Undusted Texts

In researching my recent post summarizing the papal bull instituting Bérulle's Oratory of Jesus, I came across another interesting document by Pope Paul V (r. 1605-1621).  The letter (#CLXX, 2/24/1610; Bullarium XI:664-666) is written to the Maronite Patriarch.  Confusingly, the letter refers to both the present patriarch and the past patriarch as "Peter"; this seems to arise from St. Peter being the first bishop of Antioch.  (Modern Maronite patriarchs, beginning with Paul Peter Massad (r. 1854-1890) all add "Peter" to their name upon their election to the patriarchate, in memory of this.)  The letter is actually addressed to Patriarch Yuhanna (John) Makhlouf (r. 1608-1633), and it discusses the reforms of the prior patriarch, Joseph el-Ruzzi (r. 1597-1608). Pope Paul's letter (§2) recounts many of the complaints Patriarch Yuhanna had about Patriarch Joseph's reforms:  It has reached our ears that your predecessor, Patriarch Peter of blessed memory, w...

  Introduction As with any religious order or congregation, Pierre de Bérulle had to submit his Oratory of Jesus—begrudgingly headed by himself, rather than St. Francis de Sales, Henri de Gondi (the Bishop of Paris), or one of St. Philip Neri's Oratorians—to Rome for approval.  The petition, technically sent by Queen Marie de' Medici and Henri de Gondi, was approved by Pope Paul V (1550-1621, r. 1605-1621) in the bull Sacrosanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ , promulgated May 8, 1613.   The Papal verbiage of the time was long-winded and convoluted, so, instead of providing a full translation of a difficult-to-follow document, I have instead provided simply a summary, with occasional exact quotes. The main source for older papal documents is Bullarum Diplomatum et Privilegiorum Sanctorum Romanorum Pontificum, Tauriensis Editio (Turin: A. Vecco et Sociis, 1857-1872).  This collection—often abbreviated simply as Bullariuim Romanum —was issued by order of Pope Bl. Pius IX.  The...