Pope Alexander VI: Setting the Record Straight!!

It seems like, with all the bad news coming out today about the Church over the last 100 years, a scape goat is needed by modernity to make them feel better.  One might expect honest talks about clergy that have abused their authority to be put forth, but it seems like we now use some that had authority and seemingly abused it to justify modern madness.  Take for instance the curious case of Michelle Arnold of Catholic Answers who in an attempt to side step the real issues associated with St. John Paul II’s papacy attacks the perennial  scape goat Pope Alexander VI.

Pope Alexander's Portrait

Yes, that Alexander VI.  The Borgia Pope with a TV show on HBO supposedly based on his life and times. All the accusations from the Banquet of Chestnuts, to the fornication allegations, are a curious case of perpetual gossip and assumption that were made in his day by the likes of Savonarola to today’s mainstream apologists like Tim Staples and Michelle Arnold.  The problem is that these accusations are more problematic then those that propose them realize.  Ask the accusers to produce the evidence needed and they can only point to lists of bad Popes to justify their slanders.

That is why I am glad to bring to your attention a series of articles written by Matthew Olson of Answering Protestants and Catholic Analysis which attempt to shed some light on the real Pope Alexander VI, and dispel rumors that have so harmed the character of this renaissance pontiff.

Here is a tidbit from the first part of the series on “The Personality of Pope Alexander VI”

“…Rodrigo also had an overpowering charitable bent. He was a patron of more than one hospital, and he gave alms regularly (weekly, sometimes bi-weekly).

One man said publicly to Rodrigo, “During the many years that thou hast been a cardinal and vice-chancellor, no one has requested help from thee, which thou didst not grant at once; to no one didst thou ever refuse legitimate protection; no one, struck by misfortune or provoked by injustice, has implored thy aid in vain. It was not unusual for thee, not only to come to the assistance of one to one [sic] who did not request it.” The man elaborated for a while.And not only was Rodrigo charitable toward the poor, but he was charitable with his time, too, in that he frequently assisted his fellow cardinals with their administrative duties. He slept little. [5]… Continue HERE)” 

You can read the whole series HERE, and please do spread this information to stop the slanders that have so belittled a Pope that as you will learn was a reformer before it became cool to be so.

+JMJ+