St. Turibius, Mar. 23, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Matt. 20:17-28 The Son of man came not to be served but to serve.
Summary: St. Turibius was born in Spain but helped the native Indians of Peru. There were conquistadors there at the time, and they were sometimes cruel to the Indians, and the Church tried to restore the dignity of these native Americans.
St. Turibius was also a Grand Inquisitor. You may have heard bad things about the Inquisition, but much of what you hear is colored by writers who hate Catholicism, the Spaniards and Italians.
Saint Francis de Sales’ “little virtues” of gentleness, kindness, humility, and cheerful optimism shape the monastic life of the Visitation Sisters. Consider a life of prayer and teaching. Washington, DC.
We cannot understand a culture where the Catholic faith is part of civil life. When the Catholic faith is the faith of a country, people are allowed to believe as they want, but if they speak out against Catholicism, they are seen as going against the traditions of God, Jesus, the Church and the country.
In the Inquisition, people were brought to trial and given a year to think things over. Then three or four years. The Inquisition was not the horrible thing you see on TV.