Gates of Hell Podcast Project

Rome Has Spoken, Part Three: Rejoice, O Pope, You Are King

A geopolitical history of the cataclysmic events that shaped the First Vatican Council and the Dogma of Papal Infallibly. An Ultramontane Church instantly became a cause for the papacy. Pius threw his weight in on the issue, choosing sides where previous popes declined to get involved. Gueranger, doing the bidding of Pius, went for the low hanging fruit first, he attacked the hymns of the French liturgy were written in the 17th and 18th centuries that lacked the weight of tradition behind them, otherwise known as Mozart masses. His reasoning was that Mozart was a mason, Bach was a protestant. Gueranger’s liturgical crusade thankfully revived one the most timeless and beautiful traditions the Roman Catholics have – Gregorian chant, which at this time nearly extinct. Gueranger literally wrote the teaching manuals for its practice. He also convinced priests in French diocese to write to the Congregation on the Rites, prompting them to clarify questions regarding the Gallican liturgy. One such petition was: Q. May, however, the priests of this diocese continue with a clear conscience to use this liturgy, which is sanctified by age and custom? R. Negative. Audio Source: https://tabletopaudio.com/ For show transcripts and sources, please visit gatesofhellpod.com [https://www.gatesofhellpod.com/].

Rome Has Spoken, Part Two: No One is Amnestied

A geopolitical history of the cataclysmic events that shaped the First Vatican Council and the Dogma of Papal Infallibly. This new pope, Pius IX, immediately displayed the qualities the power brokers of Europe, both lay and ecclesiastic, had hoped for. He was young and affable, conciliatory and responsive to modern sensibilities. He was popular among the local Italian citizenry, spoke to their interests and gained a reputation for being an Italian patriot. He demonstrated a willingness to implement parliamentary reforms in the Papal government. He was a welcomed liberal. Some Italians thought he would be the man who unifies Italy. In a way, he would be. ... A special commission was set up under Monsignor Bulldog to directly oversee crimes against the Catholic religion. The number of arrests exploded. The French again protested. Pius IX responded that it still wasn’t enough: Crimes remain unpunished. The men who have acted most openly against me walk freely through the streets of Rome. Audio Source: https://tabletopaudio.com/ For show transcripts and sources, please visit gatesofhellpod.com [https://www.gatesofhellpod.com/].

Rome Has Spoken, Part One: Plenitude of Power

A geopolitical history of the cataclysmic events that shaped the First Vatican Council and the Dogma of Papal Infallibly. After Gregory XVI died, the aristocracy of Europe convened to pressure the college of cardinals to ensure the next pope is an inexperienced liberal, someone who can be told what to do, that the fate of European monarchies hung in the balance. Another backward troglodyte would surely invoke revolution. This message was primarily delivered and enforced by Prince Metternich of Austria. For Metternich, Giovanni Maria, who was now a cardinal, was the ideal candidate. He was well liked by both clergy and laity. He wasn’t a monk, like Gregory. They did not want that again. He was a bishop of a small town and had no experience with the intrigues and politics of the Roman curia. The conservatives found him favorable as well, as they saw him as manageable.  To answer the question, why we are examining a church council, is Papal Infallibility – declared a dogma of the faith during the first Vatican council. What might surprise you, and what certainly surprised me, was how controversial this dogma was – and always had been. In fact, many of the world’s most prominent theologians, almost all of the Catholic princes, and at least 25% of the Church bishops felt the Gates of Hell had either prevailed or come dangerously close at Vatican I. It also – and there’s no getting around this – changed the trajectory of the Church Hierarchy in ways that no one ever expected, and in ways we take for granted today. This appears to be mostly forgotten history, and the perfect type of subject for this podcast. Audio Source: https://tabletopaudio.com/ For show transcripts and sources, please visit gatesofhellpod.com [https://www.gatesofhellpod.com/]. For show transcripts and sources, please visit gatesofhellpod.com [https://www.gatesofhellpod.com/].

Rome Has Spoken, Part Five: It Is Impossible to Govern the Church

A geopolitical history of the cataclysmic events that shaped the First Vatican Council and the Dogma of Papal Infallibly. On September 8th, the Italian king’s messenger arrived in Rome to deliver the last plea of Victor Emanuel III. Reading the letter, Pius slammed the document on the table and unleashed his famous temper. He raged at the Italian diplomat, calling his countrymen a set of vipers, whited sepulchers, and wanting in faith. Then he made a strange divination: I am no prophet, nor son of a prophet, but I tell you, you will never enter Rome! ... The French response to calls for aid was even more severe, with its foreign minister writing: You know our opinion. . . The temporal power has been a scourge to the world, it is prostrate, we will not resurrect it... Audio Source: https://tabletopaudio.com/ For show transcripts and sources, please visit gatesofhellpod.com [https://www.gatesofhellpod.com/].

Rome Has Spoken, Part Four: I Am Tradition, I Am the Church

A geopolitical history of the cataclysmic events that shaped the First Vatican Council and the Dogma of Papal Infallibly. Many bishops were just simply skeptical of anything Pius IX was up to, from Bishop Freppel of Anger, France: The Council is being held either too soon or too late. Too late, because we are at the end of the pontificate of a tired and discouraged old man who views everything through the misfortunes he has suffered. For him, everything that takes place in the modern world is, and must by necessity be, an 'abomination’. It is too soon, because it is clear that the situation in Europe is not yet settled. A great many of the minority bishops had packed up and left Rome by this point that Pius and Manning knew there really wasn’t anyone else left to constitute a significant opposition anyway. They had gone home humiliated and dejected.  Audio Source: https://tabletopaudio.com/ For show transcripts and sources, please visit gatesofhellpod.com [https://www.gatesofhellpod.com/].