Pope St. Gregory the Great can justly be called one of the Founders of the Middle Ages because he spent his life eradicating all vestiges of paganism which remained from the immoralities of the old Roman Empire. Under his direction, pagan temples were replaced by Catholic Churches and Arianism was wiped out. Now he had a "clean slate" on which to build a new Catholic era.
With the great fortune he inherited from his noble family, St. Gregory founded seven monasteries where he helped to solidify the Benedictine Order, defining monastic life with the majestic tones of the Gregorian Chant which he pioneered. His influence spread to England, Ireland and Germany through the numerous missionaries who obeyed his wish to spread the Gospel.
In addition, St. Gregory had to deal with the softness and heresies that were swaying the Eastern churches towards schism. Although he wished most ardently to return to the solitude of the monastic life, as Pope he was extremely diligent in facing, analyzing and resolving the many problems of his time. Thus, he was rightly called, "the Great".
Let us ask St. Gregory to transform our times as he did his into a new totally Catholic era, one that is even greater than the Middle Ages, so that we, decadent and weak, being purified by the inevitable chastisement predicted by Our Lady of Fatima, can give even greater glory to Our Lord and Our Lady .
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