St. Pius V and Other Heroes for Our Times
theophilus April 30th, 2009
St. Pius V, whose feast day is today, was the lucky pope who had the job of implementing the major reforms of the Council of Trent.
In the 16th Century, Europe was in turmoil; the Church was disintegrating; large segments of laity and clergy were in open rebellion against the Holy See.
By 1545, the Reformation was in full swing; St. Thomas More’s head was off; and the Church was taking its good ole’ time in responding to threats to its very existence.
Finally, Pope Paul III got the long awaited Council of Trent started. Two other popes (Julius III and Pius IV) would preside over the Council before its conclusion in 1563.
The results were as, if not more, transformational than Vatican II. It made major reforms that carved away the abuses in the Church while strengthening the divinely inspired tradition and dogma that were under fierce attack at the time.
To execute the reforms, the Church turned to Pope St. Pius V. He fearlessly implemented these reforms and laid the groundwork for the next four hundred years of the Church.
At a perilous time for the Church and his society, he stepped up and got the job done.
In reading about St. Pius V, I also noticed other names coming up; names well-known to us, who also stepped up during this incredible era in history. Saints with the names of Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Francis de Sales, Vincent de Paul, Charles Borromeo, Robert Bellarmine, Philip Neri, Peter Alcantara, Francis Xavier. Great saints; great writers; great preachers; great reformers. A collection of larger than life heroes called by God to do great work at this one particular moment.
And I wonder. Did these individuals make their era or did their era make them? If they were collectively born in another quieter and less significant era, would they have been so great? Were they called to greatness because they were needed or could others have done the trick? Did God place these individuals in the 16th Century precisely because they would be needed?
I believe we live in times that require great people, true heroes who are larger than life. My question is whether God has provided us with this greatness? And have they, will they, step up and answer the call?
I have no doubt that Pope John Paul II did play and Pope Benedict XVI is playing the part of Pius V in our times. But, who are the other saints in our midst?
Is one of these saints, you?
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