Passionist Saints

The new Pope Leo XIII quickly inspired new hope among Catholics. A church historian has written: "Pope Leo XIII led the Catholic Church into a world which had risen from revolution. With an attitude that can only adequately be termed 'optimistic,' he attempted to reconcile an uncompromised tradition with the modern spirit." Pope Leo brought a new spirit to the Church. He acted quickly in a spirit of vigour. He won the respect and love of many almost at once.

The problems of the Passionists were brought to his attention. He ordered Cardinal Lawrence Nina to preside at their forthcoming general chapter. The chapter was held from May 3 to May 23, 1878, the longest in Passionist history until that time.

This chapter did two things. It elected all new superiors to the general council, including Father John Dominick Tarlattini from the United States, and an English Passionist, Father Denis Edgerton. The new general was the vice-provincial of the Italian Presentation Province, Father Bernard Mary Silvestrelli. In this way, even as the Church was meeting the new world of the late nineteenth century with new leadership, so also the Passionist Congregation with a new general and new council.

The other important action of the chapter was to define anew the community life and apostolate of the congregation. Passionist life would remain true to the "regular observance," but greater emphasis would have to be given to study and the formation of the young men. The apostolate would be primarily the preaching of missions and retreats, but allowance could be made for provincial adaptations. This apostolate should be more severely limited by the regular observance. For this chapter insisted that the choir and regular observances must be maintained, even at the expense of the apostolate.

For St. Paul of the Cross this observance also prepared the religious for an ever more zealous ministry. Now it was seen as an end in itself, so that without keeping the regular observance one was not striving for personal perfection. Accordingly, this obligation to the home-life set limits on the time spent in ministry and the types of ministry proper to Passionists.

Actually this chapter was not content simply to issue decrees. The capitulars were aware that laws can state obligations, but superiors are the ones who apply these laws to individual and concrete cases. The future of the Congregation lay, not in the words in a law book, but in the hands of a holy, prudent general superior, Bernard Mary Silvestrelli (of Jesus).

Born in Rome, November 7, 1831, he was named Caesar Silvestrelli. He was educated at the Collegio Romano of the Jesuits. He continued his studies privately, until at the age of 22 he entered the Passionist novitiate on Monte Argentaro. Forced to leave because of poor health, he remained at the other monastery on Monte Argentaro, to study theology. On December 22, 1852 he was ordained by retired Bishop Joseph Molajone of Bulgaria who was mentioned in an earlier chapter.

The following April Caesar was allowed to enter the novitiate again, but this time at Morrovalle. He was now given the name of Bernard Mary of Jesus. Shortly afterwards Francis Possenti entered the same novitiate.

After his profession in 1857 Father Bernard Mary pursued studies for preaching, and then was assigned to the office of director and novice master. In 1869 he was chosen as rector of the new Roman monastery of the Passionists of the Scala Santa, next to the Lateran.

There on September 19, 1870, while the Italian army was encamped at the city walls, Pope Pius IX visited the holy places of Rome for the last time. He stopped to climb the Sacred Steps once more, even as the Master had done nineteen hundred years earlier. Supporting the pope by the arm, weeping with him step by step, was the newly elected rector, Bernard Mary. The next day the Italians bombarded the gates of the Rome. The Pope remained the "Prisoner of the Vatican."

After six years at the Scala Santa, Bernard Mary was elected first provincial consulter by his province of the Presentation. A year later the provincial resigned and Bernard Mary became vice-provincial. In that capacity he participated in the 1878 chapter, only to be elected general superior.

To solve the problems the congregation was facing, Bernard Mary, with his new council, sought to reconcile the contending factions, and to strengthen the spirit of prayer, penance and solitude, and to make the apostolates more fruitful. To accomplish this he took several initiatives. He found new positions away from Rome for those religious who were agitating for new directions for the Congregation. Also he updated the regulations to include the decrees of the recent chapter. A new ritual for Passionist community services was prepared.

The "lives" of the first companions of the founder were published. Above all, Bernard revered the rule of St. Paul of the Cross with intense devotion. He exemplified the rule in his daily life, constantly encouraging others by his example and word. Long before the Second Vatican Council he realized that "appropriate renewal of religious life involves...a continuous return ...to the original inspiration behind a given community"( Religious: #2).

Father Bernard Mary prepared candidates for the novitiate by establishing prep schools for future candidates. He also sent three religious to Spain to found the congregation in that country, and to expand the congregation into Mexico and Latin America. He furthered the Bulgarian mission and established a novitiate there.

The eastern Italian province of the Pieta was closed in 1866, shortly after the death of St. Gabriel. In 1882 Father Bernard Mary had the joy of re-establishing this province which in many ways was his own. In doing this he provided a monastery for one who would be beatified before he was. For one of the first to be admitted to the novitiate was Gigino Campidello who was given the name of Pius. He made his profession in 1884, continued his studies and received minor orders. Never very strong, he began to shows signs of consumption during the summer of 1889. He died on November 2 of that year. Pope John Paul II beatified him on November 17, 1985.

Father Bernard was so successful that he was readily re-elected at the chapter of 1884. He resigned in 1889 to be succeeded at the next chapter of 1890 by Father Francis Xavier Del Principe, a classmate of St. Gabriel. He was a kind, holy man but with very poor health. He initiated the cause of Dominic Barberi and Gabriel Possenti, and furthered that of Bishop Vincent M. Strambi. In order to improve studies in the Congregation he began a student house at an estate on the hills beyond Rome, called La Rocca Di Papa.

Many felt this was a mistake and criticized the new general. Poor Francis suffered from this criticism even as his health worsened. He began to think about resigning. At this moment his personal secretary was a newly ordained American, Father Matthew Miller. Years later Matthew recalled those years he had spent in Rome with "dear Father Francis Xavier." He and others urged the gentle general not to resign for his successor would be the austere Father John Testi.

Eventually Francis Xavier did resign. John Testi supplied for him only until the new general chapter to be held in 1893. He was indeed a "strict" superior. After his brief time as vice-general, he held the office of procurator for many years. John Testi's real strength lay in his ability to preach. He has been called "Segneri Returned to Life". Like the great Jesuit missionary, Segneri, John too preached throughout the length and breadth of Italy. Over five-thousand manuscript pages of his sermons have been preserved.

At the chapter of 1893 the capitulars once again elected Father Bernard Mary Silvestrelli. It is said that Gabriel Possenti appeared to him to insist that he attend the chapter and accept the decision of the capitulars. This Bernard Mary did in 1893, 1899 and again in 1905.

During his years as general he visited all the provinces of the congregation. Especially noteworthy for American Passionists was his visit to the United States in 1896. Here he warned: "While to labour for the welfare of our neighbour is a necessary duty, it must be regulated so as to conform to the spirit which our Holy Founder bequeathed to us in the holy rules". On his return to Rome he assured Cardinal Satolli "that the rule was kept as well in America as in the retreat of Sts. John and Paul in Rome."

Father Bernard Mary also established the international house of studies at Sts. John and Paul in Rome. Again and again religious from outside Italy would send students there to be formed in the "Roman" atmosphere and in the spirit of the founder.

Finally, elected a fifth time in 1905, he resigned again in 1907 and was granted the title of "honorary General" until his death on December 9, 1911.

Father Bernard Mary Silvestrelli was hailed as "another St. Paul of the Cross" by his contemporaries. He served the congregation well during the difficult final decades of the nineteenth century.

We might ask, however, whether he realized the need for the Vatican Council's second principle of appropriate renewal: "an adjustment of the community to the changed conditions of the times"? He travelled to north Europe, Spain and to the United States to acquaint himself with the difficulties of Passionist life and ministry in countries outside of Italy. Did he understand what he saw?

Father Bernard was a Roman by birth. He lived in Rome for many years as both local and general superior. He was right in the midst of the anti-clericalism of the new Italian kingdom. He could not help seeing the Church, the congregation and the world from an Italian and Roman viewpoint. Perhaps this kept him at time from having the breath of view needed to meet the problems in many of the other countries of the congregation.

Perhaps he tended to restrict the observance of the rule to the keeping of the monastic observances, and so did not see the apostolate as an observance of the rule? Thus he would have limited apostolates to those which made possible the maintenance of the home-life in its entirety.

If he lacked this broader perspective, his prudence and charity surely compensated for this. During the trying years at the end of the nineteenth century the congregation fared well under his prudent government. This great Passionist was admired for his holiness and gentleness. It is with joy that his beatification was celebrated on October 17, 1988 by Passionists everywhere.

Fr Aidan Troy CP Fr Gary Donegan CP Fr Myles Kavanagh CP Fr Salvian Maguire CP Tel: +44 2890 748231 Fax: +44 2890 740340 Email the parish Submit a newsletter item Holy Cross Church Crumlin Road Belfast BT14 7EA Northern Ireland	Caesar Silvestrelli The new Pope Leo XIII quickly inspired new hope among Catholics. A church historian has written: "Pope Leo XIII led the Catholic Church into a world which had risen from revolution. With an attitude that can only adequately be termed 'optimistic,' he attempted to reconcile an uncompromised tradition with the modern spirit." Pope Leo brought a new spirit to the Church. He acted quickly in a spirit of vigour. He won the respect and love of many almost at once. The problems of the Passionists were brought to his attention. He ordered Cardinal Lawrence Nina to preside at their forthcoming general chapter. The chapter was held from May 3 to May 23, 1878, the longest in Passionist history until that time. This chapter did two things. It elected all new superiors to the general council, including Father John Dominick Tarlattini from the United States, and an English Passionist, Father Denis Edgerton. The new general was the vice-provincial of the Italian Presentation Province, Father Bernard Mary Silvestrelli. In this way, even as the Church was meeting the new world of the late nineteenth century with new leadership, so also the Passionist Congregation with a new general and new council. The other important action of the chapter was to define anew the community life and apostolate of the congregation. Passionist life would remain true to the "regular observance," but greater emphasis would have to be given to study and the formation of the young men. The apostolate would be primarily the preaching of missions and retreats, but allowance could be made for provincial adaptations. This apostolate should be more severely limited by the regular observance. For this chapter insisted that the choir and regular observances must be maintained, even at the expense of the apostolate. For St. Paul of the Cross this observance also prepared the religious for an ever more zealous ministry. Now it was seen as an end in itself, so that without keeping the regular observance one was not striving for personal perfection. Accordingly, this obligation to the home-life set limits on the time spent in ministry and the types of ministry proper to Passionists. Actually this chapter was not content simply to issue decrees. The capitulars were aware that laws can state obligations, but superiors are the ones who apply these laws to individual and concrete cases. The future of the Congregation lay, not in the words in a law book, but in the hands of a holy, prudent general superior, Bernard Mary Silvestrelli (of Jesus). Born in Rome, November 7, 1831, he was named Caesar Silvestrelli. He was educated at the Collegio Romano of the Jesuits. He continued his studies privately, until at the age of 22 he entered the Passionist novitiate on Monte Argentaro. Forced to leave because of poor health, he remained at the other monastery on Monte Argentaro, to study theology. On December 22, 1852 he was ordained by retired Bishop Joseph Molajone of Bulgaria who was mentioned in an earlier chapter. The following April Caesar was allowed to enter the novitiate again, but this time at Morrovalle. He was now given the name of Bernard Mary of Jesus. Shortly afterwards Francis Possenti entered the same novitiate. After his profession in 1857 Father Bernard Mary pursued studies for preaching, and then was assigned to the office of director and novice master. In 1869 he was chosen as rector of the new Roman monastery of the Passionists of the Scala Santa, next to the Lateran. There on September 19, 1870, while the Italian army was encamped at the city walls, Pope Pius IX visited the holy places of Rome for the last time. He stopped to climb the Sacred Steps once more, even as the Master had done nineteen hundred years earlier. Supporting the pope by the arm, weeping with him step by step, was the newly elected rector, Bernard Mary. The next day the Italians bombarded the gates of the Rome. The Pope remained the "Prisoner of the Vatican." After six years at the Scala Santa, Bernard Mary was elected first provincial consulter by his province of the Presentation. A year later the provincial resigned and Bernard Mary became vice-provincial. In that capacity he participated in the 1878 chapter, only to be elected general superior. To solve the problems the congregation was facing, Bernard Mary, with his new council, sought to reconcile the contending factions, and to strengthen the spirit of prayer, penance and solitude, and to make the apostolates more fruitful. To accomplish this he took several initiatives. He found new positions away from Rome for those religious who were agitating for new directions for the Congregation. Also he updated the regulations to include the decrees of the recent chapter. A new ritual for Passionist community services was prepared. The "lives" of the first companions of the founder were published. Above all, Bernard revered the rule of St. Paul of the Cross with intense devotion. He exemplified the rule in his daily life, constantly encouraging others by his example and word. Long before the Second Vatican Council he realized that "appropriate renewal of religious life involves...a continuous return ...to the original inspiration behind a given community"( Religious: #2). Father Bernard Mary prepared candidates for the novitiate by establishing prep schools for future candidates. He also sent three religious to Spain to found the congregation in that country, and to expand the congregation into Mexico and Latin America. He furthered the Bulgarian mission and established a novitiate there. The eastern Italian province of the Pieta was closed in 1866, shortly after the death of St. Gabriel. In 1882 Father Bernard Mary had the joy of re-establishing this province which in many ways was his own. In doing this he provided a monastery for one who would be beatified before he was. For one of the first to be admitted to the novitiate was Gigino Campidello who was given the name of Pius. He made his profession in 1884, continued his studies and received minor orders. Never very strong, he began to shows signs of consumption during the summer of 1889. He died on November 2 of that year. Pope John Paul II beatified him on November 17, 1985. Father Bernard was so successful that he was readily re-elected at the chapter of 1884. He resigned in 1889 to be succeeded at the next chapter of 1890 by Father Francis Xavier Del Principe, a classmate of St. Gabriel. He was a kind, holy man but with very poor health. He initiated the cause of Dominic Barberi and Gabriel Possenti, and furthered that of Bishop Vincent M. Strambi. In order to improve studies in the Congregation he began a student house at an estate on the hills beyond Rome, called La Rocca Di Papa. Many felt this was a mistake and criticized the new general. Poor Francis suffered from this criticism even as his health worsened. He began to think about resigning. At this moment his personal secretary was a newly ordained American, Father Matthew Miller. Years later Matthew recalled those years he had spent in Rome with "dear Father Francis Xavier." He and others urged the gentle general not to resign for his successor would be the austere Father John Testi. Eventually Francis Xavier did resign. John Testi supplied for him only until the new general chapter to be held in 1893. He was indeed a "strict" superior. After his brief time as vice-general, he held the office of procurator for many years. John Testi's real strength lay in his ability to preach. He has been called "Segneri Returned to Life". Like the great Jesuit missionary, Segneri, John too preached throughout the length and breadth of Italy. Over five-thousand manuscript pages of his sermons have been preserved. At the chapter of 1893 the capitulars once again elected Father Bernard Mary Silvestrelli. It is said that Gabriel Possenti appeared to him to insist that he attend the chapter and accept the decision of the capitulars. This Bernard Mary did in 1893, 1899 and again in 1905. During his years as general he visited all the provinces of the congregation. Especially noteworthy for American Passionists was his visit to the United States in 1896. Here he warned: "While to labour for the welfare of our neighbour is a necessary duty, it must be regulated so as to conform to the spirit which our Holy Founder bequeathed to us in the holy rules". On his return to Rome he assured Cardinal Satolli "that the rule was kept as well in America as in the retreat of Sts. John and Paul in Rome." Father Bernard Mary also established the international house of studies at Sts. John and Paul in Rome. Again and again religious from outside Italy would send students there to be formed in the "Roman" atmosphere and in the spirit of the founder. Finally, elected a fifth time in 1905, he resigned again in 1907 and was granted the title of "honorary General" until his death on December 9, 1911. Father Bernard Mary Silvestrelli was hailed as "another St. Paul of the Cross" by his contemporaries. He served the congregation well during the difficult final decades of the nineteenth century. We might ask, however, whether he realized the need for the Vatican Council's second principle of appropriate renewal: "an adjustment of the community to the changed conditions of the times"? He travelled to north Europe, Spain and to the United States to acquaint himself with the difficulties of Passionist life and ministry in countries outside of Italy. Did he understand what he saw? Father Bernard was a Roman by birth. He lived in Rome for many years as both local and general superior. He was right in the midst of the anti-clericalism of the new Italian kingdom. He could not help seeing the Church, the congregation and the world from an Italian and Roman viewpoint. Perhaps this kept him at time from having the breath of view needed to meet the problems in many of the other countries of the congregation. Perhaps he tended to restrict the observance of the rule to the keeping of the monastic observances, and so did not see the apostolate as an observance of the rule? Thus he would have limited apostolates to those which made possible the maintenance of the home-life in its entirety. If he lacked this broader perspective, his prudence and charity surely compensated for this. During the trying years at the end of the nineteenth century the congregation fared well under his prudent government. This great Passionist was admired for his holiness and gentleness. It is with joy that his beatification was celebrated on October 17, 1988 by Passionists everywhere.	Passionists on the web: www.passionist.org Passionist Saints: St. Paul of the Cross, Mother Mary Crucified Constantini, St. Vincent Mary Strambi, Dominic Barberi, St. Gabriel Possenti, St. Gemma Galgani, You can get a web page translated here. If you know of another AA site email us.	Home How to find us Parish History Parish Council Parish Groups Contacts Bulletin Music Pages Readers' Rota Parish Programmes Baptism Programme First Communion Confirmation Marriage Links St. Gabriel's Boys' College Holy Cross Girls' School Holy Cross Boys' School Mercy Primary

	Holy Cross
	Roman Catholic Church, Ardoyne, Belfast served by the Congregation of the Passion (CP)