On Wednesday the Holy Father gave a catechesis on Bl. Scotus, which includes a positive assessment of his doctrine on the primary motive for the Incarnation and a clear affirmation that Scotus was not responsible for Voluntarism. This is big news, considering that:

1) while still a Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger wrote in one of his books that he disagreed with Scotus’ doctrine on the Incarnation; now, as Pope, he seems to have changed his mind and embraced Scotus’ position.

2) in his famous Regensburg Address, the Holy Father made a comment which many people interpreted as criticizing Scotus’ doctrine on the will; in this new catechesis, however, he clearly states the opposite.

In regard to the Absolute Primacy of Christ:

In his audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope dedicated his catechesis to Blessed Duns Scotus, who was born around the year 1266 in the Scottish village of Duns, entered the Friars Minor and was ordained a priest in 1291. “His intelligence earned him the traditional tile of ‘Doctor subtilis’”, said the Holy Father noting how he taught theology at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Paris. However, his faithfulness to Pope Boniface VIII in the latter’s conflict with Philip IV the Fair led to him leaving France. He returned to Paris in 1305 to teach theology then moved on to Cologne where he died in 1308.

“Because of his fame of sanctity, his cult soon spread within the Franciscan Order, and Venerable John Paul II chose to confirm him as a blessed on 20 March 1993, describing him as a ‘cantor of the incarnate Word and defender of the Immaculate Conception’. In this expression he summarized Duns Scotus’ great contribution to the history of theology”, said Pope Benedict.

He then went on to explain that, “though aware that because of original sin Christ redeemed us with His Passion, Death and Resurrection”, Duns Scotus “makes it clear that the Incarnation is the greatest and most sublime work of the history of salvation, and that it is not conditioned by any contingent circumstance.

In regard to the error of voluntarism (absolute freedom of the will):

The Pope recalled that Duns Scotus had also tackled “the subject of freedom and its relationship with the will and the intellect”. In this context he noted how “an idea of innate and absolute freedom (as developed after Scotus’ time) located in the will which precedes the intellect, both in God and in man, risks leading to the idea of a God Who is not even connected to truth and goodness”.

“Freedom”, the Pope explained, “is authentic and helps in the construction of a truly human civilization only when reconciled with truth. If disconnected from truth, freedom tragically becomes the principle that destroys the inner harmony of human beings, a source of abuse for the strong and the violent, a cause of suffering and mourning. Freedom … grows and is perfected, said Duns Scotus, when man opens himself to God. … When we listen to the divine Revelation, to the Word of God, in order to accept it, then we receive a message which fills our lives with light and hope, and we are truly free”.

Deo Gratias!  Read the whole article here.

The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate are producing a feature length dramatic film on the life of Blessed John Duns Scotus, the Franciscan who gave the theological explanation for the Immaculate Conception. The film is called “Duns Scoto”, Italian for Duns Scotus, and is written and directed by Fernando Muraca based on the book by Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli, “Beato Giovanni Duns Scoto” published by the FIs in Italy. Adriano Braidotti plays Blessed John Duns Scotus and is supported by Raffaele Proietti, Sebastiano Colla, Alessandro Chini, Camilla Diana and Emanuele Maria Gamboni in the role of young Duns Scotus along with many others including not a few Franciscans of the Immaculate.

The only thing left to finish on the film is the sound track for which they are currently in negotiations. The film is due to premiere in May 2010 on DVD and in some theaters as was done with the highly successful pro-life film “Bella” and negotiations are underway for putting it on Italian TV and entering it in film festivals. It will be in Italian, but there may be an English version.  We will be posting the trailer on AirMaria when it becomes available toward the end of April. So practice your Italian and stay tuned.

On the site of the filming with camera dolly on tracks, microphone boom, and high definition cameras. The high tech equipment makes a sharp contrast with the medieval monastery and period costumes. The director of photography was Massimo Lupi, famous for his creative cinematography in the Italian TV series Il Commissario Rex (Inspector Rex) about the adventures of Rex the police dog.

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The Abbey at Montelabate in Perugia where parts of the movie was filmed. Other locations were a nearby estate and also on the coast near Anconia.

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Adriano Braidotti as John Duns Scotus who is here praying for guidance from Mary as he is about to defend her prerogative of being immaculately conceived.  There are two goals of the film. One is to spread knowledge about Duns Scotus in view of his canonization, and then eventually to him being declared a Doctor of of the Church. The other is to help Christianize our important mass media culture that has sadly become so secular and even dehumanized.

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Padre Alfonso Bruno, head of FI media, is in the center with the clapper board and is Director of Production for the film. To the right is Fra Pasquale, FI who is playing a Dominican and Fra Ivo, FI on the left looks like he’s playing a Cistercian Monk.

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Emanuele Maria Gamboni as young John Duns Scotus. His early life is covered in a flashback after the opening scene when Scotus is exiled from the Sorbonne in Paris after he refused to sign a bill by Phillip the Fair, King of France, against Pope Boniface VIII.

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Lights, … Camera, … Action!

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Well, not much action in this scene, but it is very beautiful with professional lighting.

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Some rather scruffy looking friars. Fra Giles, FI is second from the left.

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The final scene of the movie is the rejoicing after Blessed John Duns Scotus successfully defends the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception at the Sorbonne in Paris. The victory is recognized by papal legates who attended the theological disputes. The large cast and colorful costumes make for a truly grand finale. There seems to be a tint of blue in many of the Franciscan’s habits. I wonder why…

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Preparing the camera and dolly.

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Working into the night hours. There’s no business like show business.

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Camilla Diana who plays the role of a young, pius girl named Mary who with Luis (Sebastiano Colla), a student at the Sorbonne, provide a means to control the plot and relate it to every day human life and drama.

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Director Fernando Muraca on the set.

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Alessandro Chini plays the young William of Occam who expresses his doubts and heterodox ideas to Scotus who then lovingly but promptly corrects him.

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Sebastiano Colla getting ready for his role as Luis.

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Angelo Poretti and Monica Sarracchini where in charge of the costumes.

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The large collection of costumes looks like a story in itself. Throughout the film as many as one hundred extras were used. Note the big wine barrels behind the racks from the monks wine making business.

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Fr. Alfonso reviewing some footage.

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It looks like an exciting and grand project. Certainly the Italian friars are learning quite a bit about film production and is a great addition to their extensive media efforts which include printing, radio, internet and TV. Hopefully this film will be a success both in regard to promoting the Christian faith and in regard to having enough financial success to at least be able to do another film like this. Please keep this in your prayers.

Ave Maria!

In commemoration of the 700th Anniversary of his death, we are happy to present this new, ground-breaking book on the Mariology of Blessed John Duns Scotus, providing a well referenced, concise presentation of his Mariology in clear English.

Fr. Rosini has, perhaps for the first time, provided a complete, well-balanced exposition of Scotus on Our Lady, with all the many inter-connections between the mystery of Mary and the whole of theology, illustrating plainly how the subtle resolution of the most complex of theological questions was not something achieved prior to any consideration of Mary, but exactly to the contrary: by meditating ?in the spirit of prayer and devotion? (St. Francis of Assisi) on the Blessed and Immaculate Virgin in the mystery of Christ and the Church (Lumen Gentium, ch. 8, title).

PROD ID: AIB-MBD030, 313 pp., perfect bound.
$18.00

Go to Marymediatrix.com for more information and to order copies.

Today marks 700 years since the death of Bl. John Duns Scotus, The Marian Doctor

Who is Blessed John Duns Scotus?

John Duns Scotus, described by Pope Paul VI as “the perfector” of St. Bonaventure and “the most

distinguished representative” of the Franciscan School, was born towards the end of 1265 or at the beginning of 1266 in the little village of Duns in southern Scotland. From his earliest years, he received a good formation from his Catholic family.

A pious tradition relates that he loved to study, and earnestly desired to apprehend the truths of the faith. But in spite of his good will, his progress at school was slow: little John was just not blessed with particularly acute intelligence. With simplicity and confidence the boy appealed to Our Blessed Lady, the Mother and Dispensatrix of all graces, and beseeched Her to supply for what was wanting in his intellectual capacity. Our Lady heard his prayer, and from then on, John astonished his companions and teachers with his acute ability to understand and to learn. Later, the celebrated Franciscan historian Wadding would write of him: “During his adolescence Scotus was so brilliant in his study of letters that he surpassed the powers of man and the limits of nature, thus showing the particular gifts which he had received from God through the intercession of the Immaculate, who had appeared to him.” In his subsequent career, Blessed John would put his “particular gifts” to good use in the service of his most generous and lovable Mother and Patroness.

John’s uncle, Fr. Elias Duns, was Father Guardian of the Franciscan friary at Dumfries. Discerning his vocation to religious life, John followed his uncle and received the Franciscan habit as a novice in approximately 1280. At some point, John was sent to England to continue his studies, probably at Northampton and Oxford. It is thought that he was a student for a while of the famous Master, William of Ware. On 17^th March, 1291, John was ordained a priest by Bishop Oliver Sutton of Lincoln. He was 25 years old. Between 1293 and 1297, he studied theology at Paris. He then returned to England to pursue higher theological studies at Oxford.

On Christmas Eve in 1299 at the friary in Oxford, John received another special grace from God. While immersed in the contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation, Our Lady appeared to him and placed Her Infant Son in his arms. This event must surely have had an important impact on the development of John’s thought about the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word.

In 1300 in Oxford, John began his first commentary on the Sentences of the Master, Peter Lombard. He was sent to Paris in 1302 to continue his studies, but his stay there was to be short lived, because in June of 1303 he was forced to flee the city with a number of other friars on account of his allegiance to the Holy Father in a dispute between Pope Boniface VIII and the King of France, Philip the Fair. This gesture of uncompromising obedience to the Supreme Pontiff on the part of our Blessed is perfectly in accord with the admirable spirit of obedience and faith that permeates all his theological writings.

Between 1303 and 1304 Blessed John taught at the University of Oxford, and it was there that he wrote his masterpiece, the Opus Oxoniense, or Ordinatio, as it is now more commonly known. John was soon able to return to Paris, and, after enthusiastic recommendation by the Minister General of the Friars Minor, Fr. Gonsalvus of Spain, once a professor at Paris, he was awarded a doctorate in theology. After a further short period at Oxford, John return once again to Paris. According to the testimony of one of Scotus’ disciples, William of Alnwick, it was during this last period that the great theologian spent in Paris that he wrote his Quodlibetum.

But the most celebrated event connected with the great Franciscan Doctor at Paris is the famous dispute which he conducted in defence of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to an ancient and constant Franciscan tradition, Blessed John defended the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception in front of the entire academic corpus of the Sorbonne University of Paris. At that time, on the basis of the thought of famous theologians such as St. Bernard, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure, the University of Paris was quite opposed to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. It is related that, prior to the debate, Blessed John, passing before a stone statue of Our Lady, paused for a few moments, and then humbly offered up the following heartfelt prayer: “Allow me to praise you, O most holy Virgin; give me strength against your enemies.” The head of the statue moved, bowing a little before the Blessed, as if to reassure him that his proposed defence of the Immaculist thesis was indeed according to God’s will and that Our Lady would accompany her faithful servant with her special help and protection. When the moment of the debate arrived, John illustrated the truth of the Immaculate Conception with such brilliance and acumen that the assembled members of the academic staff could not refrain from crying out in unison, “Scotus has won!” This victory of our Blessed was so decisive, in fact, that the University of Paris subsequently became a convinced supporter of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.

On 25 October 1307, responding promptly to the expressed wishes of his superiors, Scotus departed for Cologne in Germany to oppose the errors of the Beghards, whose pseudo-mysticism was on the rise in the Rhineland. There he died on 8 November 1308, at the young age of 43.

According to an ancient tradition, Scotus died while defending the Mother of God in a debate. He surrendered his pure soul to God, worn out by fatigue and penance, but victorious in the love and truth of God, whom he had always served so well.

After his death, Blessed John was almost immediately styled “blessed” in popular devotion. His cult was widespread in Europe until the times of the Reformation. Today, his body is venerated in the historic church of the Holy Cross, in the care of the Franciscans, at Cologne in Germany. The honour shown him through the centuries for his holiness of life was officially confirmed on 20 March 1993 by the Servant of God, John Paul II, who enrolled him among the Blessed of the Roman Catholic Church.

Ave Maria!

Is the world our friend or enemy?

In this 6th show in his series, The Golden Thread, Fr. Peter Mary Fehlner discusses the Church’s relation to the world in the light of the Second Vatican Council. He points out that the source of much of the widely varying interpretations of the Council which have caused so much confusion to the faithful is the multitude of different meanings of the word “world.” Fr. Peter clarifies these meanings and in this way helps us to see that Vatican II did not represent a break with past teaching. He also talks about the relative and absolute meanings of the words “autonomous” and “secular” and whether our dependence on God is predicamental or transcendent. All in the light of the theology of the Marian Doctor, Bl. John Duns Scotus.

Ave Maria!