Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein IL 60060 USA

August 29, 2016
Memorial of St. John the Baptist

With the beginning of the month of September in a few days, we are fast approaching the date of our second centenary as a religious Congregation at the service of the Church, through the assistance of Bishops, to be observed on November 4, 2016.   To commemorate this in a special way this year, the Stigmatines will observe, as you may know, a very special meeting of the Stigmatine Laity to be held in Rome and Verona, from September 8 to 19.  We will be well represented by our dear members: Page and Ruthie Vandewater, and John Marzilli, from the state of Massachusetts, and Tereza and Vicente Lopes, Brazilians, living in Plano, Texas.

September is important to us as well, as this  September 20^th, will
mark the anniversary of St. Gaspar’s Priestly Ordination, September 20, 1800. This date began for a 53 year period of priestly service to the Church of that time offered by his oblation to the Mercy of God [cf. Rm 12:1, ff.]. It ended n June 12, 1853, the day of his being born into heaven.

 

On the commemoration of our First-Centenary, November 4, 1916 [during World War I], our Superior General at that time was Fr. John Baptist Tomasi.  As a very personal and much-cherished memory of mine is that I served Fr. Tomasi’s last Mass.  It was celebrated on the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, December 27, 1953. During his private Mass, he continually repeated the Creed after the Gospel – so I went to call the Superior, and it turned out that Fr. Tomasi had suffered a stroke. He was put to bed, and we were all present at his death about a week later, on January 2, 1954.

As Superior General, for the first centenary, Fr. Tomasi issued a real classical ‘Circular Letter’ as they were called in those days, to the entire Congregation In that wonderful letter, Fr. Tomasi wrote the following:

+

Preface

It would seem to me that I could not offer a better Preface for these historical recollections which see the light of day in order to recall the first centenary of our Congregation – than the Circular Letter that I sent out to the Confreres on that occasion. Along with this, I will also add the kind testimonies that have come to me from the authoritative persons to whom I thought myself to be duty-bound to have them participate in the remembrance of such an extraordinary occasion.

I wish with all my heart that this publication might animate us all to realize that yearning that I expressed in my letter, for the greater good of our Institute, souls and of the Church.

Fr. John Baptist Tommasi
Superior General

+

The Superior General
to all the venerable Fathers and beloved Brothers
of the religious Congregation of the
Stigmata of our Lord Jesus Christ

 

The 4^th day of November 1816, our Venerable Founder took possession of the locality of the House of the Stimmate and established there his dwelling, accompanied by Fr John Marani and by Brother Paul Zanoli, for the purpose of carrying out there the  holy plan with which the Lord had inspired him.  On that day, therefore, there began our beloved Congregation which as a result will complete on November 4^th next, the first century of its existence. In this centenary recurrence, the Congregation finds the world in conditions very similar to those which were experienced at its beginning. At that time, there were deeply felt the disastrous results of a world-wide crisis that had just terminated – while the crisis that so travails the world today is even more acute, and we are experiencing all the horrors of an inhuman war and all the alarm for its consequences, which will result from this for the cause of religion and society. Nonetheless, the memory of our beginnings ought to serve as some comfort in the present hour.

There was indeed the desolating spectacle of the devastation wreaked on the religious field by so many human deviations at the beginning of the last century. The occasion of all this served the Lord in order to lead our Venerable Founder to experience within himself the inspiration for a new religious community. He thus manifested, with still an additional argument, how the divine Providence always makes His purposes holy even when situated into the greatest human travail.

The fact that there can be no external celebrations would seem to be fitting for the circumstances in which we are living.  And therefore, with my present Circular Letter, I invite all the Confreres to celebrate on that day such a joyous recurrence, with some religious service of a family and intimate character, for the scope of thanking the Lord for all the benefits showered on our Congregation in this century of its existence, to placate the Divine Justice and to obtain the grace to keep ourselves ready for all He might permit as a just punishment for our own sins and those of others.

Let us pray above all that the Lord might concede to us, even at the cost of some heavy sacrifice, to re-acquire fully that secret of the saints, through which our early members knew how to harmonize together so many values which, by human criteria, are altogether irreconcilable. Our first confreres knew very well how to unite the following:

1. The continuous quest for the most humble, hidden way, given as the characteristic of their life, together with an illustrious reputation for holiness.
2. The most austere penance the most sincere joy.
3. A heroic detachment and an authentic spirit of poverty with the legitimate expenses undertaken for the buildings of the house and the Church, realized without debt, and also in taking care of them without sparing propriety and décor.
4. The most regular discipline with the most varied multiplicity of occupations.
5. The most complete subjection with the full development of the individual activities of the Confreres.
6. Their constant study and work with their most solid piety.

These conciliations represent the secret of the saints; they remain a mystery to this world, and precisely for this reason, they represent the divine character of the Lord’s works.  This secret ought to be the precious inheritance that our first Fathers and Brothers have left to us.  If we have lost these to some extent, may the Lord grant them to us anew.  And let there be the humble recognition that, in fact, we have lost these values in part, and the vivid yearning that we might reacquire this spirit in its entirety. These are the sole conditions that the Lord asks of us in order to bestow on us this important gift that would constitute for us the most beautiful celebration of our centenary.

In order to facilitate for us the acquisition of such a grace, the reception of the Apostolic Approbation of our Constitutions could indeed contribute to this. It is my hope that during this year, this grace will be granted.

I announce further that as a remembrance of such a happy experience as this is, that there are being published the historical recollections of our Religious Congregation.

I wish from my heart the blessings of heaven on all

Rome, October 24, 1916
Fraternally yours in the Merciful Lord
+++++

As we prepare for this special event in our lives and hearts, I offer a few, reflections of St. Gaspar himself, taken from his diary for the Month of September over 2 centuries ago.

Fraternally yours in the Merciful Lord,

Father Joseph Henchey, CSS
Acting Spiritual Director

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­___________________________________________________________________________

Appendix I:
Some Excerpts from St. Gaspar Bertoni’s Diary

 

Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein IL 60060

July 22, 2016
In Celebration of the New Feast
of St. Mary Magdalene!

Dear Stigmatine Laity,

On this date, July 22^nd, 2016, for the first time, the Liturgical commemoration in this Year of Mercy, of St. Mary Magdalene has been raised to the level of a liturgical “feast’.  This converted sinner was the fist one to be informed by the Lord Himself that He had risen unto the remission of our sins [Rm 4:25], and that she was to communicate that Good News with the Church – of which she was a privileged member, due to her unique presence as part of the “Christological Constellation” of New Testament saints, drawn ever toward the center of gravity, the Merciful Redeemer.  She was personally chosen for a Mission of Mercy and Hope by the Lord Himself – as He had first risen in her heart by her conversion and informed her before anyone else.

And once again, this is a date vitally meaningful for me personally – as, on this date 60 years ago, I celebrated my First Solemn Mass at St Anthony’s Church in North Woburn MA. My own vocation and that of several of my  contemporaries – [3 of us of those years who served  as altar boys there are still serving as active priests!] – were one of the visible results, it seems to me, – of the challenging priestly ministry of some wonderful parish priests assigned there over the late war  years  of the 1940’s, of our growing up there in that parish. [Hoping that I am not “over-doing it” in observing personal memories and anniversaries, the Stigmatine priesthood has been a great gift to me!  My only reason for my many observances of all these anniversaries is a request for your continuing kind prayers for me!].

As these wonderful memories succeed one another, I am reminded of the Stigmatine Vocation in itself.  As I am reminded of my first coming to the community – and the gradual understanding taught to me of the inspiring elements of  St. Gaspar Bertoni’s wonderful ideal of the merciful  Apostolic Mission for the Assistance service] of Bishops.  As we all strive to appreciate more this great gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church, I have been much inspired in recent months by a yet unpublished biography of St. Gaspar, a thoroughly researched document, now awaiting publication in Italy, written by a renowned Professor Ruggero Simonato – he is not a Stigmatine but one much inspired by St. Gaspar!  His work is entitled:  With Meekness and Joy – A Profile of Gaspar Bertoni. A Man of Counsel. In this voluminous manuscript, Professor Simonato offers well over 10 pages dedicated to the theme: ’Along the Challenging Path of a Common Life: (the writing of) the Constitutions’ by St. Gaspar.

Professor Simonato points out that for anyone reading the Original Constitutions of St. Gaspar, it would immediately become evident  that this work is truly a tight web of sublime citations, an analytical mosaic of inspiration,  summarizing the  teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Alphonsus Liguori. From Stigmatine sources we know that Fr. Bertoni wrote these 315 Constitutions during the last phase of his life, culminating a lived a community experience of nearly 25 years of Stigmatine life together with his companions. This small booklet bears much study and prayer for us, as it is a compendium of a life of atrocious physical suffering and his undying hope in Gods healing mercy.

In his rather  long life of 76 years – 37 years of which were  in the Stigmatine community – for so much of this time,  he was a quiet inspiration behind a wide  variety  of competent   apostolates – beginning with teaching school, preparing the way for the word of God in the hearts of the many poor student who came  – also in preparing future priests and religious – assisting the bishops through a very broad, but qualified ministry of the Word of God, these early were much dedicated  in  inspiring children toward their responsible presence in the future Church. Among these, was a young John Lenotti [the future second Superior General of the Stigmatines    – trained personally and with much loving care, by his Founder.  Jesus’ words’ and his challenging words found now in the Stigmatine Coat of Arms are Euntes Docete – in the Last chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, this is Jesus’ Apostolic Missionary Discourse after His Resurrection – go forth and communicate God’s word!  All of this was geared toward drawing in one’s own life a portrait of Jesus Christ.

When it came to providing a description of the ‘content’ of the Apostolic Mission, Professor Simonato notes [Foot=note # 1177] that there have been two opinions: that of Fr. Marani who saw in his time the need  to emphasize more the preaching of Parish Missions –  while  Fr. Lenotti [the first Novice Master after St. Gaspar himself], in his discourses to future  Stigmatines,  broadened the range of the Apostolic Mission in the light of St. Gaspar’s own use of a phrase taken verbally from the Formula of St. Ignatius of Loyola: Quodcumque Verbi Dei Ministerium .. quocumque in diocese et mundo [“any ministry of the word of God whatsoever,  and anywhere in the diocese and world”].

Professor Simonato’s summary of all this is his view that in the final analysis, Fr. Gaspar’s Original Constitutions were meant to provide the spiritual substance of St. Gaspar’s modus vivendi, way of life, in the following an evangelical Model – rather than being a juridical booklet that was specify its activities in a fixed manner. St. Gaspar emphasized the on-going interior spiritual formation and conversion typical of a committed Follower of Jesus Christ, ever open, docile and “abandoned” to the most abundant inspirations of the Holy Spirit. In St. Gaspar’s Original Constitutions, in this booklet was drawn out for the adherents the main points involved in this manner of living, its “spirituality’.

In the Stigmatine document for this month (enclosed), I will offer my own much-studied reflections on St. Gaspar’s development of the “Apostolic Mission” in the Introductory section – followed by a fresh approach of the same [in Italian] offered by Fr. Bruno Facciotti, present Vicar General of the Stigmatines. Let us pray for and with one another – through the intercession of St. Gaspar Bertoni – and of St. Mary Magdalene – for our deeper commitment to the Mercy of God in our own acceptance of God’s will.

Sincerely yours in the Mercy of God,

Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS
Acting Spiritual Director

 

Appendices:

Compendium Rude – a study by Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS

Compendium Rude – a study by P. Bruno Facciotti, CSS (in Italian)

Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein IL 60060

June 29, 2016
Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul, Apostles

Dear Sigmatine Laity,

 

With the coming of the month July, there is a great sense of gratitude in my heart for 60 years as a Stigmatine Priest, which I celebrate on July 1^st – remembering ordination day, of long ago in Rome on July 1, 1956.

Far more importantly, though, July is the month that St. Gaspar Bertoni began his own Spiritual Diary.  As a record of his earlier life and thoughts, his parish sermons make known to us those first years of his priesthood [he was ordained September 20, 1800] – whereas his Diary manifests to us his extraordinary graces inspiring his thoughts and ideals for that time just prior to his foundation of the Stigmatines, which happened 200 hundred years ago this coming November 4^th [1816]. His diary covers those years [1808-1813] immediately preceding his coming to found the Stigmatine Congregation.

+

His Spiritual Diary opens with these thoughts:

2nd JULY 1808

[2.]           Feast of the Sacred Heart. During Mass, at Consecration, at Communion and throughout the whole thanksgiving time, many tears of compunction and affection. In particular, during Communion, I felt for a moment as if my spirit was snatched away from all creatures, at the service [1] of its Creator.

[The Commentary of the Stigmatine historian, the late Fr. Joseph Stofella, follows];

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was introduced in 1765 and quickly adopted in Venice and in the Venetian Republic. In 1808 it was celebrated on the 2nd of July because on its established day, namely Friday 24^th of June, the liturgical calendar required the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. On this July 2^nd, the Church was within the Octave of the Holy Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul.  On July 2^nd, there was also observed the Feast of the Visitation of Mary Most Holy to St. Elizabeth.

All of this in no way lessens our interest in the fact that, in his entry on this Feast of the Sacred Heart, we have the first indication of some characteristic mystical gifts which God was going to grant to Fr Bertoni[2].  If we may say, here one sees what theologians call Piety as a gift of the Spirit[3]. Hence, the many tears of compunction and affection.  Compunction is intended here as a blend of spiritual illumination and a consequent feeling of one’s own inadequacy in front of the divine. What stands out here is that gift of the spirit snatched away from all creatures, at the service [obsequium] of its Creator. To this experience, Father Gaspar had contributed also by his own spiritual attitude[4].

St. John of the Cross teaches that “the soul cannot receive the light of divine union unless it first rejects affection for creatures”.  He also teaches that “every soul who wishes to climb the mountain of the Lord in order to make of himself an altar for the offering of pure love, of praise and service [ossequio], should have already fulfilled three conditions. The first is that it rejects from itself all affections and desires which are foreign to God. The second is that it should purify itself from the consequences of those affections which still remain by continually denying them and doing penance. The third condition is that it should change habits: only then the Lord himself will clothe it anew. Through such divine favor, the soul will finally be free from the old tastes and desires of the earthly man and will receive a new knowledge of God[5].

Fr. Bertoni had admired the detachment from all created things in the patron Saint of his priesthood, namely Saint Ignatius of Loyola – and certainly for the reason of imitating him. He had copied the following extract from his Life: “Ignatius’ heart was entirely detached from all created things which he loved only in God, while loving God in them. He used to say that:

… these are the true attitudes of those who leave the world for Christ: to forget as much as possible the things of the earth in order to better keep in mind those of heaven…[6]

Fr. Bertoni’s entire Journal is permeated by this spirit of total detachment.

+

Another very important entry made during this month of July is this following text, from the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, July 31, 1808:

30th JULY 1808

[17.]         For the examination of conscience one should choose a Saint of the same vocation as a mirror. In this way, one finds matter for confession every day. Whatever falls short of that Saint’s perfection is faulty.

“It is worthwhile to consider the method of Fr Bertoni in his daily Examination of Conscience. It is not surprising that during these examinations he sometimes was given remarkable gifts and graces. We have an example on 27 October 1808 when he wrote:

… In the first point of the Midday Examen, i.e. the thanksgiving, while prostrated on the floor in the sight of Heaven, I felt a deep sense of the divine presence with love and self-offering…

This maxim of Fr. Gaspar provides an insight into what should be every examen of conscience for one called to perfection.

Fr. Bertoni had chosen St Ignatius of Loyola as a model for his priestly vocation. He will tell us expressly in this JOURNAL on 15 Sept. The first biographer, Fr Giacobbe, wrote that Fr Bertoni admired and studied much the works and virtues of St Ignatius, and had reproduced them very faithfully. [7]  In fact, Fr Gaspar studied the Life of St Ignatius directly of at least four authors, i.e. Fr John Peter Maffei, Fr Peter Ribadeneira, Fr Daniel Bartoli and Fr Francis Mariani. Of the handwritten extracts from the four authors which we possess, several could be part of this Journal. They reveal not only admiration for the Saint, but also his endeavor to imitate him.

The original idea of modeling his life on that of a Saint could have come to Fr. Bertoni (after his boyhood practice of imitating Saint Aloysius Gonzaga), from the Imitation of Christ where he read: Look at the living examples of the Holy Fathers [8].  He found inspiration also in Fr. L. Scupoli’s Spiritual Combat:

… Compare your works with those of the Saints and other servants of God. In comparison with theirs, you will know that your best and greatest works are of very low quality and worth.  If you then compare them with those of Christ… (I am not talking on the side of his divinity, but purely as they have been humanly performed with sincerity and pure love)… you will see that yours are insignificant…  [9]

The Imitation of Christ and the classic of Scupoli appear as the first teachers of Fr. Bertoni.  We shall have a further proof in this “Journal.”

†

[18.]        To seek God alone. To see God in all things.  This is to make oneself superior to all human things.

+++

To commemorate these important texts, I submit for your reflection a rather lengthy meditation on St. Gaspar’s sources for the founding of the Stigmatines.  As we approach the actual date in this second centenary year of the founding of the community honoring the Sacred Stigmata of our Lord Jesus Christ, please pray with us as we seek to renew St. Gaspar’ Missionary and Apostolic Spirit in the hearts of us all.

Respectfully submitted in St. Gaspar Bertoni,

Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS  
Acting Spiritual Director

 

Attached documents:

• The Influence of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Ignatius Loyola in St. Gaspar Bertoni’s Charism: Missionarii Apostolici in OBSEQUIUM Episcoporum – Abandonment to God, Availability to the Church. Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS, in the Solemn Feast of St. Gaspar Bertoni, 2016;
• La Formula “In Obsequium” nel Linguagio di San Tommaso – Pe. Joseph Henchey, CSS, 1992.

†

Footnotes:

[1] Website [‘A Tribute to St. Gaspar Bertoni’ – www.st-bertoni.com – seção ‘Life & Spirituality’ – ‘A Trinitarian Charism of Hope’] Note: For the first time in this document, St. Gaspar uses the word ossequio [cf. obsequium, in: Rm 12:1, ff.] – one of Fr. Bertoni’s favorite words. Cf. ‘Published Studies’ under St. Gaspar Bertoni’s Trinitarian Charism of Hope,   on this Website.

[2]   Website Note [‘A Tribute to St. Gaspar Bertoni’ – www.st-bertoni.com – seção ‘Writings & Works – Memoriale Privato]:  Fr. Stofella notes that the Sacred Heart is also near Fr. Bertoni’s final entry in his Journal [cf. June 26, 1813].  He also noted a mystical grace,  his ecstasy regarding the Sacred Heart [on May 30, 1812]. For Fr. Bertoni, his devotion to the Sacred Heart often served as his vehicle for the presentation of his integral understanding of the Paschal Mystery – both its sorrowful aspects as well as its glorious dimensions. A few days after his May 30^th, 1812 ecstasy, he spoke on the Sacred Heart – emphasizing the wound in the side retained in Christ’s Risen Body [cf. MssB 1755-1778] [cf. J. Henchey, ‘Una Speranza Missionaria formata ed expressa nelle sue divozioni e nel suo servizio ecclesiale’, in: Symposium Bertonianum.  Verona: Edizioni Stimmgraf 1990, pp.143-160. This idea is found:

• in his parish sermons [cf. MssB ## 464; 475; 490;494; 517; 1300; 1305; 1308; 1312; 1314; 1315; 1317; 1318; 1322; 1759; 1771, , ff.;
• in his Letters: MssB 9510; 9689; 9707;
• in his preaching to priests and seminarians: MssB ## 2632; 2635; 2637; 2647. It is found often in Fr. Gaspar’s Meditations on Primum Regum, based on St. Gregory the Great: MssB ## 4899; 4957; 4984; 4991; 4999; 5094 and 9707 – among other texts.

The integral theme of the Paschal is found from his earliest written documents: his parish sermons up through his last letters to Fr. Bragato [cf. the same website, under ‘Life & Spirituality’ –  Stimmate Integre].

[3] Cf. Fr. Nello Dalle Vedove, Un Modello di S. Abbandono,   pp. 53, 186.

[4] Website (as quoted above) Note: there is offered a reflection on the Ignatian spirituality contained in the word obsequium – cf.  this website, Studies on St. Gaspar’s Compendium Rude.

[5] John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel.  C. 4, 1; c. 5, 7.  Roma 1940: Ed. Opere, pp.17, 24, f.

[6] Mariani, Life…  Book 4, c. 2, pp. 337.

[7] Summarium Additionale,   Document 36, p. 456.

[8] Imitation of Christ,   Book I, c. 18.

[9] Spiritual Combat, c. 32.

Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein IL 60060

Corpus Domini 2016

Dear Sigmatine Laity,

With the wonderful celebrations of Easter, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday behind us now for another year, this day’s Feast summarizes and perpetuates – re-presents – all our celebrations – making the Paschal Mystery of Christ sacramentally renewed every day.  In so many ways, our lives, too, are meant to be Liturgical or “Eucharistic”:

• Life is an Offertory made to the Mercy of God [Rm12:1]

• Christ Consecrated Himself – and us – to come into this world [Jn 10:36; 17:19];

• Christ is a Holy Communion with His Father and Us [cf. Jn 14:10].

When the Stigmatine historians write about St. Gaspar Bertoni and his spirituality, they note his very strong Christological dimension – as well as his Trinitarian perspective. This then seems to be unified under his Eucharistic devotion. It would suffice to read St. Gaspar’s own spiritual diary[1] to bear this out.

The late Fr. Cornelio Fabro, CSS [†May 4, 1995] clarified another dimension, that is the educative reality of years of suffering in his life that brought him closer to God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This seems to have been for him a lived fulfillment of the Merciful High Priest in service of His Father: … Son though he was, Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered… [Heb 5:8].

St. Gaspar seemed to live this dictum quite well in his own decades-long experience with atrocious pain. Much of his priestly life [53 years] was offered in suffering. Confined for the most part “between his bed and armchair”, he accepted his discomfort as the “School of God”.

When dark times come to us and our loved ones, we can find much comfort in the example of St. Gaspar and ask for his help in humble prayer. The late Stigmatine, Fr. Ignazio Bonetti [†March 10, 1998] wrote a very fine synopsis of the Founder’s spirituality[2], based perhaps on the idea of Cardinal Newman’s Grammar of Assent.  We offer this fundamental picture of our Founder’s spirit for our approaching Solemnity of St. Gaspar, this June 12, 2016. The best devotion is “imitation.”

God bless you all – let us continue to pray for each other.

Respectfully yours in St. Gaspar,

Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS
Acting Spiritual Director

Appendix I:

ST. GASPAR BERTONI: SOME RUDIMENTS OF HIS SPIRITUAL WRITINGS

Edited by Rev. Ignazio Bonetti, CSS – 1993.
Original title: La Grammatica di Don Gaspare Bertoni.
English translation by Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS – 2005 [with the latest revision in 2014].

Appendix II:

THE SPIRITUAL JOURNAL OF ST. GASPAR BERTONI

With a commentary by Fr. Giuseppe Stofella, CSS – 1962.
Original title: Memoriale Privato di Don Gaspare Bertoni.
English translation by Rev. Giancarlo Mittempergher – 1992.

Appendix III:

THE SPIRITUAL JOURNAL [MEMORIALE PRIVATO] OF ST. GASPAR BERTONI: A REFLECTION ON THE 200th ANNIVERSARY OF ITS INCEPTION

Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS – 2008.

†
†††
†

 

[1] Memoriale Privato di Don Gaspare Bertoni [Spiritual Journal of St. Gaspar Bertoni].

[2] La Grammatica di Don Gaspare Bertoni [St. Gaspar Bertoni: Some Rudiments of his Spiritual Writings].

Mundelein Seminary
1000 East Maple Avenue
Mundelein IL 60060

Our Lady of Good Counsel
April 26, 2016

Dear Stigmatine Lay Member,

This year, Pentecost will be celebrated on May 15, 2016.  After taking some counsel on this, it seemed like sharing Fr. José Alberto Moura’s doctoral these, The Holy Spirit in the Charism of Fr. Gaspar Bertoni could be a help for all of us Stigmatines, to prepare spiritually for Pentecost.  Father Moura was the youngest confrere in our Stigmatine history ever to be elected Father General.  He is presently the Archbishop of Montes Claros, MG in Brazil.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers very briefly to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and just mentions the Gift of Counsel, [cf. CCC ## 1830, f.] – a heart to hear conversation first with God in contemplation, and then a heart to heart exchange of God’s Word which has been contemplated, is another way of expressing St. Gaspar’s ideal only to hand on only what we have first prayed over ourselves.  This particular liturgical commemoration of Our Lady [often invoked through the month of May] is chosen also remembering an experience of long years ago – in the spring of 1953 – the American Stigmatine Students studying in Rome went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel, in Genazzano, Italy near Rome.

St. Thomas Aquinas provides a rather lengthy treatment of the Gifts of the Hoy Spirit[1] – in one classical study, the treatment of the Gift of Counsel covers from pp.  155-171. For St. Thomas, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are among the effects of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit[2].   Counsel is that Gift which perfects the virtue of Prudence. This Gift of the Spirit is a habit of the soul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, helping one to judge rightly that which must be done in view of the goal that God sets for us all, viz., eternal life with Him[3].

Giving counsel is a prime Stigmatine apostolate of God’s word, “evangelical conversation”, as St. Ignatius referred to it.  There is an excellent and truly inspiring biography of St. Gaspar Bertoni, has not yet been published – but hopefully, soon will be.  In this magnificent work, Professor Ruggero SImonato entitles his biographical study as: With Meekness and Joy: A Profile of Gaspar Bertoni, a Man of Counsel.

In this wonderful work, Professor Simonato[4] speaks of St. Gaspar as being available as best he could  to the very last  days of his life,  to the Church  in his “Any Ministry of the Word of God Whatsoever” [a formula derived from St. Ignatius by St Gaspar].  Spiritual Direction was just about the last aspect of the Apostolic Mission that St. Gaspar could offer just prior to his death on Jun 12, 1853.

From his bed of almost daily atrocious pain and discomfort, St. Gaspar continued to read – or to have someone read to him. He would listen and meditate in the depths of his soul, even when he could no longer write.  When even movement in bed became difficult for him, he would still welcome anyone who needed his help, or anyone who had just wanted to visit.  He proved to be something of a ray of light on the night of those needing some direction and encouragement, emitting the light of his biblical and spiritual counsel.

His spiritual direction was modeled primarily on that of St. Ignatius of Loyola through his classical Spiritual Exercises.  The experts who have studied St. Gaspar in this aspect of his Apostolic Mission, also noted a similarity in his approach to offering spiritual direction, also  much in accord with the gentle loving method   of St. Francis de Sales.  St. Gaspar’s discourse was highly seasoned with biblical and patristic insights – he seemed to strive to lead those willing to follow his advice into the very depths of their own humanity. He always maintained that in the depths of one’s nothingness, one will always find God.

St. Gaspar is described in this phase of his life with his loving, learned style of spiritual paternity, with great cordiality and much humor in his face to face meetings.  As a spiritual father, St. Gaspar numbered some outstanding directees both men and women.  Among the women were the foundresses such as Leopoldina Naudet, Teresa Compostrina, St. Magdalene of Canossa and others.  The future Cardinal of Verona,  Luigi di Canossa – a contemporary of the English Cardinal Newman even as an old man, nourished  a high esteem for St. Gaspar who so nourished the old Cardinal’s boyhood years. There would be St. Daniel Comboni, Founder of the African Missionary Fathers of the Sacred Heart of Verona – and also the renowned philosopher, Fr. Anthony Rosmini[5].  Fr. Bertoni’s message was always one that inspired inner peace, and encouraged holiness in all who came to him.

So, this year, for our month of Mary reflection, we offer the wonderful doctoral thesis of Archbishop José Alberto Moura, CSS.   From this brilliant work, we will see the workings of the Holy Spirit in St. Gaspar – his deep interior instincts of the Spirit  – and the awesome sense of hope that he expressed by his long life, as one steeped in hope for the Mercy of God.  Let us ask our Lady of Good Counsel for help in being attentive to the whispered insights of the Holy Spirit.

Sincerely yours in the Healing Stigmata of Jesus Christ,

Fr. Joseph Henchey, CSS
Acting Spiritual Director

 

NOTES:

[1] John of St. Thomas, Gifts of the Holy Spirit,   Sheed & Ward 1951.

[2] Barthelemy Froget, OP, The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Newman Press 1952, pp. 263, ff.

[3] Antonio Royo Marín, OP, The Theology of Christian Perfection NY: Christian Perfection 1962, pp. 373, ff.

[4] Con mItezza e gioia. Prifilo di Gaspare Bertoni, uomo di consiglio. To be published – Part V.  Nel cuore della città, # 3.

[5] All the women and men mentioned in this paragraph are briefly presented in Appendix I.

APPENDICES:

Brief Biographies (English)

The Holy Spirit in the Charism of St. Gaspar Bertoni

†
†††
†