(c.350-422) Boniface, whose name means “fortunate” or “doer of good,” was born in Rome and possibly ordained to the priesthood by Pope Saint Damasus I. When Pope Zosimus died, Boniface and Eulalius were both elected the 42nd pope by different groups, causing some drama and violence that was finally settled by the intervention of Emperor Honorius (only one of these men acted like a saint). Boniface supported Saint Augustine of Hippo, who dedicated several works to Pope Boniface.
Pope Saint Boniface was a defender of papal authority, but also held those in that office to a high standard. In some sense, he was “ever reminding [the pope] to place principles before personalities,” just as we are called to do the same in recovery (Tradition 12).
“We in particular are under obligation to be responsible for all, to whom Christ assigned the duty of universal stewardship in the holy Apostle Peter, when He gave him the keys of opening and closing, and discriminated among His apostles, not so one should be inferior to another but that He should be the first. Law should govern us, not we the law; if we are to uphold canonical principles, let us be obedient to the canons ourselves” (Pope Saint Boniface I, Epistle 3, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, 29).
Reflection by Brad Farmer