| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Semitic Saints | Michael | Saturday, July 7, 2007 |
Question: What are Christians to make of Saints who mistreated Jews but were otherwise good people? St. Louis IX of France was a holy and devout monarch. In 1242, he collected all the copies of the Talmud (which, correct me if I'm wrong, slanders Christ and calls the Blessed Mother unfaithful and was for this reason placed on the index of prohibited books) and burned them in Paris. In the 16th century, St. Pius V expelled the Jews from Rome on the grounds that they were a "perverse race." Both of these monarchs expelled the Jews from their kingdoms because they believed they're practices and beliefs were threatening the Christian foundation of society. In the Catholic Encyclopedia, it says that courts and leader set up legislation against the production and circulation of the Talmud because it was anti-Christian and might seduce people into abandoning their faith. I have three questions: 1) Is it true that the Talmud is or was anti-Chrisian, calling Christ a musician and the Blessed Virgin Mary a whore? 2) Was Pius V's and St. Louis's the decision to expel the Jew just? If it was a mortal sin to expel them or burn their book, then they would have never become canonized, right? And therefore, if it wasn't a sin, could a monarch legitimately expell a group of people who threaten the Christian character of a society? (ie radical Muslims, vocal secularists, communists) 3) If they are a bad example of Christian monarchs because of their unjust practices, should we cease venerating them? |
||
| Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary
Dear Michael: Sorry for the delay in responding. I am not sure why you are presuming that St. Louis IX and St. Pius V were anti-Semitic. This is an improper rash judgment. It is true that the Talmud was banned, and has been at various times in the history of the Church, but there was a legitimate reason for this. The Talmud contained at the time scurrilous attacks upon Jesus and the Christians. In addition, the Talmud is...
It was the duty of the monarch of Christian societies to protect their kingdoms against anything that would threaten the faith of the people. We must remember that those times are not these times. We cannot plant the 21st Century sensibilities of pluralism to the centuries long past in which Christendom was the society and not just one among many religions. The Jews that were expelled by St. Louis were Jews that were taking advantage of the Christian populace through usury and other practices that were considered immoral and exploitive. I have not found at the moment a reference to Pope St. Pius V removing Jews from Rome so I really cannot comment on that. If Pope St. Pius V did this I imagine it was for similar reasons -- that is, practices of the Jews involved that were considered immoral and exploitive. It was appropriate for the monarchs to protect the Christian populace from any foreign influence that may damage the faith of the people. This principle is extensively discussed in the Old Testament where God repeatedly told Israel to remove outside influences from among themselves. Israel repeatedly disobeyed and it got them into all sorts of trouble. The New Testament also instructs Christians to avoid people who would damage their faith. Thus, thus exclusionary principle is a Biblical principle. Given that the societies of these monarchs at the time were Christian kingdoms not just in religious practice but in secular government, any threat to the faith was also considered a threat to the State. St. Louis did not commit a mortal sin. Even if he did, mortal sin can be forgiven. Saints are not perfect people. They are human beings like the rest of us. They make mistakes, they sin, they may even have personalities that are not all that holy. St. Jerome is called the "Grouchy" Saint, and he reportedly did not like women much. St. Louis and St. Pius are great role models for us. If that were not true they would not have been made Saints. But, as with any role model, that does not mean that every act they performed is noble. They are human. God bless, |
||