THE POPE AND THE BLESSED MARTYR CHILD, ANDREAS OF RINN

Blessed Andreas of Rinn

Pope Benedict XIV and the Martyr Child:

http://www.romancatholicism.org/beatus-andreas.html

A great pity that an episode in the life of Holy Church so important for our current understanding of Faith, Morals and the world can only be found on a self-styled sedevacantist website.  That its wider publication could possibly have the effect of bringing a non-believer to the True Faith does not seem to occur to those who find themselves embarrassed by it, even though such embarrassment is hardly warranted considering the simple fact that what it describes is well known by honest historians and the fact that the documents corroborating the story still exist.

Relics of the murder in the neighboring district of Judenstein

But in the wake of the "Agreement" of 1994 the Church authorities have deemed it imprudent to bring up these cases and so the field is left open for liars to proclaim from books, television and everywhere else that these are blood libels (The Bishop of Innsbruck has banned the veneration of the Martyr Child, coincidentally, in 1994.  Yes, things in the Church have sunk that low).  Well, there are blood libels floating around but the facts prove that the truth is the exact reverse of what is claimed by the Church's enemies.  Did these ritual murders occur often?  Often enough for even Jewish historians to reluctantly admit their authenticity (see the original, unabridged Jewish Encyclopedia).  In his monumental biography Isabella of Spain, historian William Thomas Walsh tackles this difficult subject as it relates to what occurred in 15th century Spain (and before) with the honesty and integrity for which he was widely respected by both friends and enemies.

Why should such things be discussed these days?  I would say one reason would be that we recently celebrated the Feast of the Holy Innocents.

Fresco depicting the Blessed Andreas

Another reason would be to remind ourselves that there is a nation of people desperately needing conversion.  Not coddling, but conversion.  There is a whole field of opportunity awaiting us for bringing souls into the Church.  But first both we and the leaders of the Church have to bring some honesty back into play.

A prayer to this martyr-child for that intention would not be amiss.