Intro, 0| survivals. He ruled that the celebration of the Festivals 422 Intro, 0| that the celebration of the Festivals of the Sabots 423 Intro, 0| celebration of the Festivals of the Sabots should if possible 424 Intro, 0| should if possible be held at the times and places at which 425 Intro, 0| times and places at which the people had been in the habit 426 Intro, 0| which the people had been in the habit of meeting together 427 Intro, 0| meeting together to worship the gods. They would thus come 428 Intro, 0| would thus come to associate the new religion with their 429 Intro, 0| truly be looked upon as the founder of popular Catholicism, 430 Intro, 0| religion," not assuredly in the entirety of its details 431 Intro, 0| as weaving together in the web of its own secular experience 432 Intro, 0| so large a proportion of the many-colored threads that 433 Intro, 0| attached his hopes and fears to the mysterious unknown which 434 Intro, 0| miracle is needed to explain the political ascendancy which 435 Intro, 0| in an Italy deserted by the Empire, and, but for him 436 Intro, 0| Empire, and, but for him and the organization which depended 437 Intro, 0| which depended on him, at the mercy of the invading Lombard. 438 Intro, 0| on him, at the mercy of the invading Lombard. More and 439 Intro, 0| people came to look on the Pope as their temporal ruler 440 Intro, 0| many cases, indeed, his was the only government they knew. 441 Intro, 0| conferred much property on the Roman Church. By the end 442 Intro, 0| on the Roman Church. By the end of the sixth century 443 Intro, 0| Roman Church. By the end of the sixth century the Bishop 444 Intro, 0| end of the sixth century the Bishop of Rome held, by 445 Intro, 0| Bishop of Rome held, by the right of such donations 446 Intro, 0| Italian property against the invaders, and came to the 447 Intro, 0| the invaders, and came to the relief of the starving population 448 Intro, 0| and came to the relief of the starving population with 449 Intro, 0| Africa, thus laying deep in the hearts of the people the 450 Intro, 0| laying deep in the hearts of the people the foundations of 451 Intro, 0| the hearts of the people the foundations of the secular 452 Intro, 0| people the foundations of the secular power of the Papacy. ~ 453 Intro, 0| of the secular power of the Papacy. ~ 454 Intro, 0| subject to work out in detail the stages by which the Pope 455 Intro, 0| detail the stages by which the Pope came to take his place 456 Intro, 0| take his place first as the Italian vicar of a distant 457 Intro, 0| emperor, and at length, as the result of astute statecraft 458 Intro, 0| of astute statecraft and the necessities of the case, 459 Intro, 0| statecraft and the necessities of the case, among the princes 460 Intro, 0| necessities of the case, among the princes of Europe, as their 461 Intro, 0| however, necessary for the comprehension of the task 462 Intro, 0| for the comprehension of the task with which Catherine 463 Intro, 0| Catherine measured, for the time, successfully her strength. 464 Intro, 0| strength. It was given to the Popolana of Siena, by the 465 Intro, 0| the Popolana of Siena, by the effect of her eloquence 466 Intro, 0| eloquence in persuading the wavering will of the Pope 467 Intro, 0| persuading the wavering will of the Pope to return to his See, 468 Intro, 0| bring about what was, for the moment, the only possible 469 Intro, 0| what was, for the moment, the only possible solution of 470 Intro, 0| hanging perpetually round the skirts of the Bride of Christ, 471 Intro, 0| perpetually round the skirts of the Bride of Christ, seems at 472 Intro, 0| Nevertheless, it is neither the intrinsic importance nor 473 Intro, 0| intrinsic importance nor the social consequences of her 474 Intro, 0| actions that constitute the true greatness of St. Catherine. 475 Intro, 0| History, and in particular the history of the Church, is 476 Intro, 0| particular the history of the Church, is not wanting in 477 Intro, 0| great ends before himself -- the freedom of his country and 478 Intro, 0| freedom of his country and the regeneration of the state; 479 Intro, 0| and the regeneration of the state; but the spirit in 480 Intro, 0| regeneration of the state; but the spirit in which he pursued 481 Intro, 0| of style, is a fact," and the soul of St. Catherine's 482 Intro, 0| reasonable, as to make her the dearest of friends to all 483 Intro, 0| of friends to all who had the privilege of intimate association 484 Intro, 0| source of refreshment to the human spirit. She intuitively 485 Intro, 0| intuitively perceived life under the highest possible forms, 486 Intro, 0| highest possible forms, the forms of Beauty and Love. 487 Intro, 0| she thought, means for the achievement of those two 488 Intro, 0| those two supreme ends. The sheer beauty of the soul " 489 Intro, 0| ends. The sheer beauty of the soul "in a state of Grace" 490 Intro, 0| turn from evil. Similarly the ugliness of sin, as much 491 Intro, 0| in deepest truth, is, in the words of the writer of the 492 Intro, 0| truth, is, in the words of the writer of the First Epistle 493 Intro, 0| the words of the writer of the First Epistle of St. John, 494 Intro, 0| God Himself, is, at once, the highest achievement of man 495 Intro, 0| and satisfying beatitude. The Symbols of Catholic theology 496 Intro, 0| Catholic theology were to her the necessary and fitting means 497 Intro, 0| transit, so to speak. See, in the following pages, the fine 498 Intro, 0| in the following pages, the fine allegory of the Bridge 499 Intro, 0| pages, the fine allegory of the Bridge of the Sacred Humanity, 500 Intro, 0| allegory of the Bridge of the Sacred Humanity, of the