| A Secret Mission of Charity | Rome, December 12 1545 |
summary | text of letter | footnotes
In this letter to Claude Jay1 Ignatius expresses the hope that the
Society could act as an intermediary in bringing an errant brother back to the
fold. A certain individual, who remains unidentified in the correspondence,2
approached Ignatius to speak to him about Fra Bernardino Ochino3
and to ask his help in bringing the Capuchin back to the Church. Ochino, one
of the most celebrated preachers of that period, had come under the influence
of Juan de Valdés,4 while Ochino was in Naples, and soon
afterwards began to manifest Protestant tendencies in his preaching. Rather
than answer the summons to Rome to explain himself, Ochino left Italy in
September 1542, went to Geneva and there followed the Reformation. Ignatius
felt that he could not take the matter up with the pope until he had some
letter indicating Fra Bernardino's desire for reconciliation. Not waiting for
the unidentified individual to procure such a letter from Ochino, Ignatius, on
his own initiative, wrote to Jay, who was then at Dillingen in Bavaria, and
about to go to the Council of Trent to represent Cardinal Otto Truchsess of
Augsburg. Since Ochino was then ministering to the Italian Protestant
congregation in Augsburg, Ignatius thought that perhaps Jay could visit him,
sound him out, and promise him the Society's help in doing all it can for him.
If Ochino should express fear, Jay was to assure him that Ignatius would speak
for him, as would Diego Laínez5 and Alfonso Salmerón. The latter
two were probably mentioned because they had been chosen by the pope to be his
theologians at Trent (see letter #8). It is not known whether Jay visited
Ochino, but we know that when Jay received Ignatius' letter, he was no longer
in Bavaria but at Trent. Ignatius views this as a mission of charity of utmost
importance and whose successful outcome would bring much glory to God.
Ignatius' letter is in Spanish [Ep. 1:343-344].
The purpose of this letter, which must remain confidential, is to give you information which will help you to understand and handle this important work of charity, whose success will mean so much for God's glory. Briefly, then, a person of great charity, who is well acquainted with Fra Bernardino came to speak to me and informed me of the affair. This individual's plan was to take a middle course and provide some satisfactory means whereby a pardon could be obtained. I answered that, if I had a letter from him, without which I did not think it possible to approach the pope or anyone else, I would do everything in my power. This person, thereupon, offered to write and ask for such a letter. Taking advantage of this, you might try to visit him for some reason or other, without letting him know of this request of mine. As you say, you are close at hand, and I think it would help to make such a visit, if you think it proper, and learn what you can from him. Assure him that we should be glad to help him, in all charity, in any way possible, if he would only grasp the opportunity of making use of our help in the Lord. In addition, you might try to move him, by asking him what he is about and what he can hope for, and tell him that everything can be arranged, and offer your services to see to it that the matter is favorably arranged here [Rome]. If he manifests signs of fear, promise him the good offices of the Society, for besides myself Master Laínez and Master Salmerón are also here. As to his person and all his concerns, he should think of us as of one mind with himself. Whether you get a letter from him, or whatever else you do in our Lord, he should not know that we have written you from here. Write us very briefly whatever happens.
From Rome, December 12, 1545.
By no means should that person know of this letter of ours.