Editing Pope Clement VI (section)

==Episcopacy==
On 3 December 1328<ref>Eubel, p. 115.</ref> Peter Roger was named [[Bishop of Arras]], in which capacity he became a royal councilor of King Philip VI.<ref>{{cite book|author=Denis de Sainte-Marthe (Sammarthani)|title=Gallia Christiana: In Provincias Ecclesiasticas Distributa: Provinciae Cameracensis, Coloniensis, Ebredunensis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=465JAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA4|volume=Tomus tertius (III)|year=1725|publisher=Typographia Regia|location=Paris|language=la|page=336}}</ref> He held the diocese of Arras only until 24 November 1329, less than a year, when he was promoted to the [[Archbishop of Sens|Archdiocese of Sens]].<ref>Eubel, I, p. 448.</ref>  He held the Archbishopric of Sens for one year and one month, until his promotion to the See of [[Archbishop of Rouen|Rouen]] on 14 December 1330.<ref>Eubel, I, p. 425.</ref>

In 1329, while Pierre Roger was still Archbishop-elect of Sens, a major assembly of the French Clergy was held at Vincennes in the presence of [[Philip VI of France|King Philip VI]] (1328–1350), to deal with issues involving the judicial powers of ecclesiastical authorities.  Many propositions were put forward against ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which were ably argued by Pierre de Cugnières (Petrus de Cugneriis).  Pierre Roger made the rejoinders on 22 December 1329, on behalf of the ecclesiastical authority.<ref>Baluze, I, pp. 782–783 (ed. Mollat), II, pp. 284–285.</ref>

When Pierre Roger became Archbishop of Rouen in December 1330, he was expected to swear allegiance to his feudal overlord.  King Philip VI had recently given his son Jean the Dukedom of Normandy as an apanage, and Pierre was worried about what might happen if someone other than a member of the French royal family might become Duke of Normandy.  He therefore asked the King for time to consider his position, but the King was firm and seized the temporalities of the Archbishop.  Pierre was forced to go to Paris, where an agreement was worked out that, should someone other than a member of the royal family become Duke, then the Archbishop would swear fealty directly to the King.<ref>Fisquet, p. 147.</ref>

As Archbishop of Rouen, Roger was one of the Peers of France and he was a member of the embassy sent by King Philip to his son [[John II of France|John]], in 1333, to swear in their name to take the cross and serve in a crusade in the Holy Land.  Later in the year, in Paris in the Prés des Clercs, the King received the cross personally from the hands of Archbishop Roger.<ref>''Gallia christiana,'' IX, p. 77.</ref>

It is said that he was promoted to the office of [[Chancellor of France]],<ref name="McBrien240" /> though there is no documentary proof.<ref>François Duchesne produces evidence showing that Guillaume de Sainte Maure was Chancellor of France from 1329–1334;  from 3 March 1334 to 1337 the Chancellor was Guy Baudet:  {{cite book|author=François Du Chesne|title=Histoire des chancelliers de France et des gardes de sceaux de France|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zu03BsHVde4C&pg=PA877|year=1680|publisher=Chez l'Auteur|location=Paris|language=fr|pages=301–302, 315, 317}}  Duchesne allows that Pierre Roger might have been Garde de Sceaux, but he relies on the authority of others and has no documentary proof himself for that office or for the Chancellorship.  The same opinions are shared by {{cite book|author=Abraham Tessereau|title=L'Histoire chronologique de la Grande Chancellerie de France|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DpdcAAAAcAAJ|volume=Tome premier|year=1710|publisher=Pierre Emery|location=Paris|language=fr|pages=15–16}}</ref>  The earliest claim that he was Chancellor is made by [[Alphonsus Ciacconius|Alfonso Chacon]] (Ciaconius) (1530–1599).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=sO14UjpJvJUC&q=Rogerii Chacon]  ''Vitae et Res Gestae Pontificum romanorum'' Tomus secundus (1601), p. 710.</ref><ref name="Gallia christiana XI, p. 77">''Gallia christiana'' XI, p. 77.</ref>

In 1333, the issue of the [[beatific vision]], which had been under discussion since a sermon of Pope John XXII in 1329, reached a serious stage.<ref>{{cite book|author=Jan Ballweg|title=Konziliare oder päpstliche Ordensreform: Benedikt XII. und die Reformdiskussion im frühen 14. Jahrhundert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qEmdJjGCNwIC&pg=PA155|year=2001|publisher=Mohr Siebeck|language=de|isbn=978-3-16-147413-2|pages=155–164}}</ref>  The French Royal Court had been hearing complaints from various quarters, and the King and Queen finally decided to seek competent advice.  The Pope knew that the University of Paris was hostile to his ideas, and so he sent Gerard Odonis, the Minister General of the Franciscans,<ref>William Duba, "The Beatific Vision in the ''Sentences'' Commentary of Gerard Odonis,"   {{cite book|author1=William Duba|author2=Christopher David Schabel|title=Gerald Odonis, Doctor Moralis and Franciscan Minister General: Studies in Honour of L. M. de Rijk|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZZSFIWK-DwC&pg=PA202|year=2009|publisher=Brill|location=Boston-Leiden|isbn=978-90-04-17850-2|pages=202–217}}</ref> and a Dominican preacher, to Paris to preach the Pope's views in public.  King Philip responded to the general indignation by summoning the Masters of Theology of the University to Vincennes just before Christmas 1334, where it appeared that there was general agreement against the Pope.  The King privately informed the Pope of their opinions, but the Pope harshly responded to the King that he should stop favoring an opinion which the Pope had not yet definitively settled.  The Pope ordered the Archbishop of Rouen, Pierre Roger, to set the Pope's view down in writing and explain it to the King.  Ironically, Pierre Roger was not on the Pope's side of the argument. A committee, which included Archbishop Roger, the theologian Pierre de la Palud (Petrus Paludensis), the Chancellor of France Guillaume de Sainte-Maure, the Archdeacon of Rouen Jean de Polenciac, and others, attempted to talk the Pope out of his notions.<ref name="Gallia christiana XI, p. 77"/> Early in 1334 Pope John XXII informed the King that he had ordered the Cardinals and prelates and Doctors of theology and of Canon Law at the Papal Court to look into the propositions thoroughly and report to him their findings.<ref>Baluze, I, pp. 789–790 [ed. Mollat, II, pp. 291–292.</ref>  John XXII was attempting to save face by placing the matter in the hands of a committee, but in the end, on his deathbed, he was compelled to repudiate his opinions, which were formally condemned by his successor, Benedict XII.<ref>The Bull ''Benedictus Deus'', issued on 29 January 1336: ''Bullarum, diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurensis editio''  [https://archive.org/details/04672031.4.emory.edu Tomus IV] (Turin 1859), pp. 345–347.</ref>

On 14 April 1335, Pierre Roger's friend and patron, Cardinal Pierre de Mortemart died, naming Pierre Roger as one of the executors of his Testament.<ref>''Gallia christiana'' XI, p. 77.  It also used to be said that Cardinal de Mortmart had been Chancellor of France;  this idea was rejected by Baluze, I, p. 763 [ed. Mollat, II, p. 265].</ref>

In September 1335 Archbishop Roger held a provincial council at Rouen in the Priory of Nôtre-Dame-du Pré (later called Bonne-nouvelle).<ref>Fisquet, p. 148.</ref> Two of his bishops were present, the other four were represented by procurators. The cathedral chapters of the province and the abbots of monasteries were invited as well.<ref>{{cite book|author=Gian Domenico Mansi|title=Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sAzjiq1M1z8C&pg=PP7|edition=editio novissima|volume=Tomus vicesimus quintus (XXV)|year=1782|publisher=Antonio Zatta|location=Venice|language=la|pages=1037–1046}}</ref>  The council issued a dozen canons, urging the lower clergy to be diligent in their assigned duties.  The most notable item was the encouragement given to bishops to facilitate the business of those who wished to join the King on crusade.

===Cardinalate===
Pierre Roger was created a [[cardinal-priest|Cardinal Priest]] by [[Pope Benedict XII]] (1334–1342) on 18 December 1338, in his only Consistory for the creation of cardinals.  He created six new cardinals: four were fellow monks (two Benedictines, a Cistercian, and a Mercedarian); one was from Rimini, the rest from southern France. Four were lawyers, two were theologians. One died before he received the red hat, and was replaced by another candidate.  Pierre Roger entered the Curia in Avignon for the first time on 5 May 1339, and received the [[Titular church|''titulus'']] of [[Santi Nereo e Achilleo]].<ref>Eubel, I, p. 17 and n. 8.</ref>