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CONTENTS
Unit 1 The Beginning of the Church
1 The Gospels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 You Are to Be My Witnesses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3 Pentecost—The Church Is Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Unit 2 The Infant Church
4 Giving in Christ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
5 How Much Should I Give? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6 Lack of Giving—Lack of Love. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Unit 3 Two Great Servants of Christ—Saint Stephen and Saint Paul
7 Stephen, the First Martyr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
8 Paul—From Persecutor of Christians to Great Christian Saint . . . . . . . 14
Unit 4 The Church—Mystical Person of Christ
9 Jesus, Where Are You When I Need You the Most?. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
10 All for One and One for All! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Unit 5 The Church Persecuted—The Church Victorious
11 The Roman Persecution of the Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
12 The Triumph of the Cross. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Unit 6 The Church Faces a New World
13 The Church—Free at Last!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
14 The Early Church—Organization and Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
15 God—Our Hope in Ages Past . . . and in the Present . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Unit 7 An Age of Heresy and an Age of Truth
16 Arianism—The Threat Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
17 Servant of the Servants of God—Pope Gregory I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
18 Into the Darkness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Unit 8 Europe Moves toward Feudalism
19 Church and State—To Mix or Separate?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
20 Charlemagne—Protector of the Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
21 The Church in the Age of Feudalism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Unit 9 The Medieval Church
22 The Medieval Religious Mind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
23 Medieval Church Reforms and Reformers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
24 Medieval Church Conflicts—The Crusades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Unit 10 The Church in Need of Renewal
25 The Church Travels a Troubled Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
26 Who Will Come and Save the Church?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
27 The Church Continues to Suffer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Unit 11 An Age of Reform and Evangelization
28 The Protestant Reformation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
29 The Protestant Reformation Spreads to England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
30 The Church Is Finally Renewed—The Council of Trent. . . . . . . . . . . 84
Unit 12 The Church in a Modern World
31 The French Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
32 The Age of Enlightenment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
33 Years of Storm, Years of Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Prayers to Know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
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Vocabulary
Byzantium: the Roman Empire of the East
Byzantine: relating to or belonging to Byzantium
pontiff: the Pope
papacy: the Pope and the system of Church government in Rome
Papal States: lands under the direct governmental control of the Pope and Church
feudalism: a political and military system that existed in the Middle Ages
doctrine: truths taught by the Church that all Catholics are to believe
iconoclasm: a heresy, stating that paintings or statues of Jesus were idols and evil
LESSON 19: CHURCH AND STATE—TO MIX OR SEPARATE?
Many people today hear about and argue about whether to mix or separate Church and State. The term
“Church” refers to areas that have to do with religious matters and beliefs. The term “State” refers to
things and actions that the government (city, county, state, or federal) regu­lates. Most people in the
United States believe it is a good policy to keep these two areas separate.
On the lines below, list three areas of Church policy in which you think the State should never
interfere.
Now, list three areas in which you think the Church should not interfere in State matters.
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UNIT 8: E UR O PE M O VE S T O W A R D F E U D A L I S M
In American society the practice of separating Church and State gener­ally
serves all people, including Catholics, well. It allows for the pro­tection
of religious freedoms and keeps the government from interfering in the
religious policies and beliefs of different faiths. Therefore, most people
today see the value of separating Church and State and take great care to see that each keeps to separate
spheres of influence.
However, Church and State have not always been separate. In Europe, beginning in about the sixth
century, the Church began taking on more and more civic duties that the weak local governments were
no longer able to perform. For example, in Italy the Church took on such gov­ernment functions as the
building of walls and bridges and the settling of legal disputes. In Rome, the Pope actually nominated
government officials. Finally, because it was an age in which people were still at the mercy of invading
barbarians, the Pope had at his disposal a small army for defense.
At the same time, certain governments had an influence in Church policies. For example, the
Roman Empire in the East (which was then called Byzantium, or the Byzantine Empire) considered
itself the pro­tector of the Church.
The Byzantine Empire demanded the right to approve every new Pope before he could assume his
duties. Sometimes the Church had to pay a tax to the Empire before the installation of a new Pope was
allowed. This meant that on several occasions the papacy was left vacant for long periods of time.
In the eighth century, the Byzantine Empire began to promote the heresy of iconoclasm.
Iconoclasm is a belief that paintings or statues of Jesus and the saints are evil because they resemble
the idols that were condemned in Old Testament times. Iconoclasts destroyed relig­ious images in
churches throughout the Empire. The government per­secuted those people who continued to honor
holy pictures and statues.
Because the Byzantine Empire had become involved in Church policies, the influence of
iconoclasm began to spill over into the lives of the faithful in the West. Because of this and similar
problems, the Pope saw the need to free the Church from the domination of the Roman Empire of the
East. Freedom from Byzantium might certainly bring certain benefits for the Church, but it would also
leave her open to problems from another kingdom, that of the Lombards. This barbar­ian tribe occupied
much of northern Italy and would certainly try to extend its control over the Church once the Church
no longer had the protection of the Byzantine Empire. The only solution was for the Pope to ask the
protection of the most powerful and influential of the barbarian tribes, the Franks.
The Franks lived in parts of the countries we know today as France and Germany. Since about the
end of the fifth century, the rulers of the Franks had come from the Merovingian family. Through the
years, however, this family had increasingly given the power to rule to their top aides. These aides
were called mayors of the palace.
In 732 one of these mayors, Charles Martel, increased the power of his position by leading the
Frankish army into battle and defeating the Muslims, who were trying to invade France. Charles Martel
belonged to the Carolingian family. His son Pepin the Short took the title of King of the Franks for
himself in 751. Pope Saint Zachary (741­–752) supported Pepin the Short and showed his approval
by sending a representative to anoint him as king. This anointing was a very impor­tant step in the
relationship between the Church and a government. The Church, which for so many years had been at
the mercy of differ­ent governments, now had given official approval to the ruler of a mighty kingdom
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UNIT 8: EU R O PE M OV E S T OWA R D F E U D A L I S M
in Europe. From this point on, the Church took on more and more the role of overseer of earthly
kingdoms as well as the overseer of God’s kingdom on earth. In return for Pope Zachary’s sup­port,
Pepin the Short later helped Pope Stephen II (III) by defeating the Lombards in 755, freeing the Church
from the threat of that barbarian tribe. In order to further ensure that the Lombards would no longer
threaten the papacy, Pepin the Short donated to the Pope vast areas of land that he had won from the
Lombards in battle. These lands were not to be simply part of the Pope’s personal property but were to
form a country or state. They would eventually be called the Papal States. The Pope then found himself
to be not only the spiritual leader of the Church but an earthly ruler as well.
While today the Papal States no longer exist and the Pope no longer has an army at his command,
questions of Church and State are still important and even urgent in some cases. The Papal States
ceased to exist in 1870 after the war for Italian unification. Present-day Vatican City State is the result
of a treaty between Italy and the Pope in 1929. Here are some excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI’s 2005
encyclical Deus caritas est, no. 28:
Fundamental to Christianity is the distinction between what belongs to Caesar and what
belongs to God (Mt 22:21), in other words, the distinction between Church and State. . . .
The State may not impose religion, yet it must guarantee religious freedom and harmony
between the followers of different religions. For her part, the Church . . . has a proper
independence and is structured . . . as a community which the State must recognize. The
two spheres are distinct, yet always interrelated. Justice is both the aim and the intrinsic
criterion of all politics.
Catholic social doctrine . . . has no intention of giving the Church power over the State.
Even less is it an attempt to impose on those who do not share the faith ways of thinking
and modes of conduct proper to faith. Its aim is simply . . . to contribute, here and now, to
the acknowledgment and attainment of what is just.
The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the
most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time
she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her
part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which
justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must
be the achievement of politics, not of the Church. Yet the promotion of justice through
efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is
something which concerns the Church deeply.
LESSON 20: CHARLEMAGNE—PROTECTOR OF THE CHURCH
An important and influential man in Church history during the last part of the eighth century and the
first part of the ninth was Charles, a son of Pepin the Short. Because of his great deeds and his reforms
that influenced many lives, he came to be known as Charles the Great, or Charlemagne.
Pepin the Short’s sons, Carloman and Charles, inherited the Frankish kingdom from their father
upon his death. Carloman died in 771, leaving the entire kingdom to Charlemagne.
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Charlemagne was a great king. He had a strong faith in God, from whom he believed his authority
came. Through military conquests he continually expanded his kingdom until it covered what is now
known as Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Holland. It also included half of Italy and Germany, part
of Austria, and a northern portion of Spain!
Charlemagne was not only a military leader. He was also a great reformer who believed that he
should use his God-given authority to improve the lives of his subjects. The following are some of his
well-known contributions to the kingdom:
1. He established a system of schools for members of the ruling class, as well as for royalty. The
schools taught Latin, grammar, and mathematics, along with court manners and the art of war.
2. Because Charlemagne’s kingdom was so large, he divided it into smaller areas called counties,
each directed by a count, who answered to Charlemagne himself. Woe to the count who was caught
misusing his powers: Charlemagne’s punishments were strict and swift!
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3. In order to issue laws to all the counties, Charlemagne needed a method of handwriting that
everyone could read. At that time there were many different ways of forming letters, and communi­
cation in writing was therefore difficult. At Charlemagne’s court a new method of writing was
developed that made it possible for the royal commands to be read and understood. The new method
was based on the ancient Roman method of printing and is still the basis of the lower-case letters
used for writing many languages.
Charlemagne’s vision of the world blended Church and State. He saw himself as not only the Church’s
protector, but, in many cases, her spiritual guide as well. His courts disciplined priests and religious
for not living up to their religious duties. He himself called meetings to make sure that Church doctrine
was unified. Once, Charlemagne conducted a trial in which Pope Leo III successfully defended himself
against charges of “crimes and misdeeds”. Charle­magne had the final say in the election of a bishop
or a head of a mon­astery. Bishops, in turn, were expected to act as agents of the king. Monasteries,
besides serving religious needs, became government administration centers. A bishop could be
commanded to leave his diocese and come to work in the king’s court. The head of a monas­tery might
be asked to gather men to repair a road. Missi dominici (ambassadors of the king) were sent throughout
the kingdom to administer the government. These government officials usually trav­eled in pairs, with
one of the pair being a bishop. Sometimes these men had to administer civil justice. (This made the
bishops into a kind of police force.)
The Pope knew of Charlemagne’s interference in Church affairs, but, because he needed
Charlemagne’s protection, he did not dare to interfere with the way the king administered his kingdom
and the affairs of the Church. Even though other religious leaders also saw the danger in having an
earthly ruler with so much control in the Church, they knew that Charlemagne’s rule had helped to
spread the Faith throughout the kingdom.
The high point of Charlemagne’s career came on Christmas Day in the year 800. A year earlier,
Pope Leo III had been attacked by an angry mob in the streets of Rome. He had immediately called
upon the Frankish king for help. Charlemagne responded by sending an escort of soldiers who
reestablished order and guaranteed the safety of the Pope. About a year later Charlemagne came to
Rome. The Pope went out to greet him personally. While Charlemagne was in Saint Peter’s Basilica
attending the Christmas Mass, Pope Leo walked up to him, placed a crown on his head, and declared
him to be the “emperor of the Romans”. For the first time since the fall of Rome, the West had an
emperor. Charlemagne’s kingdom came to be called the Holy Roman Empire, a name that described
well the mixture of Church and State that had grown during his reign.
Unfortunately, Charlemagne, though a king, was a barbarian king. The Byzantine Empire—the
Roman Empire of the East—took offense when the Pope declared a barbarian king emperor. The new
emperor governed the lands that had once been part of the mighty Empire of Rome in the West. The
Byzantine Empire also thought that the Pope was favoring the Western powers over those in the East.
As we will see in a later lesson, the coronation of Charlemagne would affect the relationship between
the Eastern Church and the Roman Church in the West.
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LESSON 21: THE CHURCH IN THE AGE OF FEUDALISM
Charlemagne died in 814, ending his strong, controlling rule. His kingdom was eventually divided
among his grandsons, who did not have his ability to govern. As a result, Charlemagne’s mighty
Holy Roman Empire disintegrated into many small states. The form of gov­ernment that replaced
Charlemagne’s empire was very different from the one we experience in the United States.
In our government:
.
1. The leader of our country is the
2. Those who make our country’s laws are the
.
and the
.
3. The laws are interpreted by the
,
4. The three branches of our federal government are
,
.
Our federal government, state governments, and city governments try to work for the good of their
citizens.
In the ninth and tenth centuries, however, the breakup of the Holy Roman Empire resulted in the
loss of an effective central gov­ernment that could protect society. And it did need protection. Barbar­
ian tribes were once again devastating parts of Europe. One tribe’s name struck terror into the hearts
of those who heard it: the Vikings. These raiders from the north came from the territories we now
call Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. They were usually fair-haired, and many wore beards. These
barbarians used ships as their main means of transportation and attack. The Vikings had perfected the
art of sail­ing and could move their crafts skillfully up and down almost any river. This skillfulness
made their movements difficult to stop and allowed them to reach their target quickly, raid it, and
retreat without being caught. It was difficult to know where or when they would attack next. By the
time information reached the commanders who had the power to stop them, the Vikings had taken what
they wanted and fled. The Viking leader’s authority was based on strength and suc­cess in these raids.
Some people thought that God had sent this new wave of invasions as a punishment for sins. It is
important to remember, however, that while war and suffering are the result of sin, God is a God of
love, forgiveness, and compassion. Jesus showed us that in His life on earth.
The lack of a central government and the need
for protection led to the creation of governmental
organizations that did not depend on a king. Each of
these governments was headed by a man who was
usu­ally given the title of lord. The people turned to
these lords, who had wealth and a certain amount of
power, for security.
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UNIT 8: E UR O PE M O VE S T O W A R D F E U D A L I S M
In return for his protection the lord would usually ask for a prom­ise of loyalty and service in his
army. The men who swore loyalty to the lord became his vassals. This relationship between lord
and vassal was known as feudalism. The map of Europe, in many places, became dotted with small
governmental units centered in fortified castles.
The rise of feudalism led to increased confusion between Church and State. The lords, recognizing
the great power they pos­sessed, considered everything in their realms, including Church institu­tions,
their property, which they could use as they wished. Church lands were confiscated. Many priests,
leaders of monasteries, and even bish­ops had to swear loyalty to a lord. The lords then thought they had
the right to make appointments to Church positions. As a result, some priests deserted their parishes
to become personal chaplains to lords. Some heads of monasteries led men into battle to fulfill their
promise of loyalty to a lord. Church money, collections, and gifts were often stolen.
In the midst of this darkness, however, there was one bright spot. After Charlemagne’s death and
the disintegration of his empire, the Pope was able to regain some control over the Church. We see
this effort most clearly in the life of Pope Saint Nicholas I, who became Pope in the year 858. He
corrected bishops and priests who did not live according to the Church’s teachings. He ordered the
king of Lorraine (a part of France today) to stop seeing his mistress and to return to his wife. He urged
missionaries to avoid force when converting people to Christ. Because he tried to live a life worthy of a
good priest and Church leader, Saint Nicholas was an inspiration to all who sought to achieve holiness.
He died in Rome on November 13, 867.
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Review Questions
1. What is feudalism?
2. What is doctrine?
3. Name three of Charlemagne’s contributions to the kingdom he ruled.
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UNIT 9: TH E M ED I E V A L CHUR CH
Vocabulary
Middle Ages: the period in history ranging from the fifth century to the fifteenth century
medieval: pertaining to the Middle Ages
supernatural: that which is beyond the limits and understanding of the natural world.
This term is often used to refer to God and heavenly things.
layperson: non-ordained, baptized member of the Church
habit: special clothing worn by men and women belonging to religious orders
investiture: giving someone the symbols of an office or position
LESSON 22: THE MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS MIND
It’s twelve o’clock noon. You and your best friend are sitting together eating lunch, as you have every
day this school year. All of a sudden, your friend looks at you, says, “Don’t ever sit by me again!”, and
stomps off. This exclamation surprises, puzzles, and, perhaps, hurts you. You ask your­self, “Why?”
To answer this question, you must try to understand your friend’s thoughts and attitudes toward
things and you.
Understanding the way people thought about the world around them is important in the study of
history. Therefore, before we begin to study the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages, let us look a
little more closely at some of the attitudes and beliefs the Church’s members had during that time:
1. During the Middle Ages, scholars and Church leaders believed and taught that everything was
centered on God and His Church. The perfect society was one in which everyone was totally depen­
dent on God and obedient to His law. Therefore, because the Church was God’s representative on
earth, most people accepted completely what she said and did. All other human organizations were
also supposed to give glory to God. The human organiza­tions were to help people come closer to
God and eventually to assist them in reaching Heaven. God and the supernatural were everywhere
and a part of everything. Much of what happened to people in life was thought to be either the
direct action of God or a miracle. When Christian men and women looked at the world in this way,
everything around them had a purpose.
2. Most people were familiar with Scripture. They had heard the sto­ries of Jesus and the prophets many
times from their parents and priests and knew them almost by heart.
3. There was great interest in Jesus’ humanity. People in the Middle Ages took great pleasure in
discussing and thinking about the human side of Jesus’ life. Descriptions of the baby Jesus being
wrapped in swaddling clothes, of Jesus being in the temple as a twelve-year-old boy, or of the
suffering of the Savior on the Cross showed the humanity of our Lord.
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UNIT 9: T H E M ED I EVAL CHUR CH
Above: In an age when Bibles were very expensive because they had to be copied by hand, stainedglass windows served as “picture books” of important persons and events in the life of the Church.
4. As we have already said, many people living in the Middle Ages felt the presence of God
everywhere. Accompanying this feeling, however, was a strong sense of human unworthiness and
the need for the Blessed Mother or one of the saints to intercede for them. Out of this need came
great devo­tion to Mary and the saints.
5. Many of the faithful made pilgrimages. A pilgrimage is a journey made to a holy place as a sign of
religious faith. Pilgrimages began to gain popularity around the fourth century, when Constan­tine
legalized Christianity. Later, these religious journeys became more popular; even kings, such as
Charlemagne, traveled to Rome. Monks went on pilgrimages in order to set a good example for the
common people. Everyone was expected to go on a relig­ious pilgrimage at least once, if possible.
There were several rea­sons for making such a journey. For example, some went in order to receive a
miraculous cure or spiritual favor, while others went as an expression of their love for God or to do
penance for their sins.
LESSON 23: MEDIEVAL CHURCH REFORMS AND REFORMERS
A student receives his paper back from the teacher.
On the top is written: “Redo!”
A newspaper headline reads, “School Building Burns to Ground—School Board Talks about Cost to
Rebuild”.
A teacher passes out flyers to students. The top line announces, “Class Picture Retakes on Tuesday”.
In each of these situations, a word with the prefix “re-” was used. Define each of these words, listed
below:
redo:
rebuild:
retakes:
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UNIT 9: TH E M ED I E V A L CHUR CH
In each of the words, the prefix “re-” indicates that the action of the word must be done again or done
in a new and better way.
Now consider the word “reform”. First write what you think the word means; then get a dictionary,
look up the word “reform”, and copy the definition below.
Your definition:
Dictionary definition:
The Church in the tenth and eleventh centuries was in need of great reform, or correction. You may be
asking, “If the Church is the Mystical Person of Christ and, therefore, is the Person of Jesus among us,
why should she need to be corrected? Isn’t Jesus perfect already and, therefore, wouldn’t His Church
be perfect too?”
The answer to these questions is really quite simple. Even though the Mystical Person of Christ
(the Church) is protected from false teaching by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church is made
up of people. Because people are human, they make mistakes in their personal lives, and they sin.
Although these personal failings never lead the Church to teach what is false, these failings can cause
pain, trouble, scandal, and sadness. It is these human failings, therefore, that are sometimes in need
of reform.
Yes, the human side of the Church was badly in need of change. This need occurred primarily
because Church matters and State matters were too deeply intertwined. Society had changed from a
central governmental structure to a feudal system. The people were dependent upon powerful lords,
princes, or kings for protection. Many religious, priests, and bishops were also dependent upon earthly
rulers for their well-being. These powerful men knew that the Church leaders needed them. They also
believed that all earthly organizations were somehow directed toward the glory of God. Gradually, the
distinction between Church matters and State concerns became more confused.
Eventu­ally, a situation arose in which lords, princes, and kings began to nom­inate candidates for
the Church offices of bishop or abbot (the head of a monastery). Then, once a man had been appointed
to one of these offices by a Church official, the lord, prince, or king (a layper­son) would present or
“invest” the Church cere­mony with the symbols of authority. (For example, a lord might present a
bishop with a bishop’s ring and staff.) This situation came to be called “lay investiture”.
Lay investiture was a practice that had to be corrected, because it gave earthly rulers authority
in Church matters to which they had no right. (The symbols of Church authority should have been
invested only by the Pope or by another bishop.) This situation went on for many years. Church leaders
knew very well how much they depended on lords and kings for protection. But, because this practice
had been going on so long, many believed that there was nothing wrong with it.
Many times in life, to do the right thing, the Christian thing, requires courage. This kind of courage,
which we call moral courage, or forti­tude, is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
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UNIT 9: T H E M ED I EVAL CHUR CH
Below is a situation that requires moral courage. Read the story and then answer the questions below.
The Courage to Speak Out
It is 3:30 in the afternoon. Shelly has just finished after-school basketball practice. She heads down the
main hall and turns the corner to a side corridor where her locker is located.
Ahead of her she sees her friend Deanna and another girl crushing chocolate chip cookies and
throwing them wildly at each other for fun. Shelly knows that their actions, which she considers
immature, are creating a mess someone else will have to clean up. However, she tells herself, “Mind
your own business”, then opens her locker to pack up for home.
A door slams down the hall, and she hears adult footsteps. The cookie-throwing contest ends in an
instant. Both Deanna and her part­ner scramble for their lockers, which are located about four feet from
Shelly’s. Mrs. Bloom, the school principal, rounds the corner, looks, and stops dead in her tracks.
Except for the sound of books being hastily shoved into book bags, the hall is silent. Then Shelly
hears footsteps approaching. Mrs. Bloom’s angry voice shreds the air: “How many times have I told
all you people that when you’re finished with your after-school activities you should head home! I’ve
told you a million times that the halls are not a playground, and that they are to be kept clean!” Another
voice speaks. Shelly, without looking up, recognizes it as Deanna’s.
“Oh, Mrs. Bloom, we didn’t do this. The hall was like this when we got here.”
Shelly remains silent.
“I saw two people running, though. I think one of them was Sharon Slick.”
(Shelly knows that Sharon is a troublemaker. The teachers have also caught her lying to get herself
out of tight spots. If Deanna’s story sticks, Sharon will surely get the blame.)
Shelly suddenly feels very warm. Her stomach is tight. She knows sweat is beginning to form on
her hands. Looking up for the first time, Shelly sees Mrs. Bloom’s face. Shelly . . .
Finish the story and tell what Shelly does in the hall with Mrs. Bloom and the others standing there.
Write down two endings. Let the first one show an incorrect response based on fear and peer pressure.
In your second ending, show what Shelly must do if she is to be true to Jesus’ merciful love and the
Holy Spirit’s gift of moral courage.
1. Incorrect response:
How will this response affect Shelly?
How will it affect the others?
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UNIT 9: TH E M ED I E V A L CHUR CH
2. Correct (Christian) response:
How will this response affect Shelly?
How will it affect the others?
One Who Had the Courage to Speak Out:
Pope Saint Gregory VII
As the practice of lay investiture became more and more wide­spread, some Church leaders began to
recognize the problems it was causing. A great defender of the Church’s right to nominate and invest
her own religious leaders was Pope Saint Gregory VII.
He was born sometime between 1015 and 1028 in central Italy and was named Hildebrand. He
became a monk and worked tirelessly to reform the Church. Hildebrand became Pope in 1073 and took
the name Gregory VII. The Pope understood that his mission was to work for the eternal Salvation
of all people. He knew that if the Church were not free to choose her own faithful religious leaders,
the work of achieving eternal Salvation for all would be severely restricted. Greg­ory, therefore,
immediately set out to end the practice of lay investi­ture. This, of course, did not go unnoticed by kings
and rulers, several of whom openly disagreed with the Pope.
One powerful king who opposed the Pope on this issue was Henry IV, the Holy Roman Emperor.
Henry jealously guarded his control over religious affairs as well as over earthly matters. He was very
reluctant to give up his control over the Church in the Empire. The king continually ignored Pope
Gregory’s demands that only Church leaders nominate bishops and invest them.
The conflict between the two leaders contin­ued until, finally, Henry called a meeting at Worms
(a city in western Germany). The king accused the Pope of various crimes, said his elec­tion had
been invalid, and ordered the people of Rome to remove him from office. Pope Gregory, in reply,
excommunicated Henry.
The Pope went on to say that the German princes need no longer obey the king. Many of the
German princes, who did not like Henry IV in the first place, were all too happy to obey the Pope’s
command. Henry was in trouble, so he decided on a bold plan. In the dead of win­ter, the king crossed
the Alps from Germany to a castle at Canossa, Italy, where the Pope was staying temporarily.
For three days King Henry IV stood at the castle gate, barefoot and clothed only in sackcloth. He
begged the Pope to forgive him and to lift the excommunication. The king, however, was not doing this
because he was convinced of his guilt and sin. He had another reason.
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Guess the king’s reason on the lines below.
Pope Gregory VII was in a difficult situation. He
did not want to forgive Henry and lift the penalty of
excommunication without first letting the German
princes know that he was going to do so. After all,
they had supported the Pope. In a day and age when
there were no fax machines or email, however, it
was impos­sible to inform them on such short notice.
On the other hand, the king had already stood
outside for three days. In the end, the Pope thought
that, as the merciful Shepherd of the Church, he
must grant the king forgiveness then and there.
After returning to Germany, Henry IV continued
to name bishops to their offices. The Pope protested
again. This time, though, the Ger­man princes were
not as eager to support Gregory. Henry eventually
invaded Italy and set up his own rival Pope. In the
end, Pope Gregory VII was forced to leave Rome. He died on May 25, 1085, in a castle in southern
Italy. It would appear that Henry IV had won the battle. But Pope Gregory VII won the war. His fight
to free the Church from the control of kings, princes, and lords was not forgotten. It was continued and
finally won by the Popes who came after him. Pope Gregory VII, who, like Jesus, had stood up with
moral courage to wrongdoing and had suffered, was victorious in the end.
Courage takes many forms. We have seen how Pope Saint Gregory VII showed courage in
speaking out against those who wished to control the Church .for personal gain. Another form of
courage was demon­strated by those who worked to help priests and religious return to a life of
Christlike poverty. Two people who were leaders in this strug­gle were Saint Francis (1182–1226) and
Saint Clare (1194–1253).
Saint Francis of Assisi
Francis lived in central Italy in a town named Assisi. He was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant.
Although he had been baptized into the Faith, he was too interested in partying and making money to
take much time for God or prayer. God gave Francis an opportunity to change his life. As unusual as it
might sound, this opportunity was provided by warfare.
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UNIT 9: TH E M ED I E V A L CHUR CH
The towns in Italy were continually fighting small wars
Leprosy usually occurs among
with each other, and Francis was all too ready to march off and
people who have unsanitary
fight. During one battle he was taken prisoner. Lying in his jail
living conditions and a poor
cell, Francis began to take a close look at his life.
diet. A poor diet weakens
When Francis was finally able to return home, his health
a person’s defenses against
was so poor that he was forced to spend long hours in bed. In
disease and gives leprosy a
the quiet of his room, Francis thought that God wanted him to
chance to infect the body.
do something more with his life, but what could it be?
One day, while walking in the country, he began to
There are two types of leprosy,
discover the answer. By the side of the road on which he was
a milder form that attacks the
traveling stood a leper. At first Francis pulled back in horror
ner­vous system and a more
and disgust (a natural reaction to a person afflicted with
serious form that affects the
lep­rosy).
mucous mem­branes, the skin,
All of a sudden, he knew that the leper’s poverty, rags, and
and some organs of the body.
suf­fering reflected the sufferings of Jesus Himself. At once he
ran up to the diseased man, gave him money, hugged him, and
then even kissed him!
Francis was never the same again.
He began to seek out and to live a life totally dedicated to imitating the life of Jesus. His father
became alarmed when he saw that his son would not follow in his footsteps and take over the cloth
business. Twice he beat Francis, and once he even locked him in the house in a desperate attempt to get
his son to see the error of his ways.
Nothing would turn Francis from his goal of serving Christ and His Church, however. In a final
gesture, Francis returned all of his belongings, even his clothing, to his father and declared that now
he must serve his Father in Heaven. The bishop of Assisi gave Francis a woolen cloak, which he wore
with a rope belt.
Francis’ life of complete poverty (in imitation
of Jesus, he refused to own any personal
possessions), his joyful preaching of the Word of
God, and his work serving the poor began to be
known far and wide.
The more popular Francis became, the more
followers he attracted. In 1210 he went to Rome
to ask Pope Innocent III for per­mission to begin a
new religious order. Because there were already
so many orders, the Pope was reluctant to see
another new religious group started. In a dream,
however, Innocent saw a large church ready to
collapse, with Francis holding it up with his arms.
In the morning, the Pope gave Francis approval
for his new order.
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The meaning of the Pope’s dream later became clear: the poverty Francis lived and his simple love
for the message of Jesus gave impor­tant support to the Church’s teachings.
Toward the end of Francis’ life, in 1224, God the Father rewarded this saint for his loyalty to the
lifestyle of His Son. After several days of intense prayer, Francis had a heavenly vision. After the
vision was over, his body bore the wounds of Jesus’ crucifixion in his hands, feet, and side. We call
these wounds the stigmata.
Even in death, Francis wished to imitate our Lord. He asked his followers to remove his clothing so
that he might die like Jesus—naked, with absolutely no earthly possession. On October 3, 1226, Saint
Francis died as he had lived, one with his beloved Jesus.
Another Servant of Jesus: Saint Clare
A close follower of Francis was a young girl named Clare, who was also from the town of Assisi. She
was rich and beautiful, and everyone expected that she would spend the rest of her life in comfort.
But on Palm Sunday, in the year 1212, Clare heard Francis speaking in the cathedral of Assisi about
the love of God. That day Clare decided to give up her riches and to seek a life dedicated to poverty in
imitation of Christ.
Later, she met Francis. Once he heard that she too wanted to give up the things of this world and
follow Jesus, he sent her to live in a nearby Benedictine convent. Clare’s family was very much against
her decision, but her love for Jesus gave her the courage she needed.
In 1215, Francis appointed Clare the head of the new Convent of San Damiano, located just outside
Assisi. For more than forty years, Clare remained head of the order. She lived a life of extreme poverty
and fasting, for which she was known and honored far and wide. Church leaders often sought her
advice.
Her prayers were powerful. On one occasion, in 1244, Clare prayed fervently in front of the
Blessed Sacrament as the army of the emperor Frederick II was marching toward San Damiano and
Assisi. Many people believe that, because of her prayers, the army was turned back and San Damiano
and Assisi were saved.
Clare died in 1253. Just two years later, Pope Alexander IV declared her a saint. Her order survives
to this day and has spread throughout the world. These nuns are known as the Poor Clares.
As in Assisi in the days of Saint Francis and Saint Clare, people today are overly concerned with
money and material possessions. These things can be good in and of themselves. God, who wants our
happiness, wishes us to enjoy them. They can bring us closer to God and help us to gain Heaven.
However, money and things can also get in the way of our relationship with God. We sometimes
become selfish or greedy. Material possessions can take up so much of our time that we neglect God,
our families, and our friends.
All of us, from time to time, need to step back and take a look at how much of our lives things and
money take up. Examine your own attachment to material things. If you seem to be too concerned with
things and money and not involved enough with God and others, try a few of the following suggestions:
1. Give up an hour of your favorite activity a week and spend some of this time with family members,
either helping them or just talk­ing to them.
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2. Set aside a certain time for prayer every day. God is our good friend and enjoys our company. Even
if it is only five minutes at first, God will be pleased with your efforts.
3. Give a certain portion of the money you may earn each week or month to the Sunday collection in
your parish.
4. Resolve to set aside money for the poor. A good way to do this is to set up a Poor Jar. Take any jar
with a screw-on lid and cut a hole in the top to drop in coins. Every night, put a percentage of your
pocket change into the jar. (You must resolve not to “bor­row” from it, though!) The money you see
in the container will be a constant reminder of the poor and of the merciful love of Jesus that you are
showing them. At the end of every month you can donate this money to a charity you choose.
You too are invited to practice Franciscan poverty in your own way. Doing so brings you closer to
God. When you reach Heaven, you can converse with Jesus, Saint Francis, and Saint Clare about
sharing in the life of our Father’s beloved poor.
LESSON 24: MEDIEVAL CHURCH CONFLICTS—
THE CRUSADES
The Church Declares War!
Pope Calls Up All Available Men!
Now Is the Time to Serve Your Church. Take Up Arms!
Headlines like these today would surprise both Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The Church is not
usually associated with warfare. But nine hundred years ago these headlines would have been accurate.
What happened to involve the Church in a military conflict? Why did the Holy Father issue a call to
war? To answer such questions we must review the thinking of the medieval world. Remember that in
those days life was centered on the Church and God. People strove for Salvation by serving the Church
and giving glory to God. With these facts in mind, let us learn why thousands of men took up arms to
follow the Church into battle.
These religious wars, called the Crusades, were fought to free the Holy Land from the control of
the Muslims. Although the Muslims had conquered this land in the seventh century, no problems arose
between the Muslim and the Christian worlds until the eleventh century. At that time, the Seljuk Turks
invaded Palestine and began to harass the Christians living there. Pilgrims were no longer allowed to
visit the holy places. Christians living there were attacked, robbed, and sometimes sold into slavery.
The Turks threatened the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, which began begging the West for help.
As news of these and other horrors slowly began to filter back to Western Europe, Christians
became uneasy. How long could they tol­erate such crimes? What could be done to change the
situation? The answer was soon to come.
On November 18, 1095, in Clermont, France, Pope Urban II called a Church council. After nine
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days the Pope stood up and began to speak to those in attendance. A hushed silence fell over the crowd.
The Holy Father spoke of how the Holy Sepulchre, Christ’s tomb in Jerusalem, was in the hands of
unbelievers; of how the Muslims had deliberately shown disrespect for the tomb, the holiest shrine
of Christianity; and of how the Turks had mistreated and assaulted the Christians who lived in the
Holy Land.
Finally, Urban II spoke these words:
Men of God, men chosen and blessed among all, combine your forces! Take the road to
the Holy Sepulchre, assured of the imperishable glory that awaits you in God’s kingdom.
Let each one deny himself and take up the Cross.
To the men of eleventh-century Europe, these words were very power­ful. The audience rose to its feet.
Men shouted, “God wills it!” and ran through the city taking pieces of red cloth and cutting them into
crosses to be sewn onto their right sleeves. When there was no more material available, some men had
crosses tattooed or branded on their arms! Thus began a well-known episode in Church history, the
Cru­sades—a name that comes from the Latin word meaning “signed with the cross”.
Historians conclude that there were eight Crusades in all. The first is possibly the best known and
the most studied. The following is an outline of some of the major events of this Crusade.
August 1096. The First Crusade is officially launched. It is made up of four main armies under the
leadership of Robert of Nor­mandy, Raymond of Toulouse, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Bohe­mond the
Norman.
The Crusaders stop at Constantinople and promise the Eastern (Byzantine) emperor to return some of
the lands taken from him by the Muslims.
June 1097. The city of Nicaea is captured by the Crusaders. The Byzantine emperor refuses to
allow the crusading armies to loot the city. The Crusaders feel betrayed and decide not to honor their
agreement to return certain lands to the emperor.
The first major land battle between the Crusaders and the Muslims is fought in Asia Minor. It is a
Christian victory.
October 1097. The armies arrive at the walls of Antioch in Syria. The Crusaders lay siege to the city
for seven months and finally capture it.
June 7, 1099. Only a few thousand of the original tens of thou­sands of Crusaders finally reach the
walls of Jerusalem.
June 15, 1099. Jerusalem is attacked and taken by the Crusaders. The Muslim defenders and many of
the city’s Jewish citizens are slaughtered by the Christian armies. The Crusaders then assemble at the
Holy Sepulchre and give thanks to God for their victory.
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The victory of the First Crusade was not to be permanent, however. Over the course of nearly two
centuries, Christians and Muslims fought over this land, which was holy to both religions. In the end,
the Crusades could not keep Palestine under Christian control.
The Crusades did have some more or less beneficial effects, however:
1. They inspired an increased religious devotion among the people.
2. Some security and protection were provided for Christian pilgrims.
3. Periods of peace brought toleration, trade, and friendship between Christians, Jews, and
Muslims.
4. New foods and textiles appeared on the markets of Europe, intro­duced to the Europeans by the
returning Crusaders.
5. The opening of new trade routes with the East led to the revival of European economies and the
growth of cities.
6. The reemergence of cities challenged the authority of feudal lords. Kings could now exercise
more power.
7. They stopped the western advance of the Muslims.
You may be asking yourself, “Would the Holy Father ever call a holy war today as the Popes did
so many years ago?” The answer is probably not. The Church is the Mystical Person of Christ,
the merciful Jesus. At times in the past, Church leaders sought to defend the Church’s authority
in heavenly matters through the use of earthly and military power. The Church today continues to
recognize her role as a spiritual authority. Today this role seems best accomplished by bringing Jesus’
message to the world not by force, but by being an example of our Lord’s merciful love. While it is
necessary, sometimes, to defend the innocent and oppressed (as Christians were in the Holy Land back
then) by force, history shows, as Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have taught, that war
almost never solves anything and often leads to unintended and unforeseen evil consequences.
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Review Questions
1. When were the Middle Ages?
2. What does the word “supernatural” mean, and to what does it refer?
3. Name three motives for Pope Urban II’s launching the Crusades.
4. Name five beneficial results of the Crusades.
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Vocabulary
Vatican: the location of the offices and the usual residence of the Pope and Church
government
LESSON 25: THE CHURCH TRAVELS A TROUBLED ROAD
The Pope resides in a country called Vatican City. Where
is this country located?
Have the Popes always lived there?
The Popes are Saint Peter’s successors as Bishop of Rome and
have usually lived there. Several times during the Church’s
history, the Pope has lived somewhere else. Most of these
absences did not last long. During the greater part of the
fourteenth century, however, the Holy Father and the papal court lived in Avignon, a city in the south­
eastern part of France. They stayed there for nearly seventy years. This event in the Church’s history is
called the Avignon papacy.
To understand how this long absence from Rome came about, it is necessary to know something
about the dispute of Pope Boniface VIII with King Philip IV of France. Boniface, who was Pope from
1294 to 1303, struggled for many years with Philip’s policy of taxing French priests to raise money
to pay for his wars. Before Philip’s reign the clergy had been exempt from taxation, so Pope Boniface
ordered his priests to refuse to pay. Once again there was a struggle between Church and State.
The papal residence at Avignon.
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Boniface thought that all power, earthly and spiritual, was held by the Pope. On the other hand, Philip
believed it was his right as king to control both Church and State in his country.
In 1303, the disagreement became so furious that the French king sent an army of six hundred
cavalry and fifteen hundred foot soldiers into Italy. The army attacked the castle where the Pope had
gone for protection. By setting the doors of the castle church on fire, the French were able to get into
the Pope’s living quarters. They announced to Boniface that he was a royal prisoner. Meanwhile, a
cardinal loyal to the Pope gathered a large group of Italian villagers, who drove the French away. The
Pope, however, was quite shaken. Being advanced in age, he never recovered, and he died a month
later. Boniface’s suc­cessor also was short-lived; he died within eight months of his election.
King Philip then managed to have a Frenchman elected as the next Pope. This man, who took
the name Clement V, decided to live in the city of Avignon, France. He had two main reasons for his
decision: he feared the mobs in Rome who were fighting for control of the city; and Philip IV had plans
to insult the memory of Boniface VIII. Pope Clement thought that, if he remained in Avignon, he could
stop, or at least delay, the king from carrying out those plans. As the years went on, Pope Clement’s
successors also chose to remain in Avignon.
What difference did it make where the Pope lived? Does it really matter whether the Pope and the
papacy are located in Rome? Yes. First of all, as Bishop of Rome, the Pope should live in Rome. But
there are other factors as well. Consider the following hypothetical situation:
The president one day decides to run the government of the United States not from
Washington, D.C., but from the US Embassy in Canada. When reporters ask him why, he
replies, “Canada is much more relaxing and safe than the city of Washing­ton. Anyway, in
an age of computers, the Internet, and fax machines, I can keep in touch with the country
as easily in Canada as at the White House.”
If you were one of the president’s advisers, how would you respond to these statements?
If the president did not reside in Washington, D.C., the United States government would find it more
difficult to operate efficiently. In the same manner, when the Popes resided in Avignon, the Church
found it more difficult to be, as Saint Paul had said, “all things to all people”. During the years of the
Avignon papacy most of the cardinals and all of the Popes were French. This was a danger, because the
papacy began to become overly concerned with problems in France. Many of the Church documents
at this time dealt with French affairs, and the problems and needs of other peoples and other countries
were some­times neglected.
It was also during this time that some of the Popes and Church officials became too interested in
earning money. Eventually, certain Popes earned some of their income by giving Church positions to
peo­ple in return for money.
In the end, however, the most unfortunate result of the Avignon papacy was that some of the
respect the people had for the Church and her leaders was lost.
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In the year 1370 there was a papal election. The new Pope took
the name Gregory XI. Pope Gregory was a good and holy man who
believed the papacy should be returned to Rome. He finally gained
courage to do so, however, because of Catherine of Siena.
Both men and women, as images of God, are called by Him to
play a role in the furthering of His Kingdom. In the Church the work
of holy women is needed, and Saint Catherine is an example of such
a woman.
Saint Catherine of Siena
Catherine, the youngest of twenty-five children, was born in Siena,
Italy, around the year 1347. When she was six years old, she had
a vision in which she saw Jesus with Saints Peter, Paul, and John.
At the age of seven, she decided to dedicate her life to God in a
special way. Her parents tried to change her mind, but they could
not. Catherine had heard God’s call. Not wanting to marry or to become a nun, the young girl decided
on another course. She joined the third order of Dominicans, women who lived in some­what the same
manner as nuns, but not in a monastery. Often these women helped others.
Word of Catherine’s work among the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned spread, and soon many
people came to work with her and to speak with her. She had a great love for all people and referred to
those who gathered around her for spiritual guidance as her “chil­dren”. In her area, some families hated
each other bitterly. Because Catherine was able to get many of these families to end their quarrels, she
gained a reputation for being a peacemaker. Eventually, some state governments in Italy called upon
her for advice as well. Finally, in 1376, the city of Florence, which was involved in a major war with
the Papal States, called upon her to go to Avignon to speak with Pope Gregory XI.
While Catherine was in Avignon, God revealed to her a secret promise Pope Gregory had made
to bring the papacy back to Rome. Catherine now knew that her real task in Avignon was to see that
the Pope kept his word. When Catherine began to make her plans known, however, certain French
cardinals who wanted the Pope to stay in Avignon, immediately tried to send her away. Three bishops
ques­tioned her for a whole day about her spiritual beliefs, but nothing could shake this messenger of
God. Finally, Catherine spoke to the Pope and reminded him of his promise to return to Rome. Thus it
was that on September 13, 1376, Gregory XI began his journey back to Italy.
Saint Catherine of Siena died on April 29, 1380. A few years before her death, she received the
stigmata. These marks of Christ’s crucifixion, however, remained invisible, even though she felt their
pain. Upon her death, the wounds became visible.
The Western Schism
In 1378 the Church faced a very serious challenge: two men claimed to be Pope at the same time!
This caused great troubles in the Church. It eventually split the people into two groups, each loyal to a
different Pope. This separation is called the Western Schism.
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The word “schism” comes from the Greek word schisma, which means “to split”. In the Church the
word “schism” usually refers to a movement in which people deliberately separate or split themselves
off from those believers who follow the Pope.
To discover how the Western Schism came about, we must return to the end of the Avignon
papacy. Convinced by the arguments of Catherine of Siena, Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in
1377. He died suddenly the following year. The cardinals then met to elect a new Pope.
At that time the situation in Rome was very dangerous. Mobs roamed the streets and gathered by
the walls of the Vatican shouting that they wanted a Roman, or at least an Italian, pontiff. They threat­
ened to kill the cardinals if their demand was not granted. The man elected was not a Roman, but he
was an Italian. To make sure the Holy Spirit had truly guided their choice, the cardinals voted twice.
Both times the same man was chosen. He took the name Urban VI.
During the Avignon papacy, the cardinals began to guide and control Church policy. The Avignon
Popes often carried out policies of the cardinals.
Thus, when Urban VI was elected, the cardinals hoped once again to have a man whom they would
be able to control. They were sadly mistaken!
The first two weeks of Urban’s term as Pope went smoothly.
Peo­ple got along with him, and he seemed to agree with the way
the cardi­nals were handling Church policies. Soon, however, things
began to change. Pope Urban proved himself to be a strong-willed
leader. He was convinced that the Church had to be reformed
quickly. The Pope believed that many of the Church leaders were
too interested in money and power to live the gospel message
effectively.
Urban VI was correct. For quite some time, especially during
the years of the Avignon papacy, many Church leaders had regarded
their powerful positions simply as ways of getting more money and
land. Most of the people lived in poverty, and they deeply resented
The stove in the Sistine
seeing Church leaders becoming rich at the expense of the poor.
Urban seemed to be the strong Pope the Church needed to bring
Chapel, in which the ballots
about reform. Those who wish to bring about change, however,
used today in papal elections
must know how to work with people and how to get along with
are burned.
them. Unfortunately, Urban lacked these skills. The new Pope
demanded that all his planned reforms take place immediately. He treated people harshly and offended
those who resisted his changes as well as those who were trying to help him. He also hungered for
power.
The cardinals were alarmed! Thoughts such as these must have certainly crossed their minds:
“What have we done by electing this man as Pope? He is proving himself totally unfit to hold this
position. What can we do now?” Gradually, the French cardinals came up with a solution: they claimed
that the election of Pope Urban VI was invalid.
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Look over once again the description of Urban VI’s election. On the lines below, write arguments to
support the cardinals’ claim that the election was invalid.
The French cardinals then made a bold move. After leaving Rome, they elected a new Pope, a
Frenchman. This man took the name of Clement VII and chose to live in Avignon. The situation was
serious. It threatened to destroy the unity Christ had wished for His Church. In some dioceses there
were two bishops, one loyal to Urban, the other to Clement. Some parishes had two parish priests, each
loyal to a differ­ent man. Religious orders were divided among themselves. The laity were confused
and at odds with one another. When Urban VI and Clement VII died, successors were elected, so the
schism con­tinued.
In 1409, in an attempt to correct the situation, some of the cardi­nals called a Church council in the
city of Pisa in northern Italy. The two men who had been elected as Popes were invited to attend, but
neither came. At this Council the cardinals elected a third Pope, Alex­ander V!
Finally, some members of the Church remembered that at certain times in the early Church Roman
emperors had called Church councils. They asked the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund to call a coun­
cil. Thus, in the year 1414, a council was called in the Swiss city of Constance. In 1415 one of the
Popes gave up his office voluntarily, and one was removed from it. The third refused to resign but
didn’t interfere when on November 11, 1417, the Council elected a new Pope, Martin V. The Western
Schism, which had lasted almost forty years, was over.
Both the Avignon papacy and the Western Schism caused seri­ous and long-lasting damage to the
Church. The years at Avignon had served to make people bitter over the increasing wealth and earthly
power of the Church. The Western Schism had caused many of the faithful to doubt the authority of
the Church. Some saw no need for Church authority at all. The time had truly come for the Church to
renew itself.
That the Church survived these major problems is proof to many of the fulfillment of Jesus’
promise never to abandon His Church (see Matthew 28:20).
LESSON 26: WHO WILL COME AND SAVE THE CHURCH?
There was a need for reform in the Church not only among the Popes and cardinals, but among
bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and laypeople as well. The following examples will give you an idea of
how great was the need for renewal.
1. Many religious orders had become lax in their practice of prayer and penance.
2. Cardinals, bishops, and even laypersons became interested in gain­ing control of convents and
monasteries to collect the income to which the heads of such organizations were entitled. In turn, the
religious care that they were supposed to give these convents and monasteries was often assigned to
incompetent persons.
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3. Some bishops were in charge of several dioceses. They collected the income from these positions,
but were almost never in their dio­ceses to perform their duties of guiding the People of God. Monks
left their monasteries for long periods of time. Wars forced priests from their parishes. In one
diocese in France, for example, one priest in three was missing.
4. Although many Church leaders lived in luxury, many parish priests had to beg for food and money.
Some priests tried to get as much money as they could from the laypeople, even charging for
Baptisms and Masses. Although most priests did this simply to keep themselves from starvation, the
people saw the fees as one more example of churchmen taking money from the poor.
5. In the mid-fourteenth century a terrible disease swept across Europe and England. It was called the
Bubonic Plague or the Black Death, and by the time it ended, one-third of the population in Europe
had died. The Church lost many of her nuns and priests. Unfortunately, many times their places were
filled by those who were less competent. The quality of the Church’s religious com­munities was
thereby diminished. Also the university faculties were decimated, leading to a decline in the quality
of theological and philosophical thought and teaching.
A young French girl saw the need for reform in the Church and made the courageous decision to
work for the Church’s renewal.
Saint Colette
Nicolette de Boilet was born in 1381 in northern France. Her friends nicknamed her Colette. When
Colette was nine years old, God allowed her to understand the poor condition the Church was in. By
the time she was twenty-five, Colette had decided to do her part to renew the Church. She chose to
return the Poor Clares to a life of poverty, according to the wishes of their foundress. (The order had
become very lax.)
Colette knew that she would need the support of the Pope to accomplish this task.
There was a problem, however. Given the year, 1406, and what you have just studied in Lesson 25,
what problems was the Church having with the papacy? What decision did Colette have to make?
Write your answer on the lines below.
When Colette finally appeared before Pope Benedict XIII, he immediately recognized the young girl’s
holiness. After talking with her at some length, he granted her request to be allowed to live the poverty
practiced by Saint Clare and to wear the habit of the Poor Clares.
In the end the Pope gave her authority to visit different convents and monasteries to reform them.
She was also given the authority to found new convents. Colette crossed Europe, reforming convents,
founding seventeen new ones, and even renewing several houses of Franciscan priests and brothers.
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The tireless saint died in 1447, wish­ing she could have done even more to help the Church she loved
so much.
Colette knew that she was not well-known, like Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Francis of
Assisi. With the leadership of the Church in such need of reform, she did not expect her own efforts to
amount to very much. Yet she did her best.
As we look around at our world, we also see things we would like to change. We see the need to help
people and institutions become more Christlike. Perhaps we desire to bring the love of Christ to all
people. We want to do these things, but we are discouraged right from the start. We think, “How can
one lone person change the world? Even if I do one good deed, the evils and suffering of the world will
still be there, so why try at all?” The lives of saints can sometimes answer these questions for us. Saint
Colette wanted to change the world, but she changed only a small portion of it. However, God was
pleased with her efforts. She stood against great odds and tried to make changes for the better.
Most of us will never be president, a foreign ambassador, a Supreme Court judge, or Pope. We will
never have the power such people have to renew society and change the world. Our Lord asks us to do
what we can to bring His merciful love into our corner of the world. As the old saying goes, it is better
to light one candle than to curse the darkness.
Think about what you can do to change the world and make it more Christlike. What would you say to
someone who said to you, “I’m only one person in the world. How can I help with the problems of
world hunger;
a worldwide epidemic;
war;
or the shortage of priests in the Church?”
God Calls a Saint to War: The Story of Joan of Arc
In 1429, the French and English had been fighting for nearly one hundred years for control of a portion
of southwestern France. The French people were being attacked by the English soldiers, who burned
their homes, hanged their men, and buried their women alive!
Then a young girl of seventeen, named Joan, appeared on the scene. She claimed to have had visions
and to have heard the voices of saints. Saint Margaret, Saint Catherine, and Saint Michael the Archangel
had asked her to rid France of English control. She convinced first a French captain and then a French
prince (who was to be the next king) that she had a mission from God. Joan was going to accomplish her
mission in an unusual way for women of that day. She was actually going to fight in battle.
Dressed in white armor, Joan made a splendid sight as she rode off on her charger, under a special
banner. In her first battle, on April 28, Joan led the French forces to victory. This young girl, so filled
with faith and patriotism, inspired the French army to further victories.
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Eventually, however, while riding with a small group of soldiers who were trying to scout enemy
positions, Joan ran into some trouble. As the small French scouting party was trying to return to the
main force, they had to cross a bridge. Hoping to prevent the English from following them, they
decided to demolish the bridge, but, during the operation, some of the men became trapped. Joan tried
to help them, and she was captured by the English.
The English knew they had to deal with this young girl who had caused them so much trouble. The
only way to condemn her, though, was to make her deny that her visions and voices had come from
Heaven. If she were made to lie about the visions, the English could then accuse her of witchcraft. The
penalty for witchcraft was death.
Under the threat of horrible torture, Joan did deny during her trial that her visions were sent from
God. Once out of the courtroom, how­ever, she again stood by her original story.
The English had set a trap for Joan, and she had fallen into it. Any person accused of witchcraft a
second time was put to death. When Joan, after her trial, again claimed that her visions were from God,
the English accused her of witchcraft and heresy for the second time and sentenced her to death.
On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Joan inspired the French army even after
her death. In 1453 the French finally drove the English from most of their land, thus ending a conflict
that today we call the Hundred Years’ War.
The life of Saint Joan, a young French girl who answered a call from God, is an example of what
one person can do to change things for the better.
In 1455 Pope Callistus III ordered an investigation of Joan’s trial. She was found not guilty of
witchcraft or heresy. In 1920 Pope Benedict XV declared Joan of Arc a saint. Her feast day is May 30.
LESSON 27: THE CHURCH CONTINUES TO SUFFER
The Church had survived the Avignon papacy and the Western Schism. However, she had not yet taken
any major steps to renew herself. Then, while still faced with old problems—a weak papacy, moneyhungry Church leaders, and priests, brothers, and nuns who were not living truly Christian lives—the
Church faced new challenges.
One challenge came from nationalism, an awareness of belonging to a particular country.
Nationalism is good when it leads to the patri­otism and pride people feel toward their own country.
However, peo­ple who applied nationalism to the Church tried to establish one Church for France, one
for England, another for Italy, and so on. These attempts put at risk the unity of belief and practice
Jesus had wished for His Church.
Another challenge was a new movement sweeping across certain parts of Europe that today is
called “humanism”. Humanism originally meant the study of the works of the Greek and Roman
writers and poets. During the late Middle Ages, these ancient writers were widely read. In and of itself,
this was a good thing. As time went on, however, some of the Christians began to accept Greek and
Roman pagan beliefs. This, in turn, sometimes had the effect of mak­ing these Christians critical of their
own beliefs. When the Church tried to reassert her teachings, she was accused of not letting people
think freely. A new era was dawning. No longer was it a time when believ­ers let their Faith guide every
aspect of their lives. Some Christians began to question, doubt, or even deny their Faith.
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When this era of “free thinking” arrived, the door was opened for people to voice their criticisms
of the Church and to be sceptical about her life and teaching. These people criticized not only the
Church’s leaders for being in need of reform but also the Church’s basic teach­ings as if they too were
in need of change. Because the Pope and the Church leaders were no longer respected as they had been,
they were very much limited in what they could do to stop the spread of false ideas.
One man who was openly critical of Church beliefs was John Wycliffe. Born in England around
1328, John Wycliffe was an intelli­gent and learned man. He had studied theology and philosophy at
Oxford. He became discouraged with the non-Christian lifestyles of Church leaders and religious and
began to question openly several of the Church’s main teachings. Two beliefs he held that went directly
against Catholic doctrine are
1. No one in the Church had any more authority than anyone else.
John Wycliffe said that the people no longer need to listen to whom?
2. The bread and wine of the Eucharist are not the true Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus is simply
there with the bread and wine. Therefore, in the Eucharist our Lord comes to the person only in a
“spiritual” way.
What is the Catholic Church’s teaching on Jesus and the Eucharist?
Wycliffe also tried to apply the idea of nationalism to the Church, encouraging the idea of an English
Church with its own translation of the Bible, independent of the Church headed by the Pope in Rome.
On New Year’s Eve, 1384, John Wycliffe died from a stroke while he was at Mass. His ideas lived
on and were added to by a man who started the most serious break within the Catholic Church. That
man was Martin Luther.
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Review Questions
1. In the Church, what does the word “schism” mean?
2. What is the Avignon papacy, and how long did it last?
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