Somaschi Fathers
Encyclopedia
The Somascan Fathers are a charitable religious congregation of priests and brothers, founded in Italy in the 16th century by Saint Jerome Emiliani
and named after the mother-house at Somasca
. They are often called Somascans for short. Their formal name is Ordo Clericorum Regularium a Somascha, abbreviated as C.R.S. after members' names. There are currently about 500 Somascans serving around the world. They run many boys' homes, pastor parishes, and engage in other ministries.
. Their goal was to dedicate themselves to the care, assistance, promotion of poor, orphans, abandoned youth, sick, etc, to any kind of works of mercy, and to any pastoral ministry according to the instructions of the bishops. placing the motherhouse at Somascha, a secluded hamlet between Milan
and Bergamo
. In the rule, Jerome puts down as the principal work of the community the care of orphan
s, poor, and sick, and demands that dwellings, food and clothing shall bear the mark of religious poverty.
After the death of Jerome, his community was about to disband, but was kept together by Gambarana, who had been chosen superior and obtained the approval (1540) of Pope Paul III
. In 1547 the members vainly sought affiliation with the Jesuits
; then in 1547-1555 they were united with the Theatines
. Pius IV (1563) approved the institution. St. Pius V raised it to the dignity of a religious order, according to the Rule of St. Augustine
, with solemn vows, the privileges of the mendicants, and exemption. In 1569 the first six members made their profession, and Gambarana was made first superior general
. Great favour was shown to the order by St. Charles Borromeo, and he gave it the church of St. Mayeul at Pavia
, from which church the order takes its official name "Clerici regulares S. Majoli Papiae congregationis Somaschae".
Later the education of youth was put into the programme of the order, and the colleges at Rome and Pavia became renowned. It spread into Austria and Switzerland, and before the great Revolution it had 119 houses in its four provinces: Rome, Lombardy, Venice, and France.
Following early 20th century statistics, obtained from F. Gius. Landini of the Somaschi at the Curia Generalitia at Rome, the order counted in three provinces (Rome, Lombardy, and Liguria) 16 houses, all in Italy except one (in Bellinzona, Switzerland), and about 180 members, of whom 100 are priests, 50 clerics, and 30 lay brothers. At Rome they had three houses: San Girolamo della Carità
, residence of the general and one of the three novitiates (the other two being in Genoa
and Somasca); Santa Maria in Aquiro
with a parish and orphanage; Sant'Alessio
on the Aventine for blind
boys. The congregation managed three colleges with classical and technical studies at Spello
, Como
, Nervi
, and finally, including those already mentioned, three orphanages and five parishes.
First the Company was recognized by the papal nuncio to the Republic of Venice in 1535 and then approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and finally constituted as a religious order by Pius V in 1568 with the name of Somascan Regular Clerics. At this time the first Constitutions were issued to define a common lifestyle for all its members, both lay and clergy. In 1767, the Church canonized its founder, Jerome Emiliani. Moved by the zeal of its founder, the Order extended its charitable ministries beyond the care of orphans by supporting and staffing seminaries (just then mandated by the Council of Trent), by educating and forming youth, and by ministering to people in parishes. Its expansion, however, was abruptly stopped by laws obstructing religious life issued by Napoleon in 1810 and by the Italian government in 1861. It followed a painful dark period characterized by persecution, injustice, suffering, from which only at the beginning of the 20th century has the Order emerged with new vitality. It expansion resumed, reaching new continents and new countries. Nowadays, the Somascans number about 500 religious.
Somascans website
Jerome Emiliani
Gerolamo Emiliani , was an Italian humanitarian, founder of the Somaschi Fathers, and saint. He was canonized in 1767 and is the patron saint of orphans.-Biography:...
and named after the mother-house at Somasca
Somasca
Somasca is a hamlet in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, situated in the hills overlooking the south-eastern branch of Lake Como. For purposes of local government it counts as a frazione of the Commune of Vercurago, which falls within the Province of Lecco.-History:Somasca is known chiefly...
. They are often called Somascans for short. Their formal name is Ordo Clericorum Regularium a Somascha, abbreviated as C.R.S. after members' names. There are currently about 500 Somascans serving around the world. They run many boys' homes, pastor parishes, and engage in other ministries.
History
In 1532, the priests Alessandro Besuzio and Agostino Bariso joined the charitable labors of St. Jerome Emiliani, a converted former soldier from Venice. St. Jerome founded the religious order called the "Company of the Servants of the Poor" in 1534, calling together his collaborators and companions for a general assembly. This handful of laymen and priests adopted an organized structure for the movement of religious and social reform started by Jerome in 1529 in VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. Their goal was to dedicate themselves to the care, assistance, promotion of poor, orphans, abandoned youth, sick, etc, to any kind of works of mercy, and to any pastoral ministry according to the instructions of the bishops. placing the motherhouse at Somascha, a secluded hamlet between Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
. In the rule, Jerome puts down as the principal work of the community the care of orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
s, poor, and sick, and demands that dwellings, food and clothing shall bear the mark of religious poverty.
After the death of Jerome, his community was about to disband, but was kept together by Gambarana, who had been chosen superior and obtained the approval (1540) of Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
. In 1547 the members vainly sought affiliation with the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
; then in 1547-1555 they were united with the Theatines
Theatines
The Theatines or the Congregation of Clerks Regular of the Divine Providence are a male religious order of the Catholic Church, with the post-nominal initials "C.R."-Foundation:...
. Pius IV (1563) approved the institution. St. Pius V raised it to the dignity of a religious order, according to the Rule of St. Augustine
Rule of St. Augustine
The Rule of St. Augustine is a religious rule employed by a large number of orders, including the Dominicans, Servites, Mercederians, and Augustinians.-Overview:...
, with solemn vows, the privileges of the mendicants, and exemption. In 1569 the first six members made their profession, and Gambarana was made first superior general
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
. Great favour was shown to the order by St. Charles Borromeo, and he gave it the church of St. Mayeul at Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, from which church the order takes its official name "Clerici regulares S. Majoli Papiae congregationis Somaschae".
Later the education of youth was put into the programme of the order, and the colleges at Rome and Pavia became renowned. It spread into Austria and Switzerland, and before the great Revolution it had 119 houses in its four provinces: Rome, Lombardy, Venice, and France.
Following early 20th century statistics, obtained from F. Gius. Landini of the Somaschi at the Curia Generalitia at Rome, the order counted in three provinces (Rome, Lombardy, and Liguria) 16 houses, all in Italy except one (in Bellinzona, Switzerland), and about 180 members, of whom 100 are priests, 50 clerics, and 30 lay brothers. At Rome they had three houses: San Girolamo della Carità
San Girolamo della Carità
San Girolamo della Carità is a church in Rome, Italy, located near the Palazzo Farnese and Campo de' Fiori.The church belonged originally to the Franciscan Observants. In 1524 it was taken over by the Archconfraternita della Carità, founded by Giulio de' Medici in 1519; a society of noblemen from...
, residence of the general and one of the three novitiates (the other two being in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
and Somasca); Santa Maria in Aquiro
Santa Maria in Aquiro
Santa Maria in Aquiro is a church in Rome, Italy. It is dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, and is located on Piazza Capranica.The church is ancient – it was restored by Pope Gregory III in the VIII century, and thus must have existed before then. One theory is that it was the titulus Equitii,...
with a parish and orphanage; Sant'Alessio
Saint Alexius
Saint Alexius or Alexis of Rome or Alexis von Edessa was an Eastern saint whose veneration was later transplanted to Rome, a process facilitated by the fact that, according to the earlier Syriac legend that a "Man of God" of Edessa, Mesopotamia who during the episcopate of Bishop Rabbula lived by...
on the Aventine for blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
boys. The congregation managed three colleges with classical and technical studies at Spello
Spello
Spello is an ancient town and comune of Italy, in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the lower southern flank of Mt. Subasio. It is 6 km NNW of Foligno and 10 km SSE of Assisi.The old walled town lies on a regularly NW-SE sloping ridge that eventually meets the plain...
, Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, Nervi
Nervi
Nervi is a former fishing village 12 miles Northwest of Portofino, now a seaside resort in Liguria, in northwest Italy. Once an independent comune, it is now a quartiere of Genoa. Nervi is 7 km east of central Genoa.-Geography:...
, and finally, including those already mentioned, three orphanages and five parishes.
First the Company was recognized by the papal nuncio to the Republic of Venice in 1535 and then approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and finally constituted as a religious order by Pius V in 1568 with the name of Somascan Regular Clerics. At this time the first Constitutions were issued to define a common lifestyle for all its members, both lay and clergy. In 1767, the Church canonized its founder, Jerome Emiliani. Moved by the zeal of its founder, the Order extended its charitable ministries beyond the care of orphans by supporting and staffing seminaries (just then mandated by the Council of Trent), by educating and forming youth, and by ministering to people in parishes. Its expansion, however, was abruptly stopped by laws obstructing religious life issued by Napoleon in 1810 and by the Italian government in 1861. It followed a painful dark period characterized by persecution, injustice, suffering, from which only at the beginning of the 20th century has the Order emerged with new vitality. It expansion resumed, reaching new continents and new countries. Nowadays, the Somascans number about 500 religious.
Today
The Somascan Fathers and Brothers continue St. Jerome's mission by: living in communities pursuing holiness by prayer and ministry to the poor living in humility and kindness loving poverty and work praying to the Crucified Jesus and Mary Mother of the Orphans being either priests or brothers. Performing different ministries in the Church, such as: care of orphans, disadvantaged and poor treatment of at-risk-youth rehabilitation of drug addicts education pastoral care and spiritual guidance pastoral care of minorities foreign missions youth formation. Working in: group homes treatment and rehabilitation centers retreat houses schools youth centers parishes. Somascan efforts are in the following countries: Europe: Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Americas: USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil Asia: Philippines, India, Sri-Lanka, Australia.Somascans website