400 years ago, on September 17, 1621, Robert Cardinal Bellarmine, S.J. (1542-1621) went home to be with Christ.
“When he felt the hour of his happy transition was imminent, he prayer the Apostles’ Creed, Psalm 51, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Hail Mary, while constantly repeating the holy names of Jesus and Mary. Then he placed the sacred image of Christ nailed to the cross on his head so he could venerate it and crossed his arms on his breast, and finally with a gentle sigh peacefully he rendered his spirit to his Creator.”
Robert Bellarmine was a prolific writer. He was called another Augustine, another Athanasius. He was greatly detested by Protestants because of the power of his arguments to prove that they were in error.
St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) was the chief Catholic theologian during the latter part of the 16th century and at the beginning of the 17th century. His literary production was immense, since he produced books and treatises on most areas of theology, including Scripture, Christology, Sacraments, Liturgy, Ecclesiology and Eschatology. One of his main works was “The Controversies of the Christian Faith against the heretics of His Time.” This is a scholarly and detailed work contained in three volumes with 64 sections, which he called “books.” The first volume appeared in 1581, the second volume in 1583, and the third in 1592. And after that it went through twenty editions in the northern countries, and famous authors say how important it was for the Church of God. It was described as “The primary antidote against the heresies of this time, the wall and defense of the house of God.”
Bellarmine presents many arguments from Scripture and Tradition to prove his points. In “Controversies” he refutes the errors of many adversaries of the Catholic Church. His favorite targets are Martin Luther and John Calvin. Robert Cardinal Bellarmine was greatly admired by bishops and Catholic theologians during his lifetime and was famous for his scholarship and preaching. He was the theologian and counselor for several Popes.
In a time when cardinals maintained splendid courts, Bellarmine lived a simple and ascetic life, practicing self-sacrifice, and poverty. The process of canonization was begun in 1627. In 1931 Pope Pius XI finally declared Bellarmine a Doctor of the Church.
Father Kenneth Baker, S.J., the long-time editor of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review, has recently translated from Latin St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J.’s Controversies of the Christian Faith. The book is 1087 pages long! Such a lengthy book, might seem rather out of date. But on this 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we might well look at how Bellarmine dealt with controversies about Scripture and Christology that Luther and Calvin inaugurated. Likewise, when the third part of this tome is devoted to “Controversies on the Sovereign Pontiff,” one pays attention. Bellarmine left no objection unanswered.
Every Catholic should study this monumental work. Get it now while it is still available.