The Great Catholic Reformers: From Gregory the Great to Dorothy Day
Overview
The Great Catholic Reformers covers the careers of Pope Gregory the Great, Peter Damian, Bernard of Clairvaux, Clare of Assisi, Catherine of Siena, Jean Gerson, Jan Hus, Gasparo Gontarini, John Henry Newman, and Dorothy Day. This diversity of reformers in our tradition suggests that legitimate reform within the Catholic Church can operate from different spiritualities, employ either gentle or harsh critiques, use secular or canon law to enforce discipline, and begin with lay men and lay women as well as with members of the religious or of the clergy. The Second Vatican Council stated that the Church is always in need of purification and renewal, but it did not attempt to describe how this process takes place. C. Colt Anderson presents lessons on Church renewal from 10 of the most significant reformers in Church history. By looking at models from a variety of historical and cultural contexts, Anderson describes how reform takes place, what it looks and sounds like, and how it can be effective. By offering these diverse models, The Great Catholic Reformers seeks to encourage every Catholic to take up the difficult task of reform and to provide them with examples that suit their own temperaments. It also aims at broadening tolerance for people who follow different approaches to reform.
Top Highlights
“While this type of papal apologetics was convincing” (Page 35)
“The Judas priest, according to the saint, has no part in the prayer of Jesus: ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not” (Page 71)
“It is the humble Christian who has the authority to correct bishops.” (Page 22)
“The state of the clergy throughout Italy was truly scandalous for the faithful. Gregory deposed six bishops during his papacy. While we do not know the details, at least two of the bishops were deposed for their embezzlement of either church or state funds. One was deposed for unspecified crimes deserving of the death penalty. Bishop Andreas of Tarentum, who died before Gregory could depose him, openly kept concubines and even murdered a woman who was on the church’s charity rolls in a fit of rage. In Campania, the bishops were using their offices to enrich themselves rather than caring for their clergy and protecting the oppressed and the poor. The lower clergy were also involved in scandalous behavior such as usury, simony, violence, homosexual acts, neglect of duties, and so on.” (Page 12)
“Shortly after Constantine’s conversion, some of these aspects of Roman culture began to be outlawed. In the spring of 315, Constantine legislated that aid would be provided for hungry children. Of course, their parents would still have to fend for themselves. That same summer, he made child prostitution and pederasty illegal and punishable by death in the gladiatorial arena. While Constantine forbade the immoderate torture and murder of slaves in 319, moderate torture was still legal. Slaves who denounced their masters, however, were to be subject to crucifixion according to a law passed in 320. In 343, it became illegal to use Christian slave women for prostitution; nonetheless, it was still legal to use other slave women for prostitution.” (Pages 2–3)