Bernard Mary of Jesus
Encyclopedia
Blessed Bernard Mary of Jesus, born Caesar Silvestrelli, a priest and religious of the Passionist
Congregation, hailed as the ‘Second Founder’, born on November 7, 1831 in Rome
, Italy
; died December 9, 1911 at Moricone, Italy
. Beatified by Pope John Paul II
in 1988.
Collegio Romano and thereafter continued his studies in private. He was attracted to the Passionist
Congregation and entered the novitiate at Monte Argentario on 25 March 1854 at the age of 22 where he took the name Aloysius of the Sacred Heart of Mary. A month later he was forced to leave the novitiate owing to ill health, but continued living with the Passionists on Monte Argentario where he studied theology.
In the course of his studies he was ordained priest on December 22, 1852. The following April he was given permission to begin another novitiate, this time at Morrovalle where he took the new name Brother Bernard Mary of Jesus. Here he was the classmate of another novice Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
who was canonised in 1920. Father Bernard Mary made his profession of vows on 28 April 1857. Thereafter he pursued studies for preaching, and then was assigned to the office of director and novice master. Later, in 1869, he was appointed Rector of the Passionist monastery of Scala Santa, near the Basilica of S. Giovanni Laterno in Rome. It was here that on September 19, 1870 Pope Pius IX visited the sacred steps from which the monastery took its name. The Pope was making his last visit to the sacred sites of Rome before the city was besieged by the invading Italian army. Father Bernard supported the Pope by the arm as they both climbed the sacred steps weeping bitterly.
In 1876 Father Bernard Mary was elected to the role of first provincial consultor of the Roman province, later he became vice-provincial and in the General Chapter of the Passionist Congregation of 1878 he was elected Superior General of the Congregation. As Superior General Father Bernard Mary work hard to reconcile the rival factions in the Congregation. He founded new houses abroad (in Mexico
and Latin America
, as well as advancing the Bulgarian mission) and reformed the regulations of the Congregation, being particularly firm in the conviction that a return to the original spirit and Rule of the founder, Saint Paul of the Cross
could be the only formula for reviving the spirit of the Congregation. He was re-elected Superior General in 1884 and resigned the post in 1889. In 1893 a vision of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
convinced Father Bernard Mary to attend the General Chapter and he was then re-elected Superior General, a post he was re-elected to again in 1899 and 1905. He established an international house of studies for Passionist students at SS John and Paul in Rome and visited every Passionist province in the world. He resigned again in 1905 but was elected ‘honorary General’ for life. In 1911 he retired to the Passionist community at Moricone and died there in the December of that year.
in 1973 and declared ‘Blessed’ by Pope John Paul II
on 16 October 1988.
Passionist
The Passionists are a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Paul of the Cross . Professed members use the initials C.P. after their names.-History:St...
Congregation, hailed as the ‘Second Founder’, born on November 7, 1831 in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
; died December 9, 1911 at Moricone, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Beatified by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in 1988.
Biography
Caesar Peter Silvestrelli was born in Rome on November 7, 1831 and baptised the same day. His mother died when he was 15 years old. A student of the Jesuit-runCollegio Romano and thereafter continued his studies in private. He was attracted to the Passionist
Passionist
The Passionists are a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Paul of the Cross . Professed members use the initials C.P. after their names.-History:St...
Congregation and entered the novitiate at Monte Argentario on 25 March 1854 at the age of 22 where he took the name Aloysius of the Sacred Heart of Mary. A month later he was forced to leave the novitiate owing to ill health, but continued living with the Passionists on Monte Argentario where he studied theology.
In the course of his studies he was ordained priest on December 22, 1852. The following April he was given permission to begin another novitiate, this time at Morrovalle where he took the new name Brother Bernard Mary of Jesus. Here he was the classmate of another novice Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was an Italian Passionist clerical student. Born to a professional family, he gave up hopes of a secular career to enter the Passionist Congregation...
who was canonised in 1920. Father Bernard Mary made his profession of vows on 28 April 1857. Thereafter he pursued studies for preaching, and then was assigned to the office of director and novice master. Later, in 1869, he was appointed Rector of the Passionist monastery of Scala Santa, near the Basilica of S. Giovanni Laterno in Rome. It was here that on September 19, 1870 Pope Pius IX visited the sacred steps from which the monastery took its name. The Pope was making his last visit to the sacred sites of Rome before the city was besieged by the invading Italian army. Father Bernard supported the Pope by the arm as they both climbed the sacred steps weeping bitterly.
In 1876 Father Bernard Mary was elected to the role of first provincial consultor of the Roman province, later he became vice-provincial and in the General Chapter of the Passionist Congregation of 1878 he was elected Superior General of the Congregation. As Superior General Father Bernard Mary work hard to reconcile the rival factions in the Congregation. He founded new houses abroad (in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, as well as advancing the Bulgarian mission) and reformed the regulations of the Congregation, being particularly firm in the conviction that a return to the original spirit and Rule of the founder, Saint Paul of the Cross
Paul of the Cross
Paul of the Cross was an Italian mystic, and founder of the Passionists.-Biography:Saint Paul of the Cross, originally named Paolo Francesco Danei, was born on 3 January 1694, in the town of Ovada, Piedmont, between Turin and Genoa in the Duchy of Savoy in northern Italy.Paul, a son of a...
could be the only formula for reviving the spirit of the Congregation. He was re-elected Superior General in 1884 and resigned the post in 1889. In 1893 a vision of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was an Italian Passionist clerical student. Born to a professional family, he gave up hopes of a secular career to enter the Passionist Congregation...
convinced Father Bernard Mary to attend the General Chapter and he was then re-elected Superior General, a post he was re-elected to again in 1899 and 1905. He established an international house of studies for Passionist students at SS John and Paul in Rome and visited every Passionist province in the world. He resigned again in 1905 but was elected ‘honorary General’ for life. In 1911 he retired to the Passionist community at Moricone and died there in the December of that year.
Beatification
The cause for his canonisation was opened on 23 May 1939, he was declared Venerable by Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
in 1973 and declared ‘Blessed’ by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 16 October 1988.