22.06.2013 Views

The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. 201<br />

in o<strong>the</strong>r matters as well.^ When, <strong>the</strong>refore, a Papal bull<br />

conferred upon him, <strong>the</strong> representative <strong>of</strong> scholasticism, an<br />

honour hi<strong>the</strong>rto reserved for <strong>the</strong> mighty intellects <strong>of</strong> antiquity,<br />

not only did <strong>the</strong> Church herself take <strong>the</strong> science <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Middle<br />

Ages under her protection against <strong>the</strong> hostihty <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pro-<br />

testants and even <strong>of</strong> some Cathohcs, bat she also recognized<br />

<strong>the</strong> teaching <strong>of</strong> Aquinas as <strong>the</strong> richest fruit <strong>of</strong> an earlier<br />

scientific evolution, and as an unperishable treasure, but at<br />

<strong>the</strong> same time she proclaimed that she recognized her own<br />

doctrines in those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> great schoolman. ^ At <strong>the</strong> same time<br />

^ In a speech made at <strong>the</strong> Council, delivered on March 7, 1563,<br />

<strong>the</strong> feast <strong>of</strong> St. Thomas, <strong>the</strong> speaker said that since <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong><br />

Thomas no council had been held without his help, and that<br />

" Vestra comitia perpen-<br />

this held good <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council <strong>of</strong> Trent :<br />

dite. Ex plurimo eoque honorabili doctorum coetu quotus-<br />

quisque consultor accedit, qui d. Thoma auctoritate veluti splen-<br />

dente gemma, suam sententiam non exornet ? At in consultissimo<br />

patrum recessii, doctor pic sententiam rogatus, frequentis-<br />

sime censet, ad quem ut ad Lydium lapidem, si quid ambiguitatis<br />

aut controversiae fuerit exortum, communibus votis referendum<br />

existimetis, et qui eum sui placiti patronum obtinuerit, incertam<br />

indiciorum aleam non sit habiturus, quin secundum eum sententia<br />

ferenda sit." (loannis Gallio Burgensis Oratio in laudem ss.<br />

doctoris Thomae Aquin. in Le Plat, I., 625). In a brief <strong>of</strong><br />

November 3, 1593, to <strong>the</strong> Jesuits, Clement VIII. says that <strong>the</strong><br />

Council <strong>of</strong> Trent approved and adopted <strong>the</strong> works <strong>of</strong> St. Thomas<br />

(AsTRAiN, III., 580). Cf. Mandonnet, loc. cU. ; Franc Sylvii<br />

Opera, V., Antwerp, 1698, 386.<br />

2 In <strong>the</strong> bull <strong>of</strong> July 29, 1570, Pius V. says : " [D. Thomae]<br />

doctrinam <strong>the</strong>ologicam ab ecclesia receptam aliis magis tutam et<br />

securam existere." (Bull. Rom., VII., 481). In consequence<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ordinance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council (sess. 5, de ref. c. i) that in every<br />

ca<strong>the</strong>dral <strong>the</strong>re should be a prebend for a teacher <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ology, this<br />

bull assigns in perpetuity to <strong>the</strong> Master <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sacred Palace a<br />

prebend at St. Peter's toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> obligation <strong>of</strong> expounding<br />

<strong>the</strong> doctrine <strong>of</strong> St. Thomas. Already in a consistory <strong>of</strong> March 6,<br />

1566, Pius V. had manifested his devotion to St. Thomas by<br />

inviting <strong>the</strong> Cardinals to attend <strong>the</strong> High Mass on <strong>the</strong> following<br />

day at <strong>the</strong> Minerva, <strong>the</strong> feast <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> saint. Consistorial Archives,<br />

in GULIK-EUBEL, 47.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!