The Stigmatine North Am Eric an Province
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THE STIGMATINE NORTH AMERICAN PROVINCE Dedicated to the HOLY SPOUSES, MARY and JOSEPH Volume I Historical Background and First Foundations † Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS Tereza Lopes [Lay Stigmatine] On the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 2012 Last revised on Easter Sunday, 2014 USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I PREFACE 2 PREFACE [A STIGMATINE HISTORY] MP: 30th JULY 1808 1 [17.] “For the examination of conscience one should choose a Saint of the same vocation as a mirror . In this way one finds matter for confession every day. Whatever falls short of that Saint's perfection is faulty.” The Stigmatine Congregation owes its numerical strength and spiritual prosperity to a young priest who, in an era that spawned more dictators and persecutors than even today, braved intolerance and opposition and started a movement to reclaim the souls of the youth of his city. Gaspar Louis Dennis Bertoni, born in Verona, Italy, on October 9 th , 1777, entered its Seminary at the age of 18. Ordained in September 1800, not quite 23 years of age, he was assigned to one of the city’s larger parishes where he witnessed a society ravaged by the French Revolution and Napoleon’s takeover of Verona. The suffering and neglect – including the dissolution of schools and suppression of religious orders – caused him deep concern, and he decided to combat the evils of his time. His approach was realistic - concentrate on the youth save them before they became hardened in evil. Despite political hostilities, he began the Marian Oratories [not unlike the modern C.Y.O.], to provide youth with spiritual, scholastic and material aid, as well as recreation. As his ‘experiment’ spread throughout Verona and eventually all of Italy, other priests came to join him. Fr. Bertoni organized his priest and brother associates into a society dedicated to assisting Bishops in any field of the Word of God whatsoever, but particularly in conducting preaching, teaching [ Euntes Docete – Mt 28] - and caring for the education of youth and religious and priestly vocations. On November 4, 1816 – secretly, and without the use of a particular habit – the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of our Lord Jesus Christ, known as the ‘Stigmatines’, came into being. The name, representing the Five Wounds of Christ, was chose to reflect their willingness to undertake any work, no matter how difficult for the salvation of souls. 1 This the Personal Spiritual Diary of St. Gaspar Bertoni USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I PREFACE 3 Within two years of Gaspar Bertoni’s death [+June 12, 1853], the small community he had founded was given its initial approval by the Holy See – and in 1856, was formally erected as a Religious Congregation. In the early 20 th Century, the Stigmatines answered the call for priests and religious to serve the Italians who had sought a new life in the Americas, uniquely through offering local parochial assistance. In 1905, they followed the emigrants to the United States – and in 1910, to South America [Brazil]. At the request of the Holy See, some eventually undertook the special vocation of spreading the faith in the Far East, of China. From the humble beginning of two priests and one Brother, the Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers have spread significantly in their Apostolic Mission – Italy, United States, Canada, England, Germany, Brazil, Chile, the Ivory Coast, South Africa, Tanzania and Thailand – conducting missions and retreats, teaching in schools, colleges and seminaries, promoting religious and priestly vocations. Gaspar Bertoni himself was beatified by Pope Paul VIth, at St Peter’s in Rome, on November 1, 1975 [a Holy Year ] – and exactly 14 years later, Fr. Bertoni was canonized by Pope John Paul II – and now, may rightfully be called ‘Saint Gaspar Bertoni!’ ✞ ✞ ✞ MP: 26th FEBRUARY 1809 [113.] We must make in ourselves a portrait of Jesus Christ. ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 TABLE of CONTENTS VOLUME I Page PRESENTATION 17 THE STIGMATINE BACKGROUND 21 [1] St. Gaspar Bertoni’s broad interpretation of the Apostolic Mission, following St. 22 Ignatius [a] QUICUMQUE - each and every Stigmatine shares in Christ’s own Mission 22 [b] QUODCUMQUE – any ministry whatsoever of the Word of God [Pars IXa] 23 (1) Ninth Part: The Grade of the Professed [CF cc. 1-7, ## 158-186] 23 (2) Ignatian Influence 30 (3) St. Gaspar Bertoni – Pars Nona [cc. 1-7, ## 158-186] 36 Chapter I of Part IX: ‘Profession’ [CF ## 158-160] 37 Chapter II of Part IX: ‘The Means by which this Institute promotes 39 the Salvation of its Neighbors: ‘[Ad extra]’ [CF ## 161-164] Chapter III of Part IX: Concerning the Instruction of Children and 43 the Youth [CF ## 165-167 ] Chapter IV of Part IX: The Means for conserving the Moral Integrity 55 in the Youth, and increasing it [CF ## 168-174] Chapter V of Part IX: Concerning those Means for the Literary 58 Progress of the Youth [CF ## 175-181] Chapter VI of Part IX: The Office of the Professed of the Sodality 61 [CF ## 182-184] Chapter VII of Part IX: The Principal Scope of the Professed 69 Members [CF ## 185-186] Appendix: St. Ignatius’ use of the Words: In Obsequium 81 [Constituciones Societatis Jesu] [c] QUOCUMQUE - anywhere in the Diocese and World 88 USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 [2] The Context of the Congregation preceding to the American Mission 91 [Troubled Times – A Stormy Sea - Rough Roads] Prologue: Series of the General Chapters [1871 – 1911] 91 [a] The Prime Scope: Fr. Lenotti sharply contrasts with Fr. Marani 93 (1) Personnel List for the Year 1875 [all the Stigmatines in Italy] 93 (2) Personnel List for the Year 1911 [the first Houses out of Italy] 96 [b] Our early confreres’ lives under fire 101 (1) Fr. Francis Sogaro [1874] 101 (2) Fr. Joseph Sembianti [1879 - 1890] 106 (3) Fr. Dominic Vicentini [1890] 114 (4) Frs. J. Marrocchi and J. Baptist Cavinato [1890] 119 (5) Brother Emil Giuliani [fugitive] [1890] 121 (6) Fr. Andrew Sterza [inner turmoil] [1880 - 1891] 122 (7) Fr. Michael Lanaro [health reasons] [1875] 125 [c] Early Chapter Proposal for 5 th General Chapter, 1875 126 [d] Fr. Lenotti’s Mission Band ends because of his premature death 128 [e] The strong prohibition of taking charge of Parishes and Religious 129 Women Summary 132 USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 THE AMERICAN BACKGROUND 133 Prologue: The Scenery Early in the XX th Century 134 [1] ‘Americanism’ 135 [a] Americanism in Europe 136 [b] Father Isaac Hecker 137 [c] Opposition to Americanism 137 [d] Suppression of Americanism [Pope Leo XIII] 138 [e] The American Response [James Gibbons, Cardinal Archbishop of 139 Baltimore] Appendix I: The Actual Wording from Denzinger 141 [2] The ‘Italian Problem’ 144 Appendix II: The almost simultaneous early times of the Stigmatines in Brazil 150 A. An Excerpt of The Story of the Stigmatines in Brazil 150 B. The Tibagy Case 162 ✞ ✞ ✞ USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 CHAPTER ONE: HAZLETON 163 [THE FIRST STIGMATINE FOUNDATION IN THE USA] & SCRANTON, PA PART ONE 165 In the Eye of the Hurricane I. Historical Background 165 1. The desire of a foundation in the Americas 165 1904: Fr. Louis Luchi’s petition for a mission is not approved 1905, August: Fr. Louis Luchi’s 2nd petition is approved 1905, October: the First Stigmatines arrive in Hazleton, PA 2. 1906: Fr. Dalla Porta takes up residence in Springfield, MA 166 3. 1907: Fr. Pio Gurisatti (General) and Companions make a visitation; 166 Fr. Arthur Balestrazzi comes 4. 1908: Fr. Victor Gurisatti and Fr. Lino Cembran come 167 1909: Fr. Balestrazzi is recalled to Italy 5. 1910: Fr. General comes for a 2nd visitation 167 1913: Fr. Raymond Dalla Porta arrives 6. 1913, November: Fr. John Baptist Tomasi (new General) comes 167 with Fr. Balestrazzi for his first visitation and sends three young priests 7. 1913, December: a Church for the Italians is dedicated in Scranton 167 8. 1915: a new house is purchased in Pittsfield, MA 168 9. 1918: Springfield - the ‘Patronato Italo-Americano Colombo’ is 168 installed 10. Since 1913, Fr. L. Luchi, without any authorization, accepted a 168 foundation in Milwaukee WI 11. 1917: Fr. Erminio Lona is appointed as “Stigmatine Visitator of 168 North America” 12. 1920: 5 Sisters of Mercy of Savona come to help, and take 169 residence in 2 small houses bought for them on Margaret Street. A small portable Church is bought and is used until 1925, when the new Church of St. Anthony was built 13. 1920: Fr. J. B. Zaupa is appointed as the Visitator for the 169 Communities of North America 14. 1921: in Springfield, Bishop Thomas Beaves dies; his successor, 169 Bishop Thomas O’Leary, also shows great affection for our confreres USA PROVINCE CHRONICLE - VOLUME I TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 15. 1921: there was created the corporation: ‘The Trustees of the 169 Stigmatine Father, Inc.’ 16. 1914: the General Council decrees to abandon the two foundations 170 in Pennsylvania 17. 1922: Fr. J. B. Zaupa is elected Superior General by Postulation 170 18. The Council decides to give up the House in Milwaukee; Fr. 170 Fadanelli abandons the Institute 19. 1921: Fr. Lino Cembran obtains indult of Exclaustration 171 20. 1922: Fr. Leonard Donazzan dishonorably leaves the Institute 171 21. 1922: new foundations in Lynn MA and Waltham MA 171 22. 1922: a new foundation in White Plains NY 172 23. 1923, December: a large piece of property is bought on Lexington 172 Street, in Waltham MA 24. 1924: Fr. Joseph Nardon publishes an English translation of the 172 biography of our Founder, written by Fr.