Mercy

Once the bishop of Mantua, Giuseppe (Joseph) Sarto, who would later become Pope and Saint Pius X, was publicly slandered by a merchant. More than once he was advised to denounce the slanderer judicially, but to this advice the bishop replied: “that poor man needs prayer more than punishment.” So he did not do anything […]

Paul Claudel tells this story in his novel “The tidings brought to Mary”:  Jacques Hury is working for his fiancée’s father Vercors when he sees someone stealing wood. Jacques is a righteous and very strict man. He wants to cut off this man’s ear because he believes that everyone deserves punishment for their wrongdoings. When