June 12
St. Gaspar Bertoni
Life
GASPAR BERTONI was born in Verona, in the Republic of Venice, on October 9, 1777, of Francis Bertoni and Brunora Ravelli of Sirmione. He was baptized the following day by his grand-uncle, Fr. James Bertoni, in the parish church of St. Paul, in the Campo Marzo section of Verona. On both sides of the family, the profession of "Notary" was exercised, and from an old legal document, it can be seen that the family was fairly well off. Even more outstanding, however, was the practice of the faith. Following the death of his baby sister, young Gaspar remained the only child. He had the benefit of an excellent education both at home and at St. Sebastian's school, that was conducted by the municipality after the suppression of the Jesuits. They, however, continued teaching and also in the direction of the Marian Congregation. Young Bertoni here came under the influence of Fr. Louis Fortis, who would in the future be the first Jesuit General after the reinstatement of the Company of Jesus. From the grace of his first Holy Communion at age 11, Gaspar Bertoni was called to a life of mystical union. His vocation to the priesthood matured, and at 18, he entered the seminary. In frequenting the theological course as an extern student, he found in his professor of moral theology, Fr. Nicholas Galvani, an excellent spiritual director.
During his first year of theology, he witnessed the invasion of the French armies (June 1, 1796). This was the beginning of a 20 year period of great upheaval for his native city. Inspired by deep charity, he dedicated himself to the assistance of the sick and wounded, as a member of a Gospel Fraternity for the Hospitals, that had just then been instituted by the Servant of God, Fr. Peter Leonardi. At his priestly ordination (September 20, 1800), at the dawn of a new century, he found himself in a world in need of much assistance for the resolution of the serious problems that disturbed it. His pastor assigned the youth of parish to his pastoral care. He dedicated himself with all his energies and great organizational ability to the new mission. He established an Oratory in the form of a "Marian Cohort", that had as its goal the Christian and social formation of the youth. All such organizations were suppressed by a decree from Napoleon (1807), and Fr. Bertoni reserved the carrying out of his plans for better times.
Meanwhile, he took over the spiritual direction of a community founded then by St. Magdalena of Canossa at St. Joseph's Convent (May 1808). It was here that he met the Servant of God, Leopoldina Naudet, whom he would then spiritually guide to the heights of the mysticism of holy abandonment and to the foundation of the Sisters of the Holy Family. He extended this aspect of his ministry to another Servant of God, Teodora Campostrini, of a noble family, both in the discernment of her vocation, as in the foundation of her Community, of the "Sorelle Minime" of the Charity of the Sorrowful Mother.
By September of 1810, he had already moved from his family home after the death of his mother, and was transferred from St. Paul's Parish, to St. Firmus Major. Here, the bishop also entrusted him with the spiritual direction of the seminarians in the diocesan seminary. A solid spiritual and theological formation of the young was always the clear objective of the frequent gatherings that he held in his own home. At this time, he began to organize this endeavor in a more orderly fashion. His overall idea was the renewal of the clergy based on an unconditional adherence to the Supreme Pontiff, Pius VII, at that time, Napoleon's prisoner. For Fr. Bertoni, the Pontiff, was always "the first and irremovable stone" of the Church. The reform of the Church had to begin from the sanctuary itself, with the return of its ministers to the integral following of the Gospel. The diocesan seminary was going through a very bad crisis. However, in a short time it regained its proper form, and even assumed a monastic aspect as a contemporary witness stated.
With the fall of Napoleon, the need for restoration was widely felt. Fr. Bertoni clearly understood that to gather the flock once again, it would be necessary to awaken them by the presentation of the fundamental truths of the faith through the preaching of missions to the people. On December 20, 1817, Pope Pius VII conferred on him a precise mandate, by conferring on him the faculty of "apostolic missionary". While the suspicious government of Austria forbade this specific ministry, Fr. Bertoni dedicated himself to other preaching and catechetical instruction. While becoming all things to gain all for Christ, Fr. Bertoni cultivated a very intense interior life. From the reading of his Spiritual Diary, it appears that he was also grace by mystical gifts. Among these, was the call, made evident to him by grace, to the foundation of a religious family.
On November 4, 1816, with two companions, he moved into a small house, adjacent to a suppressed Church, that bore the title of "the Sacred Stigmata of St. Francis (from this, the name of his community was eventually adapted; in this small church, he also worked to spread the devotion to the Passion and the wounds of Christ). In a very unostentatious manner, the new community opened a tuition-free school, offering this and other gratuitous services to the Church and society. The men lived together a common life of strict observance and penance. An intense life of contemplation was joined to a broad apostolate, including the Christian education of the youth, the formation of the clergy and missionary preaching, in perfect availability to the requests of the bishop.
Right after an ecstasy that he experienced praying before a Crucifix (on May 30, 1812), he suffered a first attack of "miliary fever" that brought him to the very threshold of death. Almost miraculously, he did recover but for the rest of his 41 years of life he remained in poor health, all this while giving a wonderful example of patience and heroic confident abandonment to God.
Even from his sick-bed, suffering indescribable discomfort, he became the "angel of counsel" for countless persons who sought him out. A number among these were gifted human beings, who were founding charitable works, such as Blessed Charles Steeb, the Servants of God, Fr. Nicholas Mazza and Fr. Anthony Provolo - and others from outside the city, who came to Verona to meet with him.
An authentic image of Christ Crucified, with his nearly 300 surgical procedures on his right leg that he endured, he could not suffer enough for the good of the Church and the salvation of souls. Once his infirmarian asked him if he needed anything - and among his last words were: "I need to suffer". In a vision of vivid hope in the Risen Christ, bearing the signs of His Triumph, and supported by the Holy Spouses and Patrons, Mary and Joseph, he died a holy death, at 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon, June 12, 1853. His Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ, enriched by so many sufferings, gradually spread beyond Verona, to other cities in Italy, and then to the United States, to Brazil (where it presently has 6 Bishops), to Chile, to the Philippines and to mission territories: South Africa, the Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Thailand.
Source: https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19891101_bertoni_en.html
Scripture (1 Pet 2:21b-25)
Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Writings
(Year C). Blessed are the poor in spirit [Mt 5:3]. This is the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. How fortunate I am, as it is my task to shed some light on these very words, Blessed are the poor in spirit. In this sense, I, too, can say: Learn of me [Mt 11:29] - in much the same sense that the Apostle was able to say: Wherefore, I beseech you, be followers of me, as I also am of Christ. [1 Co 4:16]. I know all too well the heavenly beauty of this virtue of which I speak now. Whenever a living example is seen of it, even without any words at all, this becomes most eloquent to make itself loved. However, it is my challenge to find the proper expressions in order to be able to direct your thoughts. So, I ask you, do not take my example, gentle audience - do not be hindered by my most proud nothingness, because I am really a sinner. I ask you this so that I might not destroy with my deeds whatever my preaching might build up.
See how beautiful humility is. It is something like a stunning garment - and I do not know if I should say that it embellishes, or covers. It caresses, something like a gentle breeze on that visage and crowns it. If itself, humility draws more attention than do tasteless garlands that strive to draw the glances of an admiring world. In modesty, humility is as a veil over one’s eyes that are never raised to look down on the defects of others, or that scan incessantly seeking to notice faults that really are not there. Humility colors one’s face in embarrassment, even at the suspicion of being praised. This virtue imposes a rigid silence regarding the internal qualities that one indeed may possess. Rather, humility is not afraid to make known one’s own unnoticed faults, and personal confusion, to lower oneself in the esteem of others.
This humble self-deprecation is really sweeter than honey to the taste, and is more melodious than the most harmonious music to the ears of God and of other human beings. Humility shakes loose from one’s hand those sturdy canes offered by nature, and rivets one’s attention of the Crucified. This enables one to gaze upon the Cross and to imitate this in one’s own life. Humility guides one’s steps to prefer to be lowly in the house of one’s Lord, rather than to be seated and reverenced in the tabernacles of sinners [cf. Ps 83:11].
This is humility, and how beautiful it is! My listeners, direct your attention to me, while I speak of this to you. Be content, I beg you, to extend to me your courteous attention. I really hope that I am able to offer even additional reasons to embrace this virtue which is both beautiful and lovable. If only I am able to show you how necessary this virtue is, how useful and how easy it is to acquire it. this is the challenge that is before me now.
So, will you say that humility is difficult? Should that be the case, time does not allow me very much space for the proof. However, here is one means that could render it most easy. And what would this be? Simply, know yourselves. The fact is that the whole difficulty that one might encounter in humbling him/herself springs from precisely this that one lacks such self-knowledge. Some finally esteem themselves more than they really merit, believing themselves superior to all. However, once a person comes to know him/herself, that each is made up of dust and ashes- that no one has anything that does not derive from God - how could it not be easy for such an individual to render the tribute of obsequious reverence of all praise, due to God?
The realization that one is indeed a sinner, worthy of hell- that no one has assurance of pardon - that each is capable of the worst iniquities, that there is no certainty of perseverance: how could anyone with like convictions feel any repugnance in his heart, in becoming more unassuming like other human beings? (Sermon on Humility)
Musical Selection
Collect