One of the greatest ornaments of this immensely humble University was Cardinal Dom Adam Easton, distinguished teacher of Greek and Hebrew; distinguished canonist; international diplomat; worker for Church Unity; spiritual director ...
He was made a Cardinal Presbyter in 1381 by Pope Urban VI. His probems began when that Pope tranferred his curia to Nocera (Umbria) in 1384. Soon afterweards, Five Cardinals, including Easton, wrote a Letter to Urban, protesting against his cruelty and despotism. This led to their incarceration in Nocera Castle and their daily torture under the Holy Father's personal supervision. Somewhere around Christmas and New Year 1385/1386, four of the (by now degraded) cardinals, and another cardinal who had come under suspicion, were executed in Genoa. Easton survived because of the personal intervention of King Richard II. Under the next pontificate, that of Boniface IX, Easton was restored to favour and to the cardinalitial dignity.
He is said to have had a hand in the imposition upon the Church Universal of the Feast of our Lady's Visitation, as an act of intercession for unity. (The behaviour of Pope Urban VI had led to the Great Western Schism ... it's the sort of thing that can happen when you have a disordered and profoundly dysfunctional papacy ...)
More later on Cardinal Easton, Man for our Times.
Please do not give Pope Francis ideas.
ReplyDelete"...it's the sort of thing that can happen when you have a disordered and profoundly dysfunctional papacy "
ReplyDeleteSuch as the one we have now. ... prayers for Cardinal Burke and the other Cardinals of the Dubia.
Hardly comparable. I am a devout to traditional and am horrified by such careless comparisons which do so much more harm than good.
Deletefrom Wikipedia: "Immediately following his election, Urban began preaching intemperately to the cardinals (some of whom thought the delirium of power had made Urban mad and unfit for rule), insisting that the business of the Curia should be carried on without gratuities and gifts, forbidding the cardinals to accept annuities from rulers and other lay persons, condemning the luxury of their lives and retinues, and the multiplication of benefices and bishoprics in their hands." Oh dear! how very intemperate, 'plus ca change'?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely none of which excuses Urban VI's reaction.
The little I've read of Pope Urban VI paints a picture of a very strange man indeed. On the one hand, he is described as having been previously a devout monk; on the other, after his ascent power seems to have gone to his head.
ReplyDeleteIs torture a mortal sin?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this bit. I found a reprint of The Story of the English Cardinals by Charles Stuteville Isaacson. There is also a Kindle edition, but I by far still prefer the feel of paper.
ReplyDelete