BENEDICT XVI GENERAL AUDIENCE
Paul VI Hall
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
St. Robert Bellarmine
Dear brothers and sisters,
St. Robert Bellarmine, to whom I wish to speak today, there door with the memory at the time of the painful division of Western Christianity, when a major political and religious crisis caused the detachment of entire nations by the Apostolic See.
Born October 4, 1542 in Montepulciano, near Siena, was the nephew, his mother's side of Pope Marcellus II. He had an excellent liberal arts education before entering the Society of Gesù il 20 settembre 1560. Gli studi di filosofia e teologia, che compì tra il Collegio Romano, Padova e Lovanio, incentrati su san Tommaso e i Padri della Chiesa, furono decisivi per il suo orientamento teologico. Ordinato sacerdote il 25 marzo 1570, fu per alcuni anni professore di teologia a Lovanio. Successivamente, chiamato a Roma come professore al Collegio Romano, gli fu affidata la cattedra di “Apologetica”; nel decennio in cui ricoprì tale incarico (1576 – 1586) elaborò un corso di lezioni che confluirono poi nelle Controversiae, opera divenuta subito celebre per la chiarezza e la ricchezza di contenuti e per il taglio prevalentemente storico. Si era concluso da poco il Concilio di Trento e per la Chiesa Cattolica era need to strengthen and confirm their identity, even compared to the Protestant Reformation. The action of Bellarmine was in this context. From 1588 to 1594 was the spiritual father of the first students of the Jesuit Collegio Romano, among whom he met and directed St. Aloysius Gonzaga, and then the religious superior. Pope Clement VIII appointed him papal theologian, consultant to the dean of the College of the Holy Office and confessors of the Basilica of St. Peter. At the biennium 1597 - 1598 back in its catechism, the Christian Doctrine short, that was his most popular work.
On March 3, 1599 was created cardinal by Pope Clement VIII, and March 18, 1602, was appointed archbishop of Capua. He was ordained Episcopal April 21 of that year. In the three years when he was bishop of the diocese, was renowned for the zeal of a preacher in his cathedral, that he worked for the weekly visit to the parishes, for the three diocesan synods and provincial council which gave him life. Having participated in the conclaves that elected Pope Leo XI and Paul V, was recalled to Rome, where he was a member of the Congregations of the Inquisition, the Index, the Rites of Bishops and the Propagation of the Faith. He also had diplomatic assignments at the Venetian Republic and Britain to defend the rights of the Apostolic See. In his later years wrote several books on spirituality, in which condensed the result of its annual retreat. From reading of the Christian people, they still draws large buildings. He died in Rome September 17, 1621. Pope Pius XI beatified him in 1923 and canonized him in 1930 and proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church in 1931.
St. Robert Bellarmine Church played an important role in the last decades of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the next century. His Controversiae were a landmark, still stands for the Catholic ecclesiology the questions about the revelation, the nature of the Church, the sacraments, theological anthropology. In them appears accentuated the institutional Church, by reason of the errors which then circulated on these issues. However Bellarmine also clarified aspects invisible Church as the Mystical Body and illustrates them with the analogy of body and soul, in order to describe the relationship between the inner riches of the Church and the external aspects that make it audible. In this monumental work, which attempts to systematize the various theological controversies of the time, he avoids all cut and aggressive polemic against the ideas of the Reformation, but using the arguments of reason and the Tradition of the Church, explains in clear and effective Catholic doctrine.
However, his legacy lies in the way they conceived of his work. The heavy government offices did not prevent him, in fact, to strive daily to holiness through fidelity the needs of their state of religious, priests and bishops. From this it follows faithfully its commitment to preaching. Since, as a priest and bishop, first and foremost a pastor, he felt a duty to preach regularly. Hundreds of Sermons - homilies - held in Flanders, in Rome, Naples and Capua on the occasion of the liturgical celebrations. No less abundant are its expositiones explanationes and parish priests, nuns, students of the Collegio Romano, who often object to the sacred Scripture, especially the Letters of St. Paul. His preaching and his catechesis have that same character of simplicity that he had learned Jesuit by education, all directed to concentrate the forces of the soul on the Lord Jesus deeply known, loved and imitated.
In the writings of this man of government there is very clearly, even in the privacy behind which hides his feelings, the primacy which he assigns to the teachings of Christ. St. Bellarmine thus offers a model of prayer, the soul of each activity: a prayer that listens to the Word of God, which is satisfied in contemplating the greatness which does not withdraw into itself, but is glad to surrender to God A hallmark Bellarmine is the spirituality of living and personal perception of the immense goodness of God, which our Holy son really felt loved by God and was a source of great joy to gather with serenity and simplicity, prayer, and contemplation of God in his book De ascension mentis in Deum - Elevation of the mind to God - Itinerarium up on the pattern of St. Bonaventure, exclaims: " O soul, your sample is God, infinite beauty, light without shadows, brightness that exceeds that of the moon and sun. Lift up your eyes to God in which there are the archetypes of all things, and from which, as a source of endless fertility, this comes almost infinite variety of things. Therefore you must conclude: Who is God is everything, God loser loses everything. "
In this text, you hear the echo of the famous contemplatio to Amoremio obtineundum - contemplation to obtain love - the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Bellarmine, who lives in the lavish and often unhealthy society of the last sixteenth and early seventeenth century, this contemplation derives from practical applications and is sending you the situation of the Church of his time with lively pastoral inspiration. In the book De arte moriendi well - the art of dying well - for example, shows that under certain of the good life, and even the good die, and often seriously ponder who will be accountable to God for their actions and his way to live, and try not to accumulate wealth in this country, but to live simply and with love in order to accumulate goods in Heaven. In the book De gemitu Columbae - The wail of the dove, the dove which represents the Church - recalls the clergy and the faithful who have a personal and concrete reform their lives according to what they teach Scripture and the Saints, including mentions in particular Saint Gregory Nazianzen, St. John Chrysostom, St. Jerome and St. Augustine, in addition to the great founders of religious orders such as St. Benedict, St. Dominic and St. Francis. The Bellarmine teaches with great clarity and example of his life that there can be no true reform of the Church if the first is not our own reform and the conversion of our heart.
Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the Bellarmine drew on tips for communicating in a profound way, even the most simple, the beauty of the mysteries of faith. He writes: "If you have wisdom, you understand that you are created for the glory of God and your eternal salvation. This is your end, this is the center of your soul, this is the treasure of your heart. So true good estimate for you what leads you to your end, do what makes you bad miss. Prosperous or adverse events, wealth and poverty, disease and health, honor and outrage, life and death, the wise man should neither look for them, and fled for himself. But they are good and desirable only if they contribute to the glory of God and your eternal happiness, are evil to be avoided if the obstacles " (De ascensione mentis in Deum, grad. 1).
Queste, ovviamente, non sono parole passate di moda, ma parole da meditare a lungo oggi da noi per orientare il nostro cammino su questa terra. Ci ricordano che il fine della nostra vita è il Signore, il Dio che si è rivelato in Gesù Cristo, nel quale Egli continua a chiamarci e a prometterci la comunione con Lui. Ci ricordano l’importanza di confidare nel Signore, di spenderci in una vita fedele al Vangelo, di accettare e illuminare con la fede e con la preghiera ogni circostanza e ogni azione della nostra vita, sempre protesi all’unione con Lui. Grazie.
[Saluti in varie lingue: Je vous accueille avec joie, chers pèlerins francophones. Je salue en particulier Nantes seminarians and novices of the Brotherhood of Monastic Brothers of St. John, and the many students and young altar servers! May you better understanding that the purpose of our life is the Lord Jesus who calls us to communion with him! Good pilgrimage to all! May God bless you!
A New Powerful earthquake and, Even More Devastating Than The one last September, has Struck the City of Christchurch in New Zealand, Causing considerable loss of life and The Disappearance of Many People, to say nothing Of The damage to buildings. At this time, my thoughts turn Especially to the People Who Are Being There Severely Tested by this tragedy. Let us ask God to Relieve Their suffering and to support all who are involved in the rescue operations. I also ask you to join me in praying for all who have lost their lives. Finally, I would like to greet the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today's Audience, especially those from England, Ireland, Sweden, Japan and the United States. I also thank the choirs for their praise of God in song. Upon you and your families I cordially invoke God's abundant blessings. I cordially greet
all German-speaking pilgrims, especially today, Bishop Ludwig Schwarz with the dean of the Diocese of Linz. The saints are people who have a normal life, a demanding professional life as St. Bellarmine lived, but it stayed inside with God and have overcome by the Occupational therefore better. So we should by St. Robert Bellarmine learn this: the inner contact with God, with Christ, keep and shaped by it slowly and to become enlightened. He says explicitly: Any reform of the Church begins with the reform of myself only when I have to reform me, I must really take the renewal of the church with. The Lord grant us all to his favor.
Saludo con afecto a los de lengua española peregrinos, en particular a las ya los demás Aliadas Carmelitas Descalzas grupos procedentes de España, Méjico, Chile y otros países de América latina. Que la enseñanza y el testimonio de vida de San Roberto Belarmino, Nuestro camino también ilumine Hacia Dios en la Iglesia. Muchas Gracias.
Amados de língua portuguesa peregrinos and saúdo cordialmente todos, que este desejando Nosso encontro de Frutos de renovação interior, que Consolida a concordia us Cristas familias e Comunidades, a bem da Justiça e da paz no mundo. Como penhor de Graça e paz divina, e vos couple Vossos queridos, de bom grado a vos concedo Bênção Apostolica.
Saluto in lingua polacca:
Polish cordially greet the pilgrims. Robert Belarmin taught that the purpose of life is communion with God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. To achieve this, you need to trust in the Lord, be faithful to the Gospel and accept in faith everyday situations, reading the prayer of their deepest meaning. Such is the vocation and the responsibility of every one of us believers. May God's blessings of strength on the path to holiness. Praised be Jesus Christ. Traduzione italiana
:
to un cordiale benvenuto ai Pellegrini polacchi. Roberto Bellarmino you insegna che il fine della nostra vita è la Communion is con Dio che è Gesù Cristo rivelato al. Per raggiungerla bisogna confidare nel Signore, essere al Vangelo Fedeli e con la fede accettare Quotidiano circostanza fires, leggendo nella Preghiera their deeper meaning. This is the vocation and role of each of us believers. The blessing of God sustain you in the ways of holiness. Praised be Jesus Christ.
greet in czech language:
Srdečně vitam studenty Gymnázia Vodňany in Strakonice!
Milovan, Prejano Vám, aby bylo studium vase vždy oživeno úsilím or dosažení opravdových duchovních hodnot.
K Tomu uděluji apoštolské požehnání Vám the Vasim nejdražším! Chvála Kristu!
Italian translation:
A warm welcome to students of secondary schools Vodňany e Strakonice.
Carissimi, vi Augur che sia il vostro studio semper animato dall'impegno a favore di Valori autentici spirituals.
quests voti imparto Con la Apostolica Benedizione a voi e ai vostro Cariou. Sia Lodato Gesu Cristo!
Salute in lingua inglese:
With Love Slovak welcome pilgrims, particularly from the parish of Holy Family in Bratislava - Petržalka.
brothers and sisters, yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. Thank you for your prayers, my service to accompany the successor of Peter and from the heart I bless you and your loved ones.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Italian translation:
do an affec Slovaks welcome the pilgrims, especially those derived from the Holy Family Parish of Bratislava-Petržalka.
brothers and sisters, yesterday we celebrated the feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. Thank you for your prayers which accompanied my service as the Successor of Peter and I cordially bless you and your loved ones.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
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extend a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular I greet the faithful who have come with the "Benedictine Torch", which in the coming days will come to London for an ecumenical celebration, they are accompanied by the Archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia, Bishop Renato Boccardo, the Abbot of Montecassino, Dom Peter Vittorelli. Dear friends, as I thank you for today's visit, I hope that the initiative will help to revive the traditional view of faith, especially in Europe and is a carrier of harmony and reconciliation. I greet with affection the representatives of the Community Park and Montana del Matese and editors of the magazine "Clarus", accompanied by their Bishop Valentino Di Cerbo, and willingly invoke upon everyone the continued assistance of the Lord, that they may bring to society of the ferment Christian values, and thereby contribute to the advancement of civil and moral territory, Fulfilling the true spiritual and material needs of their citizens. Next I greet the faithful of the parish of St. Polycarp in Rome and those of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, Salerno, who remember the 50th anniversary of the founding of their community and wish them to lead a Christian life that is always generous witness of faith.
Lastly, an affectionate greeting to the young, the sick and newlyweds. Today we celebrate the liturgical memorial of St. Polycarp. His example of fidelity to Christ inspire in you, dear young people, purposes of courageous witness to the Gospel. Help you, dear sick people, to provide the daily sufferings, because in the world spreading civilization love. Sustain you, dear newlyweds, in an effort to put the foundation of your family, intimate union with God
© Copyright 2011 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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