Saint Gregory has been criticized in past generations as an ambitious tyrant, even being called 'Holy Satan.' He is now generally recognized as having pursued an uncompromising policy that was driven by a desire for justice. In this paper, I am going to show how Gregory VII tried to lead the corrupting Catholic church back to the way he thought was just.
             It is said that Pope Gregory VII began his life in Ravaco, Tuscany, Italy, in the year 1021. The son of a poor carpenter, Gregory was baptized with the name Hildebrand. His modest beginnings made him indifferent to the materialism of most clergy of the period. As a young man, he was placed in the care of an uncle who was the superior of the monastery of Saint Mary on the Aventine in Rome, was professed a Benedictine, and educated at the Lateran school.
             Squat and insignificant in appearance, Hildebrand had great force and ability. One of his teachers, John Gratian, was so impressed with him that when he became pope in May 1045 as Gregory VI, he appointed Hildebrand as his secretary. He accompanied Gregory VI into Germany when he was deposed in December 1046. According to tradition, after Gratian's death in 1047, Hildebrand became a monk at Cluny.
             After the death of Alexander II in 1073, Hildebrand, by then a cardinal and archdeacon, was elected pope by an overwhelming vote, and took the name Gregory VII upon his consecration on June 30.
             The simplest explanation of the job of the Pope comes from Matthew when Jesus told Peter that he is placing Peter at the head of the church on earth and that those following Peter would also hold such a position.
             Matthew 16:17-19 says, "Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; what...