THE DOMINICANS, THE INQUISITION, AND THE WALDENSES

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE DOMINICANS, THE INQUISITION, AND THE WALDENSES

“To destroy completely these [Waldensian] heretics Pope Innocent III sent DOMINICAN INQUISITORS into France and also the CRUSADERS, promising ‘a plenary remission of all sins, to those I who took on them the crusade….against the Albigenses [Waldenses of France]. When Raymond VI, Earl of Tholouse, shielded this innocent people, who were such an ASSET to his country, he was deposed by the pope’(Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. XII, art. ‘Raymond VI,’ p. 670). Being frightened by the SAVAGE CRUSADERS Raymond submitted, and the papal legate publicly whipped till ‘he was so grievously torn by the stripes’ that he had to leave the church by a back door. (Ibid, pp. 98,100.) He later appealed to Innocent III. ‘The Pope, however, ceded the estates of Raymond to Simon de Montfort,’(1215) (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. II, art. ‘Raymond VI, p.670).

“In 1216 to 1221 Raymond reconquered his land, and after his death, his son became Earl, and ‘the INQUISITION WAS BANISHED from Tholouse. But Pope Honorius an HOLY WAR, to be called the ‘PENANCE WAR,’ against the heretics,’ and ‘to subdue the Earl of Tholouse, he sent letters to King Louis’ of France to make war on Raymond, which he did.

“But TREACHERY, which has always been one the most successful WEAPONS of the Papacy against God’s people, had to be resorted to here. When the pope’s legate saw that he could not take the city of Avignon by force, he ‘scrupled not to adopt the VILEST treachery and practiced BASEST hypocrisy.

“He offered to suspend hostilities, and pave the way for PEACE [watch out for this word in movements ahead of us], if the besieged would admit a FEW PRIESTS, only to inquire concerning the ‘faith’ of the inhabitants; and those terms being agreed upon and sealed by MUTUAL OATHS; the priests entered, but in DIRECT VIOLATION of their solemn engagement, brought the FRENCH ARMY with them, who thus fraudulently triumphed over the unsuspecting citizens; they plundered the city, killed or bound in chains the inhabitants.’ (Ibid, pp. 104-106).” – ‘Facts of Faith,’ C.Edwardson, pp. 129-30. Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville, TN: 1943.

In case Filipinos are not aware of this historical fact regarding the Dominican Order’s earliest presence in the Philippines, how, and through what means, here are excerpts from Wikipedia:

“The foundation of the University of Sto.Tomás is ascribed to Miguel de Benavides, O.P., the 3rd Bishop of Manila. He came to the Philippines on the FIRST DOMINICAN MISSION in 1587. This makes the UST as the first and only formally declared ROYAL [state] and PONTIFICAL [church] university in the Philippines….. taking its name and inspiration from Saint Thomas Aquinas, a DOMINICAN theologian…..Beginning in the 1250s, INQUISITORS were generally chosen from the DOMINICAN ORDER, replacing the earlier practice of having local clergy as judges.” (Wikipedia).

Learn well, be intellectually and spiritually discerning between the real and counterfeits and be better prepared for what is coming. Bless all, NMF