ST. GASPAR DEL BUFALO Founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood

A Saint in Motion t is necessary “ Ito send out workers everywhere, so that the earth will be cleansed in the Divine Blood.” - St. Gaspar del Bufalo

St. Gaspar del Bufalo: A Saint in Motion is produced by the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. The Missionaries of the Precious Blood is a religious society of priests, brothers and lay associates founded in 1815 by St. Gaspar del Bufalo. Society members work as missionaries in parishes in the U.S. and abroad, in education and in a wide range of apostolates, promoting the cause of God’s reconciliation worldwide through the ministry of the Word of God. For more information about our Congregation, please visit our website at http://cpps-preciousblood.org or contact the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, 431 E. Second St., Dayton, OH, 45402-1764 (phone 937-228-9263). ST. GASPAR DEL BUFALO: A Saint in Motion banner of St. Gaspar del Bufalo.

n many The little saint was a parishes dynamo, a rushing river of Iaround the new ideas, a perpetual motion world served by machine. Although prayer Missionaries of empowered everything he the Precious did, his was not a monastic Blood, there is a painting or life, contemplative and silent. statue of St. Gaspar del He was always happiest when Bufalo, the founder of the he was out among the Missionaries of the Precious children of God, whether they Blood. But anyone who ever were devout Catholics or painted his portrait or those who had never heard sculpted his image got it the Word. wrong, because none of the Born on the Feast of the images of St. Gaspar are Epiphany, January 6, 1786, in moving. , Gaspar Melchior

1 Balthazar del Bufalo was Gaspar always knew his named after the three Magi calling. While still a 17-year- who visited the Christ child. It old student at the Collegio was an apt name for a man Romano, Gaspar was already who would spend his life on a preaching and teaching in his quest to fulfill the will of God, parish, where some constantly on the move as a complained that the missionary. seminarian was overstepping He was raised in the his bounds. bustle and activity of the “Seminarian del Bufalo Eternal City does better than I” in by his father, preaching, the pastor serenely “I cannot, a failed replied. I must entrepreneur While Gaspar was who had learning, he was also active in not and I dabbled in several ministries. He visited the theater the sick and the poor, often will not,” and in stopping at a bakery first to St. Gaspar professional buy a sweet treat to share soccer (even with them. He offered said to the in those constant encouragement to Napoleonic days, there others, and founded a young were persons’ religious government, professional organization whose members sports prayed and did charitable as he refused teams), and work together. He had the to sign an his mother, a gift, said one of his devout and biographers, Amilcar Rey, of oath of devoted multiplying time, “of forcing woman who his day to expand to include allegiance. held the everything his busy mind family could imagine.” together. When Gaspar was Gaspar was ordained in still a young boy, the family 1808, and soon after formed moved to the Palazzo Altieri, an evening society for the in the heart of Rome, so that laborers and farm workers Gaspar’s father could take a who came into Rome from the job as a cook for a family with countryside to sell their royal connections. wares. He wanted to bring

2 them back to the Church, and to show those who slept in the To Learn More streets of Rome that they had value. About Soon after, he faced his first crisis as swept St. Gaspar into power in the . The anti-clerical Napoleonic A more detailed story of the government was demanding life of St. Gaspar, founder of the that priests sign an oath of Missionaries of the Precious Blood, can be found in the allegiance to Napoleon. “I biography No Turning Back, by cannot, I must not and I will Mario Spinelli (Fr. John Klopke, not,” Gaspar replied. His C.PP.S., translator). declaration began four years The work was of exile and imprisonment. commissioned by the Italian Even the pope, Pius VII, was Province of the Missionaries of forced from Rome at the same the Precious Blood. Fr. Robert time. Schreiter, C.PP.S., and Fr. Raymond Cera, C.PP.S., edited During that time of exile, the English version. Gaspar’s beloved mother No Turning Back is available died, which added for $8 plus $3 shipping and immeasurably to his misery. handling from the Precious Away from home, unsure Blood Resource Center, St. about his future, unable to Charles Center, 2860 U.S. 127, continue in the ministries that Carthagena, Ohio, 45822. meant so much to him, A daily calendar featuring the writings of St. Gaspar, St. Gaspar struggled against Gaspar del Bufalo: Our Daily despair. Companion, compiled by the It was a defining time in Moderator General, Fr. Barry his young life as a man and as Fischer, C.PP.S. is also available, a priest, writes Italian author for $10 plus $3 shipping and Mario Spinelli, who authored handling. a 1996 biography of the saint. The images of St. Gaspar in “Life would not be stingy this publication were taken with trials for Gaspar,” from Saint Gaspar Del Bufalo in the Arts, by Fr. Milton Ballor, Spinelli writes. “But that C.PP.S., also available from the moment was surely the Resource Center, for $30 plus severest, and his soul was to $3 shipping and handling. emerge forged and brilliant,

3 thought, the perfect home for the new missionary society he felt driven to form. Of course, an abandoned 10th century monastery would be a money pit, and Gaspar faced his share of temporal problems in fixing it up, getting the money to run it, and dealing with the local bishop, who wasn’t sure he ST. GASPAR’S FEAST wanted this new congregation DAY IS OCTOBER 21 in his midst. With the help of local people, Gaspar himself laid brick and whitewashed ready for an undertaking walls. without limits in the service of Even his close friends in God, the Church, his brethren the priesthood did not and his own sanctification.” necessarily want to follow In 1814, with Napoleon’s him to Giano, Spinelli writes: rule over, the Pope returned to “It was one thing to give Rome, and Gaspar with him. missions then return home (to He threw himself into the new Rome). It was quite another work of preaching missions thing to become full-time with his friend, Don Gaetano apostolic militants, like Bonanni, who had formed a soldiers chosen to be stationed society of preachers called the in an advance post with Gospel Workers. endless territories to defend While preaching a mission or reconquer, as Gaspar in the town of Giano with the wanted.” Gospel Workers, Gaspar saw But he would not be for the first time the Abbey of discouraged. And on Aug. 15, San Felice (St. Felix), which 1815, to the music of pealing had been used then bells, and with the abandoned by the countryfolk who had helped Benedictines and the him by his side, Gaspar Augustinians during its long opened the first house of his life. With its beautiful and new Congregation of the serene setting, it was, he Missionaries of the Most

4 Precious Blood (C.PP.S.). There were only four of them, including Gaspar. But their good works soon spread through what is now central Italy, as they preached mission after mission, lighting fires of faith among the people in the countryside. In those days a mission would last two weeks, opening with the bishop or his representative meeting the C.PP.S. missionaries at the edge of town. They would then process to the village church with all the people following, accompanied by the sound of ringing church bells. During the day, the Stained glass window of St. Gaspar at Our missionaries would station Lady of Good Counsel Church, Cleveland. themselves in a popular piazza in town, drawing attention to the mission. At night they would preach, hroughout his offering special sessions to life Gaspar working men, and religion struggled lessons to the children. They T visited the sick and those with poor health imprisoned, so that the Word would be carried to all. It was and an anxious an all-out, ambitious effort, so spirit. Underneath characteristic of the little saint. In the years that followed, his iron convictions, he opened new houses for his Gaspar was a missionaries, 15 in his lifetime, and saw his fearful man.

5 Statue of St. Gaspar protecting the victims of violence, located on a hillside outside the village of Patrica, Italy. congregation grow. He and physically, by those in the stepped forward when the anti-clerical movement of the countryside fell into the grip day. They printed pamphlets of bandits who robbed and outlining arguments against murdered at will, negotiating his preaching and plastered a peace with the banditi and the towns where he had saving the town of Sonnino, planned a mission with whose people still claim mocking posters that cast the Gaspar as their personal saint missionaries as a comic (Pope Pius VII had threatened theater troupe. to raze the town, which had Gaspar faced other become the bandits’ problems as well. He wanted headquarters, but Gaspar his congregation to live begged for the chance to try to modestly, but many times save it). money was too tight and The way was not easy for Gaspar did not know how he Gaspar. He was often was going to feed his growing threatened, both emotionally flock. “Lord, give us your

6 grace and some small fearful man whose missionary change,” Gaspar would pray, work ran counter to his as sporadic income trickled meekness. Gaspar suffered into the C.PP.S. houses. from insomnia all his life. He He also had to deal with spent his sleepless nights the problems that come along writing or praying, stretched with leading any group of out on his bed with his eyes people – fractious, wide open in the dark. opinionated, discontented From this physically frail, people can be found in a emotionally charged little man religious society too. Fellow came great things, and priests not a part of his through him, his followers congregation accused him of said, God worked many pride, hypocrisy and miracles. There was about him ambition. Even popes an air of one who lives with questioned Gaspar harshly his eyes on heaven. As he and often about the sincerity prayed, other members of his and purpose of his Congregation said they would Congregation. see the light of heaven about Through it all, he inspired him; if Gaspar was praying in others to follow him, always his room, the light generated expanding his circle. Early on, by his conversation with God the Congregation included lay would shine through the brothers. Also, through the cracks in his door. Gaspar preaching of Gaspar, a young preached with a fervor and woman named Maria de intensity that convinced those Mattias was moved by the who heard him that they were spirituality of the Precious truly listening to a man of Blood to found the Sister God. “There was more to it Adorers of the Blood of Christ than words,” said his first in Acuto, Italy, in 1834 (Maria successor in the C.PP.S., Don was canonized in 2003). Biagio Valentini. Gaspar accomplished so Gaspar died on Dec. 28, much, and he did it with so 1837, in Rome, where he had little – throughout his life he spent the previous summer struggled with poor health ministering to those affected and an anxious spirit. by an epidemic of cholera. Underneath his iron The physician who examined convictions, Gaspar was a him said Gaspar died a victim

7 of charity, worn out from his support and guidance. work for others. Gaspar never turned back. The cause for his Weakened by ailments, called sainthood began just two a fanatic or a fool by people years after his death. Gaspar who should have supported was beatified in 1904, and, in him, imprisoned and 1954, with Missionaries from impoverished, challenged at around the world gathered in every turn, his answer to St. Peter’s Square, he was God’s call was always yes. canonized by Pope Pius XII. His followers continue to turn Gaspar’s work continues to him for inspiration, as they through his Missionaries fulfill the wish he once throughout the world, expressed: “I wish that I could through the lay people who have a thousand tongues to study his life and through all endear every heart to the those who pray to him for Precious Blood of Jesus.”

The tomb of St. Gaspar, in Santa Maria in Trivio Church, Rome.

8 St. Gaspar’s Message Still Resonates

t. Gaspar’s message and Christians, as they were to St. his ceaseless devotion to Gaspar. Sthe Precious Blood of “When there are so many Jesus remain relevant to the voices in the world today Missionaries and to the people calling out for our attention; they serve still today, said Fr. when there are so many abuses Angelo Anthony, C.PP.S. the against the sacredness of life; director of the Cincinnati when there are so many people Province of the Missionaries of looking for healing and hope the Precious Blood. and a true and lasting peace, “When I think of the the Precious Blood of Jesus is impact the life of St. Gaspar can offered to us each day as the have in our own day, I recall foundation and focus of our something that Fr. Raymond lives,” Fr. Anthony said. Cera, C.PP.S., wrote concerning “Who of us does not stand the scope of St. Gaspar’s vision in fear at the disturbing reports of the Precious Blood: ‘For that we hear night after night Gaspar the Blood of Jesus was on the evening news? The not merely a “devotion” (like Blood of Christ is that anchor so many others) but the which helps us to put things compendium of our whole into perspective and keeps us religious creed, the secure way from being tossed about to obtain personal sanctity, the aimlessly in the storms of life. yeast that would ferment all of “I have heard it said that society, the real stimulus for our primary vocation as any apostolic activity,’” Fr. Christians is to be people of Anthony said. hope. St. Gaspar knew this at No other cure for the the depths of his heart, not world’s troubles has come giving up on anyone, for the forward since the time of mercy of God knows no end. Gaspar, Fr. Anthony said. Jesus’ Each of us, whose lives have endless stance of forgiveness been stained in the Blood of and his call to each of his Christ, is called to be an anchor people to live a life of service of hope, a beacon of truth, a remain a beacon to all harbor for the weary.”

9 The Missionaries of the Precious Blood today

C.PP.S. priests, brothers and lay associates who follow the example set by St. Gaspar work around the world to bring God’s love to His people. Their devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus calls them to hear the cry of those on the margins of our society.

If you would like to learn more about how you can help our Congregation in our many ministries, please contact the Office of Mission Advancement, 937-228-9263, [email protected], or visit our website: http://cpps-preciousblood.org

(C.PP.S. stands for the Congregatio Pretiosissimi Sanguinis, the Latin name of the Congregation.)