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Blessed Antonio Rosmini PDF

156 Pages·2007·1.97 MB·English
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SPECIAL EDITION Witness Number 22 November 2007 A journal for the members and friends of the Institute of Charity Blessed Antonio Rosmini 1797-1855 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini Contents A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini Introduction 4 Chapter 1 - Early Life & Studies 8 Chapter 2 - Vocation to the Priesthood 12 Chapter 3 - The Principle of “Passivity” 19 Chapter 4 - The founding of the Institute of Charity 22 Chapter 5 - At Rome: the blessing of Pope Pius VIII 29 Chapter 6 - Expansion and Formal Approval of the Institute of Charity 32 Chapter 7 - First Controversy 1840-1843 39 Chapter 8 - The Roman Mission 1848-1849 45 Chapter 9 - Further Persecutions and the Dimittantur 1850-1854 52 Chapter 10 - Rosmini’s holy death at Stresa, 1st July 1855 57 Rosmini Philosophy Chapter 1 - The “Rosminian Question” 63 Chapter 2 - What are the main issues of philosophy today? 67 Chapter 3 - Is there an objective, universal Truth? 72 Chapter 4 - The Human Person 83 Chapter 5 - Person and Morality 94 Chapter 6 - Education 99 The Spirituality of Blessed Rosmini Chapter 1 - Holiness (1st Maxim) 108 Chapter 2 - Love for the Church (2nd Maxim) 117 Chapter 3 - The Call to Serve the Church (3rd Maxim) 126 Chapter 4 - Divine Providence (4th Maxim) 140 Chapter 5 - Acknowledge our Nothingness (5th Maxim) 144 Chapter 6 - The Will of God in Daily Life (6th Maxim) 149 All editorial correspondence to: Fr. A. Belsito, Rosmini Centre, 433 Fosse Way, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake, Leicester, LE7 4SJ – Tel. 01509 81 3078; e-mail: [email protected] 2 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini “It is holiness that makes us dear to God” Rosmini by Zuccoli, 1850 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini Introduction Blessed Antonio Rosmini died on (for the offering must not consist 1st July 1855, on the feast day of the in external words only) from the Precious Blood of JESUS. Found on thought that the Father may accept his bedside cabinet was a worn-out the offering of a sacrifice that he booklet of personal prayers entitled, himself cannot consummate. If so, “Jesu Christi Passio”, containing he should commend and abandon some devotions to the Precious himself wholly into the hands of this Blood of Jesus given to him by St. most loving Father…” (Const.762) Magdalene of Canossa in the distant 1821. He had written on it, as a Few doubt that God accepted the reminder to himself: sincere offering that Fr. Rosmini made of himself to Him daily, for “The Commemorations in honour of love of the Church and of humanity. the most precious Blood of our Lord His “martyrdom” started in earnest, Jesus Christ are to be recited daily, so continued for all his life, and was that our own blood may be offered carried forward by his sons and to the heavenly Father in union with daughters until very recently. Pope that of Jesus”. John Paul II acknowledged the “extraordinary trials” that afflicted In the Constitutions, the foundation Fr. Rosmini, adding, “It was book of the Institute of Charity through such trials that his holiness and of the Sisters of Providence, Fr. was made perfect and he became a Rosmini established this devotion as witness of how to love the Church, proper to his sons and daughters: work for the Church, and suffer for the good of the Church” (10 “The offering of our blood in November 1988). union with the Blood of Jesus our Redeemer is an act of piety for The Beatification of Fr. Rosmini which we shall have a special love. is a great event for the Church: it We desire this offering to be made is not only a public expression of frequently. Each one should make the heroic virtues of the Servant the offering with humility, fearful of God that make him a model to and trembling on his own account, imitate and that allow the faithful to but greatly comforted through his publicly venerate him, but it is also hope of union with the Blood of a full acceptance by the Church of Jesus, our God and Lord. He may his spirituality and charism, and a suffer considerable apprehension solemn declaration that the spiritual 4 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini path traced by him is in accordance It was the late Bishop Riva who with the Gospel and leads to Christ. wrote, when called to be a “peritus” during the sessions of Vatican II, Thus, the beatification of Fr. Rosmini “Many think that Antonio Rosmini is both the closing of an era and has his place among the ranks of the beginning of a new one. The great men. Whether this is true or long, dark days of the “Rosminian not, it is certain that in following Question”1 have been swept away the comments of the various by the light shed by the Documents commissions of the Council one of Vatican II and the subsequent becomes aware of the fundamental statements from the Congregation harmony between the teaching of for the Doctrine of the Faith, Rosmini and the numerous points especially the “Nota” issued on 1st brought to light by the Fathers of July 2001 by the will of John Paul the Council. Sometimes one could II and with the signatures of the see in his teachings the reply to Cardinals Joseph Ratzinger and problems occupying the Fathers in Tarcisio Bertone: their discussion” (Riva, in Charitas 1965-1966) “The reasons for anxiety and doctrinal doubts that prompted Fr. Rosmini himself had anticipated the promulgation of the decree the happy conclusion in the midst “Post Obitum” – [condemning 40 of the storm, when he wrote to propositions taken from works a friend, “This is my most firm published mainly after Fr. Rosmini’s persuasion: the Church will examine death] – are now to be considered all my writings, and not only she will obsolete, since it is clear that what find my doctrines pure and sound, was thought to be motivation for but she will contribute with her doubts and difficulties does not judgment to make them even more belong properly to the authentic useful to the public”; and again, “I position of Rosmini”. will wait trustingly for the day when the Lord will calm the wind and the It has now become obvious to every sea. What beautiful and clear day I unbiased Catholic philosopher or can see after the terrible storm”. theologian that Fr. Rosmini’s vast literary production not only does The beatification is also the not contain anything which is not beginning of a new era. Fr. Rosmini in perfect accordance with the is an extra-ordinary man, whose life doctrines of the Church but that was lived fully in the light of truth it actually makes a tremendous and the fire of charity. Popes Pius contribution for a deeper and clearer VII, Pius VIII, Leo XII, Gregory XVI understanding based on strong and had indicated to him personally as solid philosophical and theological the will of God the double mission principles. of restoring Catholic philosophy and theology by writing books in 1 see page 63 5 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini order to bring people to Christ by The beatification imposes once again means of reason, and to establish the and with greater urgency on the Institute of Charity (and the Sisters members of the Rosminian Family of Providence) in order to increase the responsibility to make known temporal, intellectual, spiritual to the world the holiness of life, charity at the service of the Church the works of charity, teachings on and of humanity. spirituality, theology, and philosophy of their Founder. He is a man of He fulfilled his mission dutifully and extreme relevance today who can with great passion and zeal, until his shed significant light on many of the death. He wrote over 100 books on problems that confront peoples and philosophy and theology covering all cultures. major aspects of particular sciences, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, John Paul II, only a few years ago, philosophy of right, philosophy of reminded the Rosminians of their education, politics, anthropology, fundamental mission: “As the psychology, theodicy, supernatural Church prepares to enter the third anthropology, theosophy, and many Christian Millennium, she regards others. Taking his prompt from the evangelisation of culture a his definition of philosophy as the vital part. You Rosminians have “science of ultimate reasons”, his the specific mission to indicate the investigation dealt with the ultimate path of freedom, of wisdom, and of principles that are the source and truth, which is always the path of origin of each dependent science, charity and of the Cross. This is your deducting logically secondary religious and cultural vocation, no principles and applications. less than it was the vocation of your far-seeing Founder”. His system of truth, characterised by “unity” and “totality”2, constitutes This booklet is meant for the general a most formidable system of public as a means of providing some Christian philosophy not inferior basic information about the life to the great systems produced and work of Fr. Rosmini. Although by St. Augustine and St. Thomas detailed written material on Fr. Aquinas, both revered by him as Rosmini is abundant and easily his teachers and guides, with the available, many friends of the wider advantage that he had acquired a Rosminian Family, in our Parishes, most profound knowledge of all Colleges, and other works of charity, modern philosophers as well, from often ask for a simpler, brief, but Locke and Hume to Descartes, from accurate presentation of the life and Kant and Fichte to Hegel, drawing teaching of Fr. Rosmini. from them every scrap of truth but criticising ruthlessly their deviations from the truth.  2 see page 153 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini The major events of the life of Fr. Rosmini will be examined with a view of presenting the holiness of the man the Church is giving us as a model worthy of imitation. The second section will endeavour to present in a simple but relevant way some of the main teachings of Fr. Rosmini on Philosophy, Theology, and Spirituality, avoiding as far as possible complicated and abstract language. It may be appropriate to end this introduction by quoting the prophetic words of Pope Paul VI in 1972: “Rosmini was a great man, too little known today. He was a man of great learning and wisdom… His thinking and spirit ought to be made known and imitated, and perhaps he himself should be invoked as a protector in heaven. We look forward eagerly to the day when that will happen”. 7 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini Chapter 1 Early Life and Studies³ “God gave me the grace to be born on the Vigil of the feast of the Annunciation” Ro8smini, Sketch of a self portrait A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini Antonio Rosmini was born His brother Giuseppe, one at Rovereto, a small town in year younger, displayed instead Trentino then part of the Austrian an awkward and difficult Empire, on 24 March 1797. personality; he married at the The Rosmini Family enjoyed age of forty, at the insistence of great wealth and belonged to Antonio, but left no children. The the nobility of the Empire. The last son of Pier Modesto, born father, Pier Modesto, was an three years after Antonio and upright, austere, and conservative called Felice, died during the first man, faithful to Austria and with year of his life. a keen interest in the affairs of his town. The mother, Giovanna Antonio had the good fortune dei Conti Formenti, was an of living a happy childhood, amiable woman, discrete, warm, full of innocent fun, open to educated, and with a keen eye for warm and lasting affections. the administration of the family’s The Rosmini household, which wealth; she looked after her included servants and tutors children with wisdom and had loved and kept for life, was a a lasting influence on Antonio. very traditional Catholic family, “You have as mother the most where faith and devotions issued gifted woman I know”, wrote to naturally and powerfully. The him Tommaseo, a famous Italian centre of the great mansion was writer and a life-long friend since the chapel, used daily for prayers their days at the University of and meditation; and yet, Pier Padua. Modesto was keen that the family should take part fully in Parish Antonio had a sister, Gioseffa activities and participate in the Margherita, three years older social and cultural life of the than himself, a dear friend and community of Rovereto, where companion, sharing with him they enjoyed great prestige and not only childhood games but, authority. more importantly, spiritual and Christian interests and ideals; she Above the altar of the chapel at became a Canossian sister and home, there stood a beautiful died at Verona in 1833, at the Crucifix painted by Antonio’s age of 36, consumed by her love uncle Ambrogio, his father’s for God and neighbour. On that bachelor brother who lived with occasion, Rosmini wrote, “I did the family. Uncle Ambrogio not think it possible for one to was a very learned man, gifted experience such a great sorrow”. as a painter and architect, 9 3 see page 153 A Brief Life of Blessed Antonio Rosmini and passionate about culture to finish every book he started, generally. He soon realised always took abundant notes, and the extraordinary natural gifts never wasted a moment of his of Antonio and encouraged time. him from a very early age to cultivate his highly inquisitive He thus became fully acquainted mind and hunger for knowledge, with all the works of the Fathers introducing him to the substantial of the Church, the history of the collection of books in the family Roman Empire, the works of library. Plato (in Latin), and all Italian and Latin Classics. There is By the age of five, with the help no doubt that by the age of 16 of his tutor, he had learnt to read Antonio had laid the foundations and write, practising on the Bible, of an immense erudition, later The Acts of the Martyrs, and The prompting his friend Manzoni, Lives of Saints. the greatest Italian writer of the 19th century and himself Although it was common for a voracious reader, to say in aristocratic families to have their admiration, “There seems to be no children educated at home, Pier book that Rosmini has not read!” Modesto insisted that his son should attend the public schools Since Rovereto had no College in Rovereto, to show his support for Further Education, the nearest for the educational endeavours ones being either in Trento or of the civic authorities. Antonio Verona, Pier Modesto and other completed successfully the ten wealthy parents decided to set years of his formal education, up a private class in Rovereto revealing clear signs of precocious for the further education of their extraordinary talents. children, under the direction of the learned priest Pietro Orsi. During the same period, his immense attraction for Physics, Mathematics, and knowledge found vast scope in Philosophy were the main the rich library at home, where subjects and Antonio fell in love he spent most of his time, reading at once with the new disciplines, and researching, with the help of engaging in profound research Uncle Ambrogio. Faithful to three and lively debates with his tutor resolutions made when he was 11 and friends. He manifested a years old, which he kept for the most intense love for Philosophy rest of his life, he endeavoured which he defined to a friend 10

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Chapter 3 - The Principle of “Passivity”. 19. Chapter 4 Chapter 5 - At Rome: the blessing of Pope Pius VIII. 29. Chapter .. Physics, Mathematics, and.
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