Christ's Faithful People
Christ's Faithful People
1676 - 1689 AD
When the cardinals chose Benedetto Odescalchi to be Pope Innocent XI, they chose a man of piety, ability, and firmness who was to be one of the greatest seventeenth century pontiffs.
Benedetto Odescalchi was born at Como on May 16, 1611. After studies at the local Jesuit school, Benedetto took law at Rome and Naples. His ability caused him to rise in the papal service. He loved his work at Rome so much that he even resigned his bishopric of Novara to work on at Rome.
Innocent XI devoted himself to saving Austria from the Turks. He pleaded with the kings of Europe to help distressed Austria, but that Christian monarch, Louis XIV, actually encouraged the Turks! Poland's fighting King John Sobieski was of nobler stuff, but it took an incredible amount of patient diplomacy on the Pope's part to get help for the Emperor. Innocent's work was rewarded. Sobieski and his Poles, Lorraine and his Germans smashed the Turks as they were about to break through Vienna's walls. It was a great victory and a decisive one. After 1683 the Turks will be on the defensive.
Innocent XI was strong yet prudent. He needed both virtues in his dealings with Louis XIV. The Sun Monarch was riding too high to brook opposition even from a pope. He had extended the regale in an unfair and illegal manner. The regale was an ancient privilege the French kings had of taking over the revenue and the right of appointments to benefices in vacant dioceses. Though this dangerous custom had been restricted far back in the Middle Ages, Louis was now extending it in an arbitrary manner. Innocent protested in three successive briefs, but Louis answered by having an assembly of subservient clergymen pass the famous Four Articles of 1682. This manifesto of Gallicanism was, to say the least, highly objectionable. Innocent was put out, and relations were badly strained. Nor were they eased by the petty and arrogant resistance of the French king to Innocent's attempt to confine ambassadors' right of asylum to reasonable limits. And the Pope was not impressed by the clumsy and highhanded treatment of French Protestants which culminated in the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Innocent also was too prudent to encourage James II in his well-meant but untimely actions in favor of English Catholics.
Although the pious Pope was for a time fooled by the Spanish pseudo- mystic Miguel de Molinos, he soon condemned quietism. He also condemned a number of laxist propositions. As an administrator Innocent XI was outstanding. By the practice of severe economy he soon managed to balance the papal budget, indeed even to produce a surplus, and on top of that to lower taxes! Rigidly conscientious, Innocent avoided nepotism.
Innocent XI died on August 12, 1689. He was beatified by Pope Pius XII on October 7, 1956.
