Avignon Papcy

The Christian Church is an instrument of salvation and represents the Body of Christ through its saving mission of Christ himself. Salvation is an evident expression of God’s mercy. The church is able to continue with Christ through the incarnation due to it being an extension of his body. The incarnation is viewed as the central historical event within the church because of its relation to the common destiny of man being possible only if God becomes man himself. Through the Eucharist, the church is able to offer man salvation as long as its members maintain unity within the Body of Christ. The Eucharist is the center of Catholic life and is a way of unifying all Christian followers. Officials who hold offices within the church are tied to particular obligations and are expected to, not only lead moral lives but also, represent the church as a unified body. The Papal Office was considered to be the highest office in the church. Unfortunately, throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, there were numerous problems among the Papal officers which affected both the church and the Body of Christ. A major conflict arose within the church dealing with the Papal office. There was an evident abuse of power amid the Papal officers

The Pope was attracted to certain people based on their piety and willingness to return to simpler ways. Papal office abuse became permanent during the time of the Protestant reformation. The Eucharist proves to be the embodiment of Christ and allows for people to accept Christ into themselves. In dialogue 12 between God and Catherine, God said to Catherine: Dearest daughter, contemplate the marvelous state of the soul who receives this bread of life, this food of angels, as she ought. Due to this misuse of power and moral failing of officers, a voluntary exile of the Papacy took place and lead to its division. The papacy in Avignon became a major religious and commercial center and Avignon as a whole grew in size. As stated in Jn 6:56, "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. The popes in Avignon were thrown off track and lost sense of their mission to maintain unity of the body. The Pope was spending more time on humanist issues rather than necessary religious issues. Just as the fish is in the sea and the sea in the fish, so am I in the soul and the soul in me, the sea of peace"See, then, how obligated you are to love me in return, since I have loved you so much, and because I am supreme eternal goodness, deserving to be loved by you. Both the Pope and the members of the church are able to have Christ reside in them with the consumption of the Eucharist, which is in the form of bread and wine. In prayer 13 of Catherine"tms, she states; "Just as you, O high eternal Trinity, give me yourself by communicating to me the body and blood of your only-begotten Son, therein giving me all of God and all of humanity, so, boundless love, I ask you to communicate to me the mystic body of holy Church and the universal body of Christianity. Consuming the Eucharist not only shows a devotion to Christ but also a hope in the continuation of the incarnation. Pope Clement V began the Avignon Papacy in 1309 and saw that a palace was built in Avignon. A woman named Catherine Benincasa (Catherine of Siena) was a prominent figure during the Avignon Papacy.