1 STROKES OF THE PEN IV Extracts from the Letters of St. Gaspar del Bufalo Written in the Years 1828 - 1833 C.PP.S. Resource No. 23 compiled by Barry J. Fischer, C.PP.S. The Messenger Press 1998 2 The English translation of these extracts is taken from the Letters of St. Gaspar del Bufalo, translated by Rev. Raymond Cera, C.PP.S. This English edition of Pinceladas IV and V was done by Rev. Milton A. Ballor, C.PP.S. 1998 Messenger Press Carthagena OH 45822 3 C.PP.S. Resources No. 1 Historical Sketches of the C.PP.S. by Andrew Pollack, C.PP.S. No. 2 St. Gaspar del Bufalo and the Blessed Virgin Mary by Winfried Wermter, C.PP.S. No. 3 St. Gaspar's Prison Experiences 1810-1813 by Luigi Contegiacomo, C.PP.S. No. 4 Strokes of the Pen Compiled by Barry Fischer, C.PP.S. No. 5 ACTA of the XV General Assembly No. 6 Pictorial Necrology (Deceased) Prepared by Milton A. Ballor, C.PP.S. No. 7 Pictorial Directory Compiled by James Kelley, C.PP.S. No. 8 Strokes of the Pen II Compiled by Barry Fischer, C.PP.S. No. 9 Along the Road Marked by Blood by Barry Fischer, C.PP S. No. 10 Essays in Honor of St. Gaspar by John R. Klopke, C.PP.S. No. 11 Strokes of the Pen III Compiled by Barry Fischer, C.PP.S. No. 12 Giovanni Merlini, Twenty-Four Hours a Day by Michele Colagiovanni, C.PP.S. No. 13 Passionate Pilgrims by Joseph Nassal, C.PP.S. No. 14 More Essays in Honor of St. Gaspar by John Klopke, C.PP.S. No. 15 Life and Achievements of Father Francis de Sales Brunner No. 16 In Water and in Blood by Robert J. Schreiter, C.PP.S. No. 17 My Life is Like the Amazon by Erwin Kraeutler, C.PP.S. No. 18 Sources of Gasparian Spirituality by John A. Colacino, C.PP.S. No. 19 ACTA of the XVI General Assembly No. 20 The American/Cincinnati Province of the Society of the Precious Blood: A Chronological Account by Charles J. Robbins, C.PP.S. No. 21 Brothers C.PP.S. Chronology 4 by Charles J. Robbins, C.PP.S. No. 22 A Precious Blood Reader by Barry J. Fischer, C.PP.S. and Robert J. Schreiter, C.PP.S. No. 23 Strokes of the Pen IV Compiled by Barry J. Fischer, C.PP.S. Table of Contents 5 Foreword Brief Chronology of the Life of St. Gaspar, 1828-1833 1. Assignments 2. Authority 3. The Precious Blood 4. Charity 5. (Holy) Communion 6. The Community 7. Confession 8. Confidence in God 9. Crosses 10 The Crucified 11. The Crucifix 12. The Dead 13. Dialogue 14. Spiritual Direction 15. Discernment 16. Disputes 17. Entrance into the Community 18. The Eucharist 19. Spiritual Exercises (Retreats) 20. St. Francis Xavier 21. Gratitude 22. Spiritual Growth 23. Happiness 24. Health 25. The Heart of Jesus 26. Hope 27. Humility 28. Community Life 29. Eternal Life 30. Spiritual Life 31. The Love of God 32. Mary 33. The Ministry 34. Foreign Missions 35. The New Year 36. Obedience 37. Offering 38. Pardon 6 39. Peace 40. The Poor 41. Prayer 42. The Rule 43. Sanctity 44. Scruples 45. The Seminarians 46. Simplicity 47. The Society 48. Solidarity 49. Temptations 50. Vocation 51. The Will of God Foreword 7 The saying of St. Gaspar gathered in this volume of Strokes of the Pen are gleaned from 953 letters written by the Founder during the six year period of 1828 through 1833. They constitute vols. V and VI of the Epistolario, the Italian edition of Gaspar's letters. During this time, St. Gaspar preached some twenty-one spiritual retreats to various groups of men and women religious, as well as to the military and to the people. In addition to this, he preached eighteen parish missions. He preached several lenten catecheses, Marian months, months of the Precious Blood, as well as Tridua. Throughout his apostolic labors in the missions, he maintained a constant concern for the members of the Society, and made official visits to distant Mission Houses. He also opened four new Mission Houses, and three new houses for the students. In his letters we can sense his great desire to solidify the foundations for the Society. This period brought its share of suffering into Gaspar's life. The Mission Houses of Terracina and Sonnino were closed in 1828. Two Supreme Pontiffs died (Leo XII and Pius VII). In each instance, he needed to convince their successors of the validity of the Society, and to overcome the misinformation supplied by those closes to the Popes. To this end, he wrote a beautiful defense of the Society. And there were also controversies within the Society, especially with Father Innocenzo Betti, a missionary in Benevento, with whom he had a long and painful dispute over the habit of lay brothers. He also suffered two major personal losses: that of his father, Antonio del Bufalo; and of Cardinal Bellisario Cristaldi, his friend and the great protector of the Society. Three of his missionaries also died during this time. Thus we should not be surprised at the many references to "crosses" and "confidence in God" in these pages. Often St. Gaspar wrote: "Good works are born in the midst of thorns." Gaspar knew how to join his sufferings to those of Christ, converting them into a means of growth and holiness. While confronting his critics and the misinterpretations by some of his companions, he would clearly express his beliefs, but was always ready at a moment's notice to surrender the direction of the Society to someone more qualified than he. St. Gaspar recognized the Society was not his personal possession. It belonged to God, and St. Gaspar was disposed, like Christ, to take up his cross of difficulties, misunderstandings, rejection, and failure. The years of intense missionary activity began to take their toll on Gaspar's health. Beginning in 1833, his health problems increased. He suffered serious problems with his teeth, which began to fall out. This 8 created a difficult situation for him, since preaching was his principal apostolic activity. But we find him again to be a strong man, filled with hope, and confident that the Lord was steering the ship. His example serves to stir up our apostolic zeal. It is my hope that this volume of Strokes of the Pen will serve as an inspiration to us as we continue the "Work" of our Founder, always seeking to live and announce the Gospel in today's world. Rome, February 1998 Barry Fischer, C.PP.S. Brief Chronology of the Life of St. Gaspar 1828 first days of February - Msgr. Bellisario Cristaldi goes to Naples for health reasons 9 4 February - Closing of the Terracina House 16 February - Closing of the Sonnino House 20 March - Opening of the House of Studies in Albano Laziale (Rome) 15 December - Leo XII names Msgr. Bellisario Cristaldi a Cardinal December - Cardinal Cristaldi renounces the Office of General Treasurer that he occupied since 6 June 1820. He is replaced by Bishop Mario Mattei. 1829 10 February - Leo XII dies 13 March - Pius VIII is elected April - Pius VIII suspends the payment of the government subsidy for the Houses in the Province of the Marittima and Campagna 3 June - The Pope repeals the suspension of the subsidy September - Gaspar opens the House of Studies in Benevento; Gaspar goes to Naples to treat the founding of a House there 1830 30 November - Pius VIII dies [During these three years St. Gaspar was untiring in the preaching of numerous missions. He also preached retreats in seminaries, to nuns, to the clergy and to soldiers.] 10 1831 2 February - Election of Pope Gregory XVI 25 February - Death of Cardinal Bellisario Cristaldi 31 October - Death of Antonio del Bufalo, father of St. Gaspar, in Rome 16 November - Opening of the Mission House in Nepi 1832 28 May Opening of the House in Macerata Feltria (Pesaro) 29 December Opening of the House in Cesena (Forli) 1833 20 April Reopening of the House in Soninno (Latina) 25 October Opening of the Mission House of Pennabilli (Pe- saro) 11 1. Assignments (Responsibilities) 1. As for your duties and burdens I would like you to place before God your desires, and in that procedure, that you likewise use holy simplicity. Have a holy indifference to external matters. The customary saying is: “We must serve the community 24 hours a day.” Whether in one thing or the other, it is all the same, as long as God will provide the strength. Crosses everywhere will not be lacking. The more we move forward with simplicity, the more we will be saintly. (to Mother Maria Nazzarena De Castris, 8 March 1828, Letter 1714) 2. The external difficulties that you suffer in your office, as likewise those in regard to your family, simply complete the picture and lead you to be an imitator of Jesus of Nazareth. (to Mother Maria Nazzarena De Castris, 20 April 1828, Letter 1732) 3. I am aware of the tasks that you have in your position, but they are for you a mine to gain merits, for example, of patience, of charity, of denial of one's own will, of desiring so many good things. Indeed, at the same time, the desire for making a pleasing offering to the Lord, for detachment from everything, for governing oneself with the golden ring of the will of God. So, I congratulate you for all of these meritorious acts and you yourself, in God, can be consoled because doing his will shall always be the source of refreshment for you.