------ Original Message ------
From: "The Catholic Thing" <thecatholicth...@frinstitute.org>
To: gdig...@btinternet.com
Sent: Saturday, 29 Oct, 22 At 11:01
Subject: Giorgia Meloni: “We are the heirs of St. Benedict"
Roberto de Mattei says that the mission of the Church and of the Vicar
of Christ on earth is to recall the saving truths that the world ignores
or despises.
But what are these 'saving truths'? Who are being saved and from what?
Can your writers elaborate?
And does your 'world' include the non-Catholics and non-Christians?
And as for the Vicars of Christ, how many were holy & worthy leaders?
It may be worth going back in history. Be prepared to be surprised and
even shocked.
Among the references consulted were the Catholic Encyclopedia and Peter
de Rosa's Vicars of Christ (1994).
The 10th century Popes were in a class by themselves. The first pope of
that century was Benedict IV (900-03. His successor, Leo V, reigned for
just month when he was seized and imprisoned by a usurper, Cardinal
Christopher. Meanwhile, Cardinal Sergius got both Leo and Christopher
merdered and their leader became Pope Sergius III in 904.
Sergius had Pope Formosus, now dead 10 years, re-exhumed and condemned
once again. The corpse was then beheaded, three more fingers cut off and
thrown into the river Tiber. The headless body was caught in a
fisherman's net and returned a second time to St Peter's.
At the time, Senator Theophylact, civic head of the city, had supported
Sergius' party and the family (wife Theodora and daughters Marozia and
Theodora came to know Pope Sergius well. He seduced Marozia and made her
his mistress around 905 (the year after he became Pope when she was 15
and he was 45.
He soon had a son by him who was later to become Pope.
Meanwhile, Theodora's influence had grown. One of her lovers was
reportedly John, Bishop of Bolgna. Under her influence, he rose to
become Bishop of Ravenna. The Bishop of Ravenna became Pope John X in
914.
(more to follow).
Eddie Ray
<https://thecatholicthing.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=86ba873afbb58919227050b08&id=60b9a75e7f&e=efe0633c61>
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