Digital Continent Digital Continent Easter 2017 | Page 20

the quiet cloistered life of Osma in 1203 to follow his Bishop, Diego to Denmark. 37 Bishop
Diego was entrusted by King Alphonso IX of Castile to negotiate the marriage between
Ferdinand, his son, and a daughter of a certain ‘Lord of the Marches.’ 38 It is while traveling with
his bishop through the south of France in the Province of Toulouse that Dominic encountered the
Albigensian heresy. Dominic while staying at an inn noted his hosts distaste for the Catholic
Church, known by the Albigensians as “the Babylon of the Apocalypse.” 39 Dominic engaged his
host in apologetic dialogue. By morning he had won the heretic over to the light and love that is
Christ Jesus, reuniting the inn keeper to the Catholic Church. 40 Dominic and Bishop Diego
having completed their mission for King Ferdinand went back to Spain when they were called to
complete a second mission. This mission was to go back to
Denmark and bring the princess back to Spain, unfortunately
when the contingent arrived in Denmark they found that the
princess had died. 41 Bishop Diego and Dominic then made
their way to Rome in the hopes of being granted permission
by Pope Innocent III to preach to the pagans of the East. Pope
Innocent in his infinite wisdom denied the bishop’s request insisting “that the work of his life lay
at his doors.” 42
Bishop Diego and Dominic began their journey back to their home country of Spain.
Traveling through France, they once again encountered the Albigensian heresy as it was not only
37
Jennifer Moorcroft, The Hidden Light: A Life of Saint Dominic, (IN: AuthorHouse, 2013),10.
Bede Jarrett, OP, Life of St. Dominic, (NY: Image Books, 1964), 25.
39
M.H. Vicaire, Saint Dominic and His Times, (WI: Alt Publishing, 1964), 51.
40
Jennifer Moorcroft, The Hidden Light: The Life of Saint Dominic, (IN: AuthorHouse, 2013), 10.
41
Bede Jarrett, OP, Life of St. Dominic (NY: Image Books, 1964), 26.
42
Ibid., 26.
38