Andrew J.G. DRENAS, The Standard Bearer of the Roman Church: Lawrence of Brindisi-Capuchin Missions in the Holy Roman Empire (1599-1613).Washington, D.C.: Catholic University Press, 2018. $70. 246 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8132-3025-2. Reviewed by Richard SHIELDS, University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto, ON.

The Post-reformation years were especially turbulent in Moravia, Bohemia and Eastern Austria. Violence was not uncommon. The Catholic Church’s attempts to regain territory (and adherents) that had become Protestant were intense, including political intrigue and, at times, military force. The Papacy often enlisted Religious Orders as a critical part of the strategy to overcome heresy and restore Catholicism to its former place of privilege. The Orders established a physical presence from which the theologically trained and rhetorically skilled priests could operate. Their mission was to reinforce Catholic doctrine and refute the teachings and practices of the Lutherans, Hussites, and Calvinists in this particular region of Europe. Their approach was typically polemical, refuting Reformer theology in ad hominem attacks, delivered in emotional, even histrionic fashion. Among the most famous and flamboyant of these preachers was Lawrence of Brindisi, OM Cap. 

Although a saint and doctor of the Church the details of Lawrence’s life and preaching have been, up to now, gathering dust in Vatican and Franciscan archives. Andrew Drenas, devoted his doctoral research to uncovering and organizing much of this information, which he intended “to serve as a case study” that would provide insight into how the Church approached “the process of re-catholicization of parts of Europe that had been lost to heresy and efforts to win non-Catholics back to the Church.”

Drenas’ study is divided into five chapters. The first two recount the life and administrative activities. The final three explore in more detail his preaching and writing style based especially on a two examples from his time in Prague, along with helpful explanation of his sources. This careful analysis of counter-reformation practices concludes that despite the power and fury of the theological attacks and counter-attacks, political intrigue and influence, popular movements are hard to turn around. As the author wryly and rightly concludes, there is little evidence that all of this made any difference.