Fr. Patrick Briscoe, O.P., on a Response to Middle Ages Crises Vis-à-vis Crises in Our Times

"To my mind our position today is approaching something rather medieval. Hear me out.

"The constant talk of the novel coronavirus (and the synonyms we now use to describe our times: pandemic, epidemic, pestilence, etc.) has animated in my Catholic imagination references to the great plagues of the West. In fact, the Great Famine of 1315-1317 and the Black Death (bubonic plague) of 1347-1351 eviscerated Europe, causing the death of half the population by the most conservative estimates. Europe's population would not recover until 1500.

"Further, the growing economic precarity of the United States calls to mind the political instability and economic turmoil that scholars refer to as 'The Crisis of the Late Middle Ages.' What caused this crisis? The Black Death no doubt led to great political unrest. The Holy Roman Empire was in decline. One interregnum (a period without an emperor) lasted from 1245 until 1312: a total of 67 years!

"With the Empire weakened, peasants began to revolt against their lords. No longer did the three orders (those who work, those who pray, and those who fight) coexist in harmonious service to God and the common good. The peasants felt the burdens of heavy taxation and absentee government. They responded with riots.

"But there's still more. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on how and why, if our times are increasingly medieval, it is appropriate to turn to the saints who saved the world back then (including St. Dominic, whose memory the Church celebrated on 8 August).

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit: 

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: Are we back in the Middle Ages? Who will save us? (5 AUG 20)