St. Jerome

When people think of St. Jerome they think of the Vulgate Bible, that monumental task done by Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius, a.k.a., St. Jerome. He was a prolific translator of Sacred Texts, as this link will show. Look at the list of letters alone.

Now, according to my Doctors of the Church guru, John F. Fink, one pope upon seeing the portrait to the left, commented "You do well to carry that stone, for without it the church would never have canonized you." He was outspoken, quick to take offense, also quick to get over it. In short, he was irascible. He even made accusations against St. Augustine! He attacked those who disagreed with him, and was involved in almost every controversial issue in the church of his time.

Again and again in this series I have learned how God acts in even the most difficult and least likable people. In light of my recent conversion to Roman Catholicism, it gives me hope even when dealing with the sometimes less than savory hierarchy of the RCC. It also shows how even in our lives God acts beyond our limited ability by the action of grace.

Born around 342 in Stridon in Dalmatia. He was educated in Rome, and because his native tongue was Illyrian, he learned both Greek and Latin. Raised in a pious home, Jermoe lost some of his "piety" in the fleshy city of Rome. However, he often went to the catacombs where he enjoyed translating inscriptions on the walls.

He made some friends and did a lot of travel in their company. However, he had a religious awakening and some time later had a dream where Christ asked him who he was, and he replied he was a Christian. Christ said "Thou liest. Thou art a Ciceronian." It is now that Jermoe begins the true work of his life.

He moved to Chalcis and lived as a hermit for four years. During that time he studied Hebrew. While there he wrote a biography of St. Paul, the first hermit. He also battled temptations against purity. The following quote is from Jerome's letter to St. Eustochium

I many times imagined myself witnessing the dancing of the Roman maidens as if I had been in the midst of them. In my cold body and in my parched-up flesh, which seemed dead before its death, passion was still able to live. Alone with this enemy, I threw myself in spirit at the feet of Jesus, watering them with my tears, and I tamed my flesh by fasting whole weeks.

In 380 he was ordained priest, on the condition that he "wouldn't have to serve in any church." Then he moved to Constantinople and studied scripture with St. Gregory Nazianzen. Although he never truly mastered it, Jerome had studied Hebrew, so a groundwork was prepared for the biggest translation project up that point in the history of the Christian Church. Studying the scriptures with Gregory only further prepared him for the task.

In 382 Jerome went to Rome, where he became the secretary to Pope Damasus, and according to guru Fink, "Jerome was asked by the pope to prepare a revised text, based on the original Greek of the Latin new Testament. He also revised the Latin psalter."

He earned a reputation for learning and holiness, And because our boy Jerome can't help himself earned some bitter enemies. He wrote diatribes against worldly women, and clergy who were far too concerned with their clothing. Needless to say people started being nasty to him.

Jerome ended his life as a hermit in Bethlehem. Between 390 and 410 he finished his complete translation of the Bible into Latin. Yes, it was a flawed translation, but up to that point no one had bothered to do it. Jerome did it. He wrote and wrote and wrote, doing his best to render to God the service that one Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius could give.

A small sampling of his work.

374. Life of Paulus, the first hermit.
374–79. Jerome copies Gospel of the Hebrews and other books.
379. Dialogue against the Luciferians
381. Translation of Eusebius’ Chronicle.
381. Translation of Origen’s Homilies on Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
383. Translation of Psalms from LXX. and of New Testament.
383. Book against Helvidius (Perpetual Virginity of B.M.V.)
385–87. Translation of Origen on Canticles.
386–90. Translation of LXX. into Latin.
387. Revision of version of New Testament.
388. Commentary on Ecclesiastes. Galatians, Ephesians, Titus, Philemon. And the Book of Hebrew Names. Questions on Genesis, Translation of Didymus on the Holy Spirit.
389. Translation of Origen on St. Luke.
390. Lives of Malchus and Hilarion, hermits.
391. Vulgate version of Old Testament begun.

Jerome, difficult man that he was, truly instructed the entire church.

"O Doctor right excellent, O light of Holy Church, O blessed Jerome, lover of the divine law, entreat for us the Son of God."