Season 4 Episode 6
In this episode we are going to witness Catholic metaphysics collide with phenomenology through the person of St. Joan of Arc. Following French historian Régine Pernoud into chapter two of her book, Joan of Arc - Her Story, we stand with the people of Chinon as Joan enters with her troupe. We are curious. Who are they? Who is she? Where did they come from? Why are they here?
We will discover a bit more about St. Joan of Arc such as where she departed to reach Chinon and what the circumstances were surrounding her departure. The listener might be astonished at what we uncover. While Joan still remains a mystery, we nevertheless can sense that transcendent metaphysics and phenomenology are bursting forth through her like the sunlight on the horizon at dawn.
The “appearance of the story appearing” emerges through the mist in that sunlight.
Reflective question
How can you describe your vision and mission by reflecting on the phenomenon of St. Joan of Arc?
Quotes in this episode
The day after Joan’s arrival at Fierbois, her little company entered the town of Chinon and reached the crossroads of the Grand-Carroi. Who were these strangers? Where did they come from? This girl seemed at ease in men’s clothes and expressed her desire to be received by the dauphin - from where did she come?
Since her arrival on territory obedient to the dauphin, she had no task more important than laying claim to what she called her “mission.”
Bertrand recounted that he had seen her speak to Robert de Baudricourt, the captain of Vaucouleurs; she had said that she came to him from her Lord so that he would tell the dauphin to stand fast and not to make war upon his enemies, for the Lord would bring him help before the next mid-lent. Unperturbed by the laughter and the jeering she provoked, Joan said that the kingdom belonged not to the dauphin but to his Lord, that his lord wished the dauphin to become king, and that he would hold the kingdom as a fief, whether his enemies wished it or not. She herself would lead him to be anointed.
{Joan} I came here to the King’s chamber to speak to Robert de Baudricourt so that he would either bring me or have me brought to the king, but he pays no attention to me or to my words; nevertheless, it is important that I be at the king’s side before mid-lent arrives, even if it means I have to walk until my feet are worn down to my knees; there is in fact no one else, neither a king nor a duke nor the daughter of the king of Scotland, nor any other who can recover the kingdom of France, and he will have no help, if not through me, even though I would prefer to stay home and spin wool with my poor mother, for this is not my proper station, but I must go and I must do it, because my Lord wills that I do so. 1
I am also the co-host of the Heroic Hearts podcast with Amy Chase. Heroic Hearts is devoted to a spiritual adventure with St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux! Join us on the journey!
Visit Amy’s Substack, The Occidental Tourist.
Pernoud and Clin, Joan of Arc - Her Story. pp. 16-19.
S4E6 - St. Joan of Arc dramatically unifies metaphysics and phenomenology