Richard FitzRalph
Encyclopedia
Richard FitzRalph was an Archbishop of Armagh during the 14th century. He was born into a well-off burgess family of Anglo-Norman
/Hiberno-Norman
descent in Dundalk
, Ireland
. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford
in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him). By 1331 he was a Regent master
in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the University; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman.
As Vice-Chancellor, he was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to Stamford, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon
in 1334. He returned to England
the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign." In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained till 1344. On 31 July 1346 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions he was revered as thoughtful and competent administrator.
From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin
, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity
, predestination
and free will
. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe
and Dr. John Whitehead
he was involved in controversy with the Franciscan
friars.
The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland - twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk
, Drogheda
, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic
Irish
. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English
, Anglo-Irish
, or Gaelic
.
He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349–1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church
and Pope Clement VI
. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of medicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI
. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk
, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.
Richard FitzRalph (c. 1300 – 16 December 1360) was an Archbishop of Armagh during the 14th century. He was born into a well-off burgess family of Anglo-Norman
/Hiberno-Norman
descent in Dundalk
, Ireland
. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford
in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him). By 1331 he was a Regent master
in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the University; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman.
As Vice-Chancellor, he was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to Stamford, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon
in 1334. He returned to England
the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign." In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained till 1344. On 31 July 1346 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions he was revered as thoughtful and competent administrator.
From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin
, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity
, predestination
and free will
. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe
and Dr. John Whitehead
he was involved in controversy with the Franciscan
friars.
The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland - twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk
, Drogheda
, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic
Irish
. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English
, Anglo-Irish
, or Gaelic
.
He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349–1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church
and Pope Clement VI
. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of medicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI
. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk
, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.
Richard FitzRalph (c. 1300 – 16 December 1360) was an Archbishop of Armagh during the 14th century. He was born into a well-off burgess family of Anglo-Norman
/Hiberno-Norman
descent in Dundalk
, Ireland
. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford
in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him). By 1331 he was a Regent master
in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the University; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman.
As Vice-Chancellor, he was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to Stamford, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon
in 1334. He returned to England
the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign." In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained till 1344. On 31 July 1346 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions he was revered as thoughtful and competent administrator.
From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin
, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity
, predestination
and free will
. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe
and Dr. John Whitehead
he was involved in controversy with the Franciscan
friars.
The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland - twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk
, Drogheda
, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic
Irish
. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English
, Anglo-Irish
, or Gaelic
.
He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349–1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church
and Pope Clement VI
. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of medicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI
. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk
, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
/Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
descent in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him). By 1331 he was a Regent master
Regent master
Regent master was a title conferred in the medieval universities upon a student who had acquired a master's degree. The degree meant simply the right to teach, the Licentia docendi, a right which could be granted, in the University of Paris, only by the Chancellor of the Cathedral of Notre Dame,...
in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the University; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman.
As Vice-Chancellor, he was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to Stamford, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
in 1334. He returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign." In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained till 1344. On 31 July 1346 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions he was revered as thoughtful and competent administrator.
From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity
Infinity
Infinity is a concept in many fields, most predominantly mathematics and physics, that refers to a quantity without bound or end. People have developed various ideas throughout history about the nature of infinity...
, predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
and free will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe
Henry Crumpe
Henry Crumpe, Anglo-Irish cleric, fl. 1380-1401.Henry Crumpe was an Oxford-based cleric from Ireland. He wrote sermons against John Wycliffe's views on dominion, though he was later condemned by the church as his views on the sacrament were deemed too close to Wycliffe.He is credited with terming...
and Dr. John Whitehead
Dr. John Whitehead
John Whitehead, Irish theologian, fl. 1389-1415.A native of Ireland, Whitehead studied at Oxford where in 1408 he is referred to as a Doctor of Theology. Up to 1415 he was rector of Strabannon, County Louth. Like Henry Crumpe and Richard FitzRalph he was involved in sermonial attacks upon the...
he was involved in controversy with the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friars.
The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland - twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
, or Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
.
He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349–1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
and Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of medicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor...
. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.
Sources
- "Latin Learning and Literature in Ireland, 1169–1500", A.B. Scott, in "A New History of Ireland", volume one, 2005.
- Biography, New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.
External Links
- Speaking Ill of the Dead - a less than flattering overview of Fitzralph's career by lexicographer Professor Terence DolanTerence DolanTerence Dolan is an Irish lexicographer and radio personality. He is currently Professor of Old and Middle English in the School of English and Drama, University College Dublin. He acts as the School's Research Co-ordinator, and is the director of the Hiberno-English Archive website. He has a...
(RTE MP3 audio of a program broadcast in September 2006)
Richard FitzRalph (c. 1300 – 16 December 1360) was an Archbishop of Armagh during the 14th century. He was born into a well-off burgess family of Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
/Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
descent in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him). By 1331 he was a Regent master
Regent master
Regent master was a title conferred in the medieval universities upon a student who had acquired a master's degree. The degree meant simply the right to teach, the Licentia docendi, a right which could be granted, in the University of Paris, only by the Chancellor of the Cathedral of Notre Dame,...
in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the University; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman.
As Vice-Chancellor, he was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to Stamford, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
in 1334. He returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign." In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained till 1344. On 31 July 1346 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions he was revered as thoughtful and competent administrator.
From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity
Infinity
Infinity is a concept in many fields, most predominantly mathematics and physics, that refers to a quantity without bound or end. People have developed various ideas throughout history about the nature of infinity...
, predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
and free will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe
Henry Crumpe
Henry Crumpe, Anglo-Irish cleric, fl. 1380-1401.Henry Crumpe was an Oxford-based cleric from Ireland. He wrote sermons against John Wycliffe's views on dominion, though he was later condemned by the church as his views on the sacrament were deemed too close to Wycliffe.He is credited with terming...
and Dr. John Whitehead
Dr. John Whitehead
John Whitehead, Irish theologian, fl. 1389-1415.A native of Ireland, Whitehead studied at Oxford where in 1408 he is referred to as a Doctor of Theology. Up to 1415 he was rector of Strabannon, County Louth. Like Henry Crumpe and Richard FitzRalph he was involved in sermonial attacks upon the...
he was involved in controversy with the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friars.
The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland - twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
, or Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
.
He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349–1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
and Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of medicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor...
. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.
Sources
- "Latin Learning and Literature in Ireland, 1169–1500", A.B. Scott, in "A New History of Ireland", volume one, 2005.
- Biography, New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.
External Links
- Speaking Ill of the Dead - a less than flattering overview of Fitzralph's career by lexicographer Professor Terence DolanTerence DolanTerence Dolan is an Irish lexicographer and radio personality. He is currently Professor of Old and Middle English in the School of English and Drama, University College Dublin. He acts as the School's Research Co-ordinator, and is the director of the Hiberno-English Archive website. He has a...
(RTE MP3 audio of a program broadcast in September 2006)
Richard FitzRalph (c. 1300 – 16 December 1360) was an Archbishop of Armagh during the 14th century. He was born into a well-off burgess family of Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
/Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
descent in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He is noted as an ex-fellow and teacher of Balliol College, at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1325 (which is the earliest known record of him). By 1331 he was a Regent master
Regent master
Regent master was a title conferred in the medieval universities upon a student who had acquired a master's degree. The degree meant simply the right to teach, the Licentia docendi, a right which could be granted, in the University of Paris, only by the Chancellor of the Cathedral of Notre Dame,...
in Theology, and soon after was made Vice-Chancellor of the University; this was an almost unparalleled achievement for someone still in his early thirties, let alone an Irishman.
As Vice-Chancellor, he was faced with the crisis caused by the famous secession of masters and students to Stamford, and it is thought that this issue may have caused his first visit to the Papal Court at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
in 1334. He returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
the following year having been appointed Dean of Lichfield — "notwithstanding that he has canonries and prebends of Crediton and Bosham, and has had provision made for him of the Chancellorship of Lincoln and the canonries and prebends of Armagh and Exeter, all of which he is to resign." In 1337 he was again compelled to visit Avignon, where he remained till 1344. On 31 July 1346 was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. In both of these positions he was revered as thoughtful and competent administrator.
From 1344, FitzRalph began to keep an account in diary form of his sermons. The shorter, less consequential ones were summarised, while the longer, more learned theological sermons were written in full. This was especially true for those he preached at Avignon. Both forms were written in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and show his love of learning, shared by friends such as Richard of Bury. He is also believed to have sent many of his priests to study at Oxford to further their learning. His writings include his thoughts on infinity
Infinity
Infinity is a concept in many fields, most predominantly mathematics and physics, that refers to a quantity without bound or end. People have developed various ideas throughout history about the nature of infinity...
, predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
and free will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
. Like his fellow Irishmen Henry Crumpe
Henry Crumpe
Henry Crumpe, Anglo-Irish cleric, fl. 1380-1401.Henry Crumpe was an Oxford-based cleric from Ireland. He wrote sermons against John Wycliffe's views on dominion, though he was later condemned by the church as his views on the sacrament were deemed too close to Wycliffe.He is credited with terming...
and Dr. John Whitehead
Dr. John Whitehead
John Whitehead, Irish theologian, fl. 1389-1415.A native of Ireland, Whitehead studied at Oxford where in 1408 he is referred to as a Doctor of Theology. Up to 1415 he was rector of Strabannon, County Louth. Like Henry Crumpe and Richard FitzRalph he was involved in sermonial attacks upon the...
he was involved in controversy with the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friars.
The texts demonstrate that FitzRalph was pre-occupied with social problems in Ireland - twenty-nine sermons were given in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, Dublin and various places in Meath to churchmen (whom he criticised for their laxity of vocation), merchants (whom he attacked for wasteful extravagances and underhanded trading practises) and the general population, among whom he was very popular as a preacher. At a time of often hostile racial relations between the colonists and natives, he took an honourable stand in denouncing discrimination against the Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. At times severe, this was balanced by his very fair and serious approach as pastor of his flock, be they English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
, or Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
.
He undertook a third visit to Avignon from 1349–1351, where he is believed to have participated in the negotiations between the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
and Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
. From his return to Ireland in 1351 he became involved in what eventually became a very personal and bitter attack on various orders of medicant friars. He wished to have their privileges withdrawn in regard to the act of confession, preaching, and other acts as they were undermining his secular clergy. As a result he undertook a fourth visit to Avignon in 1357 to discuss the matter with Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI
Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor...
. He died there on 16 December 1360. In 1370, his remains were interred at St Nicholas's Church, Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, where his memory was venerated for several centuries and miracles were reported in connection to him.
Sources
- "Latin Learning and Literature in Ireland, 1169–1500", A.B. Scott, in "A New History of Ireland", volume one, 2005.
- Biography, New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.
External Links
- Speaking Ill of the Dead - a less than flattering overview of Fitzralph's career by lexicographer Professor Terence DolanTerence DolanTerence Dolan is an Irish lexicographer and radio personality. He is currently Professor of Old and Middle English in the School of English and Drama, University College Dublin. He acts as the School's Research Co-ordinator, and is the director of the Hiberno-English Archive website. He has a...
(RTE MP3 audio of a program broadcast in September 2006)