Donald Prudlo, Author at Catholic Herald

Donald Prudlo

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Innocent XIII: A Steady Hand at the Tiller

May 10, 2021

Cover image: Pope Innocent XIII (Michelangelo dei Conti) The Conti are a storied family of Roman nobility who gave many illustrious sons to the service of the Church, including no fewer than five popes and a saint. Indeed it was the most recent of this line, Innocent XIII (Michelangelo dei Conti), who had the

On this Day: Pope Clement XI

March 19, 2021

On the feast of St. Joseph, 19 March 1721, Clement XI exchanged time for eternity. He had nurtured a lifelong devotion to Joseph as patron of a holy death, and rested content at receiving the last sacraments on that holy day. In some of his last words, whispered to his nephew, he said, “See how

Gregory XV and the universal Church

February 09, 2021

Four hundred years ago Alessandro Ludovisi was selected as pope by the assembled cardinals and assumed the name Gregory XV. After the long reign of Paul V Borghese — who had completed St. Peter’s basilica — the electors were looking for a “caretaker” pope, usually an elderly cardinal who could help slowly transition the Church