Francis Aidan Gasquet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence OSB |
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| Vatican Librarian and Archivist of the Holy Roman Church | |
Photograph by Walter Stoneman, c. 1916
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 19 December 1874 |
| Created Cardinal | Cardinal deacon 25 May 1914; elevated to Cardinal priest 18 December 1924 |
| Rank | Cardinal deacon of San Giorgio in Velabro (1914–1915); Cardinal deacon, later Cardinal priest, of Santa Maria in Portico (1915–1929) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Francis Neil Gasquet |
| Born | 5 October 1846 Somers Town, London, England |
| Died | 5 April 1929 (aged 82) Palazzo San Callisto, Rome, Italy |
| Buried | Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset, England |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Education | Downside School |
Francis Aidan Cardinal Gasquet (born Francis Neil Gasquet; 1846–1929) was an important English Benedictine monk and a well-known historian. He was a member of the Benedictine Order. He became a Cardinal in 1914, which is a very high rank in the Catholic Church.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Neil Gasquet was born on October 5, 1846, in Somers Town, London. He was the third of six children. His father, Raymond Gasquet, was a doctor whose family had moved to England from France.
Francis went to Downside School for his education. This school is run by Benedictine monks. In 1865, he decided to join the Benedictine Order himself. He became a monk at Belmont Priory.
Becoming a Monk and Priest
Later, Francis moved to Downside Abbey. There, he made his final promises to become a Benedictine monk. On December 19, 1871, he was ordained as a priest.
From 1878 to 1885, he served as the prior of Downside Abbey. A prior is a leader in a monastery, similar to an abbot. He had to step down from this role due to poor health. However, he always remained interested in the abbey's buildings, especially the church.
Important Roles and Contributions
After he recovered from his illness, Gasquet took on several important roles. In 1896, he joined a special commission. This group studied the history of Anglican ordinations, which are the ceremonies where Anglican priests are made. His historical research was very important to this study.
In 1900, he became the abbot president of all the English Benedictines. This meant he was the main leader for Benedictine monks in England.
Work on the Bible
In 1907, he became the President of the Pontifical Commission for Revision of the Vulgate. The Vulgate is a very old Latin translation of the Bible. His job was to help review and update this important text. He also wrote a major history book about the Venerable English College in Rome. This college trains priests.
Becoming a Cardinal
In 1914, Pope Pius X made him a Cardinal-deacon. This is a high position in the Catholic Church. He was given the church of San Giorgio in Velabro in Rome. In 1915, he was given another church, Santa Maria in Portico.
In 1917, he was given another important job. He became the Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives. This means he was in charge of all the historical documents and records of the Vatican. Later, in 1924, he was also made the Librarian of the Vatican Library. This library holds many ancient and valuable books.
Cardinal Gasquet passed away in Rome on April 5, 1929.
As a Historian
Cardinal Gasquet was known for his work as a historian. He wrote many books about English history, especially about the Middle Ages and the Reformation.
Different Views on His Work
Some later historians have looked closely at Gasquet's historical writings. They have had different opinions about his accuracy.
- Some scholars, like Geoffrey Elton, felt that some of his works contained errors.
- David Knowles, another historian, wrote a book about Gasquet's historical methods. Knowles noted that Gasquet sometimes made mistakes. However, he also said that Gasquet's critics might have been too harsh. Knowles mentioned that in his later years, Gasquet's ability to be inaccurate was quite noticeable.
Contributions and Impact
Despite these criticisms, Gasquet's early work was important. For example, his first book about King Henry VIII was seen as a fresh look at the Reformation period. It helped to challenge older views of Catholic England.
Historian Eamon Duffy said that Gasquet was a very talented person. He noted that Gasquet's books often contained valuable information. However, Duffy also pointed out that Gasquet sometimes presented a very idealized picture of Catholic England, leaving out any problems or difficulties.
Cardinal Gasquet also had some unique ideas about history. For instance, he suggested that some versions of Wycliffe's Bible might have existed before or separate from John Wycliffe himself. This idea was first criticized but has since gained some support from other historians. He also had a positive view of Erasmus, a famous scholar, based on his own research.
A book about his life, Cardinal Gasquet: a Memoir, was written by Shane Leslie in 1953. Leslie knew Cardinal Gasquet personally.
Works
Cardinal Gasquet wrote many books and articles. Here are some of his notable works:
- A little book of prayers from Old English sources (1900)
- The Old English Bible and Other Essays (1897)
- Henry VIII and the English Monasteries (1888)
- Edward VI and the Book of Common Prayer (1890) (with Edmund Bishop)
- The Eve of the Reformation (1900)
- Parish Life in Mediæval England (1905)
- The Greater Abbeys of England (1908)
- The Last Abbot of Glastonbury and Other Essays (1908)
- The Black Death of 1348 and 1349 (1908)
- A History of the Venerable English College, Rome (1920)
- Monastic Life in the Middle Ages (1922)
- His Holiness Pope Pius XI (1922)
- The Religious Life of King Henry VI (1923)
