Past Op-Ed: Inter Cetera II Displays a Strong Pro-Spanish Bias

By Evan Rothera

That the Holy Father, Pope Alexander VI, would deem it salutary, necessary, and logical to equitably divide the lands which Admiral Columbus discovered is not only wise on his part, but also, undoubtedly politically expedient. The Spanish Pope must, at all costs, maintain cordial relations with Spain and the Catholic Kings, for all that he is God’s vicar on this earth, not God’s chief minister; rather than bargain political advantages to various kings and councilors of the earth, his holiness should look to the spiritual salvation, and seek spiritual solutions to temporal problems.

In a recent series of remarks, his Excellency, Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere, commented in a manner most scathing concerning the comportment of the pope. The cardinal was wise enough to make these remarks during his sojourn to the court of the King of France, otherwise he would have found himself facing the wrath of his holiness, and his holiness has been known to vent his prodigious anger in manner most unpleasant to those with the temerity or foolhardiness to anger his holiness. Nevertheless, the Cardinal did make several points (whether they are valid or not is a pressing question indeed), concerning his holiness and these ideas are listed below for the convenience of those who did not have the pleasure of conversation with the cardinal.

The pope, the supreme representative of God on Earth should remain above the petty arguments and the squabbling of the dukes and princes of Europe; the pope should not barter his authority simply to solve a thorny political problem between the King of Portugal and the Catholic Kings; and the Pope should convene a general council to provide an equitable solution to the problem that will leave both entities in the argument satisfied.

Although Cardinal Della Rovere engages in a rather odd flight of fancy (solve the issues plaguing the Church through the general council and not the supreme authority of the Holy Father), his points resonate for the sheer fact that the Pope, by intervening and favoring his Spanish brethren, has compromised the authority of the Holy See in a manner some would call heavy handed and biased. Inter Cetera II must not be allowed to acquire such importance as to become the point upon which splits Mother Church in yet another dolorous and deleterious schism.

Pope Alexander must realize that this bull he has issued has perhaps gone too far and requires extensive modification. He should rescind Inter Cetera II and use his authority as supreme pontiff to compel the powers to create a treaty, sanctioned by the temporal kings: Joao II, Fernando, and Isabel, and sealed with the blessing of the Holy Father. Rather than make himself unpopular with a group of souls entrusted to his care, the Bishop of Rome should seek to protect, preserve, and defend all of the souls under his protection, and should, therefore, cease and desist in his hasty issuance of bulls which favor one group of his children over others.