By CAROLE BRESLIN
The year 1309 marked the beginning of the Avignon papacy, under Pope Clement V, who was French. The Popes of Avignon built a papal palace, increasing it in size over the next 70 years. The first crack in the control of the papacy by the French began when Pope Urban V left Avignon to reside in Rome for a brief period.
William de Grimoard, Lord of Bellegarde, and Amphelise de Montferrand were the father and mother of Guillaume (William) de Grimoard, who was born in 1310. His father came from a noble family and his mother was the sister of St. Elzear de Sabran, a third order Franciscan. Blessed Urban was born in the Castle of Grisac in Languedoc, which is now part of the commune of Le Pont-de-Montvert in France. His birthplace is about 50 miles northwest of Avignon.
As a youth, William may have received his early education from the same uncle who taught St. Elzear. When he reached young adulthood, he had already been drawn to the spirituality of the Benedictines. He became a monk at the Benedictine priory in Chirac, near his home. This small priory was a small dependency of the ancient Abbey of St. Victor near Marseilles, which is still in existence.
The future Pope received further education at the Universities in Montpellier and Toulouse in southeast France, not far from Avignon. After his Ordination, he returned to these universities and then traveled to Paris where he studied for a short while. Finally, he went to Avignon where he completed his studies and received a doctorate in canon law.
After he received his doctoral degree he taught at Avignon, Paris, and Montpellier. He excelled so much that he became known as the best canonist of his age.
In 1352, William was appointed abbot of Notre Dame du Pré, a priory dependent on St. Germain d’Auxerre, which is located about 150 miles southeast of Paris. Nine years later, in 1361, Pope Innocent VI appointed William to be Abbot William of St. Victor’s at Marseilles, in recognition of his service to the Pope.
The service included several diplomatic missions that William had undertaken for Pope Innocent VI. The Pope then sent him to Naples as legate to Queen Joanna. While serving the queen, William heard that Pope Innocent had died. A conclave was held with one after another of those elected turning down the office. Finally, they elected William who was neither a cardinal nor even a bishop.
The conclave wrote to William insisting that he return immediately to Avignon for consultation. They did not tell him of his election. The conclave feared that the Italians would not let William return to Avignon if they knew he had been elected Pope.
Obediently, William returned immediately to Avignon where he learned of his election. He was first consecrated a bishop and then installed as Pope, taking the name Urban, saying he did so “because all the Popes called Urban had been saints.”
The Avignon Popes tended to be more French nationalists than Pontiffs of the universal Church. Nonetheless, Pope Urban V struggled to serve the worldwide Church and rise above the concerns of the French nation.
One of Pope Urban V’s legacies was his support of education. During his eight years as Pope, he started a university in Hungary, saved the school of music at the university in Toulouse, and restored the school of medicine in Montpellier, where he also founded the College of St. Benedict. The church at this college eventually became the cathedral for Montpellier, full of beautiful works of art.
In addition, he established colleges in Quezac and Bedoues in southern France. In Ispagnac, he founded another church and supported the church library. He also supported more than 1,000 students even during times of war. In September of 1364 papal approval was given for the establishment of a university in Krakow, Poland.
Pope Urban V also had to attend to the Papal States, a group of states in central Italy that were given to the Church by Pepin the Short. The reigning Pope ruled over these temporal domains from 754 until 1870.
At the time of Pope Urban there were civil problems with which he had to contend. Bernabo Visconti occupied the papal city of Bologna by overcoming the troops of Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz, the cardinal vicar of the Papal States. The Pope excommunicated Bernabo for this.
However, in order to pursue the Crusade against the Turks, he needed to settle with Bernabo. Through the mediation of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, an agreement was reached and the excommunication was lifted.
He also monitored the crusade that recaptured Alexandria and sent missions to Bosnia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and China.
By October 1367, the situation in Italy had deteriorated so much that Pope Urban V — at the urging of St. Bridget of Sweden — decided to return to Rome. This was an event of historic proportions as the papacy had resided in Avignon under the influence of the French for more than 50 years.
Despite moving to Rome and away from Avignon, this move did not increase his influence or power. He performed largely ceremonial acts without being able to carry out the reforms the Church so badly needed.
Pope Urban’s health was beginning to fail in 1370. Furthermore, France and England were at war which disrupted the Church in France. Thus, pressured by the French hierarchy and disillusioned with the revolt in the Papal States, the Pope left Rome. He embarked at Carneto on September 5, 1370. He arrived back in Avignon on September 24.
Although he had returned to Avignon, his residency in Rome marked the beginning of the end of the Popes living in Avignon. Seven years later, St. Catherine of Siena would advise Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome and reestablish that city as the center of the Church.
A few days after arriving at the papal palace, Pope Urban V fell ill. Sensing that his end was near, he asked to be moved to his brother’s home so that he could die among those he loved. On December 19, 1370, Pope Urban V passed away. His feast is now celebrated on that date.
Dear Blessed Urban V, pray for us and for Holy Mother Church. As the Catholic Church weathers the storms throughout every age and time, intercede for her that she may possess the unity for which Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed at the Last Supper. May He come to each and every heart in a special way this holy season. Amen.
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(Carole Breslin home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. For over ten years, she was national coordinator for the Marian Catechists, founded by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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