Robert Bellarmine in our Declaration of Independence

Last night I watched a half hour program called “Saints Alive” which featured the story of St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) and here’s a brief clip of his discussion of the influence (obviously an actor) of his writings on the Declaration of Independence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC55G37QzO4

I think this solidifies even more strongly the Christian origins of our basic documents and thought. In the story, (and on the web) it says that Thomas Jefferson actually had in his library an anti-Bellarmine book which explained his ideas, and that he made many notes in the margins, therefore was quite familiar with his work, which Bellarmine in turn built on Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). For additional information: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6607&CFID=140469406&CFTOKEN=74664362

“He who lives well will die well.”  Community audio of Bellarmine’s book, The Art of Dying Well.  (Takes about 5 hours, but reader’s voice is pleasant.) http://archive.org/details/ArtDyingBell