Chapter 12

From The Constitutions to

The Transfer of The General Curia To Rome
(1579 - 1662)
122 CHAPTER 12 – From the Constitutions to the Transfer of the General Curia to Rome (1579 - 1662)

Monastic spirit and missions

The Barnabites had rejected following either of the four classic rules of religious life:
Basilian, Augustinian, Benedictine, and Franciscan. The advent of the Clerics Regular called for a
new style of religious and apostolic life in the Church. The Barnabite constitutions expressed this
new style to the fullest: a synthesis of the religious ideal (described in the second book of the
constitutions) and apostolic activity.

The monastic matrix which characterizes our order is evident in the many community
chapters, the obligation of reciting the Divine Office in the choir, and meditation in common. The
father superior’s role is that of “abbot” among his confreres. Hence running parishes and
seminaries and teaching in universities seemed antithetic to this communitarian ideal. That is why
the Constitutions forbade them.

Three outstanding men became “father general” in this period: Charles Bascapè (1586-
1593), Cosimo Dossena (1596-1599; 1602-1616), and Ambrose Mazenta (1612-1617).

Father Charles Bascapè (1586-1593) (link)

Charles Bascapè was not even 36 years old when he was called to be superior general and
take direction of the order. His election silenced complaints that he was too involved with the
Archbishop Gaspare Visconti’s affairs, to the detriment of the congregation. Indeed, he would be
elected for a second term.

His goals were to enlarge the apostolic activity of the community as well as to raise the
intellectual standards of the Barnabite priesthood. In his first circular letter to the confreres he
wrote:

“Blessed be the Lord for all our activities... it is not because of our work and skill but rather
because of his mercy that he delights in us! May the desire for regular observance grow
with the increase of members and houses.”

He undertook the needed task of composing rules for various offices which would further
“the order, peace, prosperity, and health of the congregation.” He also published a little work on
“regular discipline” drawn upon the rules of Sts. Basil, Bernard, and Bonaventure.

Fr. Bascapè sought to improve the qualifications of future Barnabite priests. In a letter to
his assistant, Fr. Augustine Tornielli, he presented his ideas for the study of “languages and
humanities” that he felt were necessary for the sacred ministry, especially for preaching. Using
the example of the Jesuits, he wrote:
 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 123

“Your Reverence,

“…you will say…that if they have to dedicate themselves to humanities they will be delayed
for a year or two [from entering the vineyard of the Lord]. My answer is that it is better
to have a well prepared subject two years later than an imperfect one earlier, and this is
true, without any doubt, when there is not an imperative need to have him, imperfect as he
is. I have no doubt that the Jesuit fathers are in the same need of candidates as we are,
still we see that they follow this way... If we are poor in the number of candidates ready to
be good preachers, then the only way to get them is this: do not be anxious, and be patient
so that the students might properly study all kind of subjects, useful and necessary for
preaching.”

Thus he laid the foundation for the great educational mission of our congregation.

St. Alexander’s church in Milan

Many who
attended our church
of St. Barnabas were
complaining about its
location, set in the
countryside outside
the walls of the city.
St. Charles himself
had suggested a better
location within the
city. In 1588 the
reverend fathers at
last were in a position
to take over the parish
church of St.
Alexander Martyr in
Zebedia, in the center
of the city, after its
rector retired.
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 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 125

On April 5, 1589, the Barnabites took possession of the church, with Fr. Gabrio Porro as
its first superior. The project of rebuilding the church was entrusted to the Barnabite architect, Fr.
Lawrence Binago. The foundations were laid by Cardinal Federico Borromeo on March 13, 1602,
and the building was completed in 1630, shortly after Fr. Binago’s death.

St. Paul alla Colonna in Rome

Fr. Bascapè wanted a larger edifice than the Barnabite church of St. Blaise. An opportunity
presented itself when some small houses in Piazza Colonna were made available. Procurator
General Fr. Cosimo Dossena was put in charge of the project. The new church of St. Paul was
completed in 1596. In 1617, however, fire destroyed the building. It was rebuilt but alas, in 1659,
it fell victim to Pope Alexander VII’s plan to build a new palace in honor of his Ghigi family,
which would also lend more symmetry to St. Peter’s square. Therefore he expropriated any
building that stood in the way, including our church.

A Barnabite bishop

When Cardinal Aldobrandini became Pope Clement VIII in 1593, Fr. Bascapè was made
Bishop of Novara.

Father Cosimo Dossena (1596-1599; 1602-1612)

Fr. AgostinoTornielli was called to succeed Fr. Bascapè as superior general. Many were
the apostolic fields opening up at this time, but Fr. Tornielli, eager to enforce the restrictions of
the new Constitutions, had to reject them. For instance, Fr. Tornielli would not even consider the
education of youth, indeed he even refused the direction of seminaries, which is why he asked Fr.
Timoteo Facciardi to resign from his position as director of the seminary of Arona, entrusted to
him by St. Charles. He also fought off attempts by various well-intentioned people to make him a
bishop.

At this time the congregation was enriched by the presence of a young and holy cleric,
Diego Martinez Carrero from Dos Barrios (Toledo, Spain).

In 1594 Fr. Dossena, as procurator general, was entrusted with the opening of a new
Barnabite house in Pisa, St. Frediano’s church, which had been accepted on condition that it would
not become a parish church.
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Fr. Tornielli also encouraged classical studies in the formation of the priesthood. Hence
when Cardinal Federico Borromeo paid a visit to Cremona, he was greeted with welcoming
speeches by our clerics Julio Cavalcani in Latin, Carlo Bossi in Greek, and Bartolomeo Gavanti in
Hebrew.

In the chapter meeting of 1596, Fr. Cosimo Dossena was called to lead the congregation.
He followed Fr. Tornielli’s policy of strict observance of discipline and adherence to the
Constitutions, with special care for the novices.

In 1598, Pope Clement VIII was in Bologna for a visit. Cardinal Alfonso Paleotto
expressed his great need for religious assistants to staff the various missions, to which the Pope
answered:” Then call the Barnabites! They are great assistants of the bishops!” Fr. Dossena proved
amenable to the Barnabites taking over the Bologna penitentiary (that is, a bishop’s or cardinal’s
special tribunal) to the great satisfaction not only of the Cardinal but especially of the people, who
loved them.

In the following year Bishop Bascapè in Novara also obtained three Barnabites from Fr.
Dossena to help him in the diocese. They established themselves in the church of St. Mark.

Fr. Asinari next led the congregation as superior general, his term interrupted by his death
in 1602. Fr. Tornielli completed his term, after which Fr. Dossena was reelected to the post.

Many new religious houses were being established: St. Michael in Bologna, Our Lady of
Light in San Severino, St. Martin in Asti, and a religious house in Montù. Fr. Mazenta, another
Barnabite architect, designed the restructuring of the port of Livorno, as well as the cathedral of
Bologna (1602), and helped to set the new boundaries between Ferrara and Bologna.

An appeal was made to the Venetian republic to reconsider its ban of the Barnabites, but
to no avail.

Because of the great number of new priests in the order, Fr. Dossena approved the opening
of new religious houses, specifically in Spoleto, Acqui, Lodi, Casalmaggiore, Naples and Genoa.

The education of youth

Schools were considered an apostolate contrary to the spirit of the 1579 Constitutions,
because priests involved in this work would be unable to attend the most important event of the
day: the choir. Not even the intervention of Clement VIII in 1603 succeeded in convincing the
order to get involved in education. Two years later, however, the chapter gave in: Monsignor
Giambattista Arcimboldi left them a bequest for a school in St. Alexander, where some lay students
had already been admitted. And so the Barnabites took it over.
 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 127

Provinces

In 1608 there were 26 religious houses spread over three “provinces.” Other houses were
added over the years:
a) St. Dalmazzo in Turin offered by Carlo Emmanuele I, which the Barnabites took
possession of in 1609.
b) a mission in the Bearn (southern France) to convert the Huguenots, which the Pope asked
the Barnabites to open in 1608.
c) St. Paul and Charles in Vigevano (1609).
d) St. Mary in Cosmedin in Naples (1609).

Barnabite studies and formation

Fr. Dossena was a soldier during the battle of Lepanto (1571) and perhaps this is why he
imposed a stern discipline upon his confreres. The following is his eleven-point directive for the
formation of new Barnabites:

1. The Rule is the remedy for all failings;

2. Be attached to the Rule as to the will of God;

3. Obedience “transforms the little things into great;”
4. The “tower of spiritual perfection” cannot be based on personal will or opinion, but
only on holy mortification;
5. “It requires far less to renounce what we possess than what we are,” therefore, ask for
“base and heavy jobs;”
6. “Be lovers of silence, which is the source and keeper of devotion;”
7. “With trust and sincerity open your heart to the Father;”
8. It is of the greatest importance to “think often of the purpose of the novitiate, which is
to learn how to control oneself to accord with the religious virtues, for one’s whole
life.”
9. Work is an “indispensable companion” of virtue, especially at the beginning: therefore,
if one wants virtue, one must be willing to work.
10. “Any job or work will be easy for the person who has a great love for Christ, because
it is true that the one who loves a lot, suffers a lot.”
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11. “Frequent meditation on the Passion of Christ inflames the heart with love toward
him…Let us remember... that we are religious in order to serve God, to save our souls,
and to be useful to our neighbors as much as possible. It is toward this end that everyone
has to direct his actions. Make use of every minute without giving in to fatigue,
knowing that fatigue is short but that reward is eternal.”

State of the Congregation

At the 1611 general chapter, forty capitulars attended representing the 180 members of the
order. Fr. Merlini and Fr. Chiesa participated for the first time as provincial superiors for their
respective provinces. In this chapter Fr. Dossena was confirmed as superior general. The lay
brothers then requested the privilege of being called “brothers” and for permission to don the
square biretta. Both requests were denied, on the grounds that they would be too similar to ordained
priests.

The spread of new religious orders had created an imbalance between the diocesan and the
religious clergy in favor of the latter. Pope Paul V considered issuing a directive asking each
religious house to provide a list of members, which struck an ominous note at St. Barnabas. Many
religious orders petitioned for an exemption, including our Fr. Dossena. According to him: “First,
as the congregation is growing and there are opportunities to open new houses, like the four or five
opened in the last three years, if in the other houses there must be a required number of members,
then we will be unable to accept new ones, blocking the increase of the congregation and therefore
the service of God and of the souls of our neighbor...often places are offered with income, like one
now for ten people, and in France there was an income for two houses; when the Lord sends these
opportunities, if we do not have members ready, we cannot accept them, since religious members
cannot be created like soldiers in one month at the roll of the drum, they have to study eight or
nine years and must exercise themselves in the observance of the rules and in the religious virtues
before they can be exposed to work for their neighbor...” Eventually the Pope changed his mind
and did not proceed with the directive.

St. Charles ai Catinari in Rome

As early as 1575, Frs. Degli Alessi and Boerio had been trying to find a suitable place in
Rome for a formation house. Finally they settled on St. Blaise, a small but centrally located church,
which, however, turned out to have too many shortcomings. A certain countess fortuitously made
a generous donation for a new church. With the help of Philip Neri it was decided to buy some
houses in Piazza Colonna to construct the church and house of St. Paul, as we have already
mentioned.
 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 129

On January 18, 1611, the reverend fathers, having purchased some of the houses around
St. Blaise, decided to build a new church in honor of St. Charles who had just been canonized on
November 4, 1610. The edifice, designed by Rosato Rosati, was begun on September 29, 1611.

Bishop Dossena

Present at the ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone was Dossena, who was now the
new bishop of Tortona. When Pope Paul V saw him dressed as a bishop for the first time, he gave
him his own rochet, embraced him, and whispered in his ear: “I have never been so happy in
making a bishop!”

Father Ambrose Mazenta (1565-Dec. 23, 1635)

(1612-1617)

On May 8, 1612, the general chapter was convened to elect the new superior general, Fr.
Ambrose Mazenta.

During the chapter, a proposal was made to create a new (fourth) province, but the matter
was postponed for the next general chapter.

Expansion

Fr. Bascapè and Fr. Dossena had expanded the order so that by 1608 it encompassed the
“provinces” of Lombardy, Piedmont and Rome. In 1593 a second novitiate was opened in Zagarolo
(Rome), besides the one already in existence in Monza. Three years later Saint Paul alla Colonna
was opened in Rome, which our reverend fathers dubbed “Totius Congregationis nostrae columna
et firmamentum” (the column and foundation of our whole congregation). Fr. Mazenta continued
the expansion of the congregation into Savoy and then France. Bishops, local clergy and even lay
people had positive and often enthusiastic responses to the Barnabites, most especially to their
effective preaching.

Those requesting the presence of the Barnabites were prepared to offer them a church and
a dwelling with the necessary benefits for their sustenance. Occasionally, other established
religious would oppose the arrival of the Barnabites, sometimes out of jealousy. For instance, in
Vigevano (1620-23), the new Spanish bishop so resented their presence that he accused them of
being apostates! Nonetheless they remained where they were.

Attempts to establish themselves in France

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Besides the Barnabite presence in the Bearn (southern France), which was strictly a mission
for the conversion of the Huguenots, Fr. Mazenta felt the need to expand in the rest of France,
starting in Paris.

In 1611, Queen Maria dei Medici (wife of King Henry IV) granted a license to the
Barnabites to open religious houses anywhere in France. For one reason or another: the death of
Henry IV, the spread of Gallicanism, and the overall unstable political situation, they failed to take
root.

Not until 1629, through the strenuous efforts of Fr. Justin Guerin, did the Barnabites
succeed in establishing a new house in Paris. Two years later the church of St. Eligius was
entrusted to them.

Mergers

The Congregation of Christian Doctrine had been founded by the Venerable Caesar de Bus
(d. April 15, 1607). For various reasons their superior, Fr. Vigier, considered the possibility of a
merger with the Barnabites. After a meeting in Avignon with Frs. Bellarini and Gennari, Fr. Vigier
traveled to St. Barnabas to discuss the proposal. He went away unhappy with their conditions, and
so gave up the prospect of a merger.

A happy merger occurred later, in 1623, with the Congregation of the Annunciation,
founded by Father Anthony Pagni, a parish priest, and doctor Paul Ricordati, a devout layman.
Under the direction of St. John Leonardi, Ricordati was ordained a priest, and together with Pagni,
began a religious community. Soon their dwelling became too small for the number of men who
wished to join them, and so Bishop Andrew Turini let them build a church for their apostolic
ministry, Our Lady of the Annunciation, which was blessed on March 25, 1600. Thereafter the
new congregation experienced explosive growth. Under the spiritual guidance of St. John
Leonardi, Fr. Pagni prepared a rule and eventually asked Rome for official approval, or for
permission to join some other congregation. Barnabite Father Pomponio Tartaglia witnessed what
happened next. “Three of those good priests...after long prayers to the Father of enlightenment to
inspire them what to do... wrote the names of various congregations on pieces of paper, put them
in a hat, invoked again the Holy Spirit to show them which congregation to join, and three times
in succession they drew the name of the Barnabites.” The general chapter of 1623 approved the
merger.

Fr. Mazenta is also remembered for the famous controversy about Fr. Morigia’s primacy
in the foundation of the order. The general chapter of 1620 affirmed that the founders were three
and that among them Anthony M. Zaccaria had a primary role, even if Fr. Morigia was the first
superior general (1536).
 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 131

Other Developments

St. Michael in Vienna and St. Benedict in Prague

The Emperor Ferdinand II was looking for a means to counter the Protestant movement,
which had spread widely in his empire. The Secretary for the Propagation of the Faith proposed
sending in the Barnabites. On August 7, 1625, the new superior general, Fr. Julius Cavalcani, sent
off Fr. Florio Cremona and Father Venusto Venisti to Vienna, where they arrived in October. They
were in dire need of German-speaking religious, so that Fr. Cremona had to resort to a Capuchin
and another priest to help out. Soon Barnabite Fr. Mansueto Merati, a well-regarded preacher,
joined them. On May 4, 1626, the emperor entrusted the church of St. Michael to their mission.
As a sign of his appreciation the emperor affiliated himself with the order.

Meanwhile Cardinal d’Arrach pressured Fr. Cremona to open a house in Prague with the
same missionary purpose. When some German-speaking newly-ordained priests finally became
available, Fr. Cavalcani permitted Fr. Cremona to establish his mission there. On October 11,
1627, he celebrated Mass in the imperial chapel, in the presence of the emperor and empress. The
parish church of St. Benedict, located in the city’s center, was officially entrusted to the Barnabites.

Barnabite Oblates

For some time men of piety and virtue had been associated with the congregation as oblates,
who, however, for various reasons (age being one of them) did not profess any vows. In 1617, they
received specific guidelines and eventually, permission was granted them to wear a habit and,
while serving at Mass, a surplice.

We have no information about the third order for women, but probably they remained
locally attached to a specific community, as in Pavia.

The Milan pestilence of 1630

In 1630 a terrible pestilence raged in the city of Milan and in the surrounding area.
132 CHAPTER 12 – From the Constitutions to the Transfer of the General Curia to Rome (1579 - 1662)

Hence the general chapter in that year had to be a short one, limiting itself to the election
of a superior general, Fr. Cavalcani, following the sudden death of Fr. Torriani on January 22,
1630.

At the outset of the epidemic, Fr. Ricci, Fr. Gorno and Fr. Mignatta offered their services
to Cardinal Charles Borromeo but were refused because the situation was not deemed serious
enough.
Nonetheless Fr. Cavalcani sent a letter to all the confreres asking for prayers, and directed
that every religious house take the following measures:

1) to hold a penitential procession every Saturday;

2) to offer a daily Mass for the victims;
3) to fast on Wednesdays;
4) to ensure that three religious took turns scourging themselves;
5) to give donations to those in need;

6) to keep all sacred vessels safely enclosed in one place.

He exhorted them to exhibit the courage befitting the followers of Christ, and to be ready to
sacrifice their lives for the sake of their brothers.

The epidemic claimed the lives of sixteen Barnabites in St. Alexander, six in Pavia, fifteen
in St. Barnabas, twenty-four in Cremona, while the community in Pescia was practically wiped
out.

The pestilence extended far beyond Milan. In Livorno the Barnabites were in charge of all
the Lazaretti, and when the Cardinal in Bologna asked for two reverend fathers to help out, the
whole community showed up instead.

One sour note was the strange reaction of Cardinal Borromeo against the community of St.
Alexander, most probably instigated by malicious slander. He accused the reverend fathers of not
caring for the victims! By then thirteen members had died in the epidemic, and when the parish
priest himself passed away, the Cardinal refused to appoint a new one. Inspite of vigorous protests,
he proceeded to place the parish of St. Alexander under the direction of the adjacent St. Fermo.
The reverend fathers appealed all the way up to the Sacred Congregation in Rome for redress,
which, on October 25, decided in favor of the Barnabites.

On February 2, 1631, Fr. Cavalcani himself became a victim of the pestilence.

Fr. Mazenta, senior assistant general, again took command of the congregation. Meanwhile
Rome decided that no congregation could accept new novices without the explicit permission of
the Holy See, to allow the diocesan seminaries to replenish their dioceses. The hitherto flourishing
 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 133

novitiate in Monza became almost empty. To circumvent this problem Fr. Mazenta tried, but
without success, to open novitiates in Vienna, Prague and even in France.

Still other developments

a) Fr. Cremona in Prague

He was an independent person who avoided authority whenever he could, leading to some
very uncomfortable situations. In 1625 Fr. Cremona was assigned to Prague, although at first the
emperor had opposed the move. That led the superiors to rethink their choice and so he was recalled
to Italy. His apostolic activities in Prague had not been without success, so much so that Cardinal
d’Arrach wished to retain him. A problem arose when the Cardinal’s brother-in-law, the Duke of
Friedland, who had a great liking for Fr. Cremona, pestered him to wear a diocesan cassock
because the Barnabite habit was too similar to the one of the Jesuits (whom he abhorred) and
ordered him to dwell in a private house so that he could be at his disposal. An exasperated Fr.
Cremona had had enough and requested a transfer to some other congregation! Eventually the
Duke of Friedland was assassinated and Fr. Cremona found peace in another order.

Such experiences persuaded the future superior generals to take a strong stand against
confreres establishing personal relationships with lay people, however advantageous it might seem
to them.

b) The 1635 General Chapter

The congregation registered 343 priests, 115 professed students, and 175 brothers, for a
total of 633 members. Once again the idea of establishing a new province was discussed but not
approved. Another proposal was to extend the term of the superior general from three to six years,
but this, too, did not pass. Fr. Crivelli was reelected superior general.

c) General Chapters 1644-1659

A frank and full discussion took place between those who wanted the congregation to
concentrate on purely religious ministries, and those who desired to extend the Barnabite ministry
to the youth.

Missions to Switzerland and Greece, offered by the Propagation of the Faith, were
accepted.
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Fr. Cassetta sent a letter to the general chapter complaining that the frequent general
chapters (every three years) were keeping the superiors away from their communities for too long,
and once again proposed establishing a fourth province so as to limit the number of capitulars.

The wearing or carrying of watches on the part of members of the congregation was
henceforth prohibited.

Numerous complaints were aired about the interference of politicians, bishops and
cardinals… But how to keep the peace and still maintain good relations remained a headache for
the superiors.

In 1647 the title “Brother” was approved.

The general chapter of 1653 issued guidelines warning laymen (in that era of baroque dress
for men) against wearing “long hair, excessive beards, earrings, fancy shoes, etc.”

In 1655 the church of St. Bartholomew in Genoa was without priests, as the Basilians had
died out. The city authorities agreed to entrust it to the Barnabites.

In 1658 Fr. Gallicio, provincial superior of Piedmont-Savoy-France, found out that the
government of Spain was prohibiting French and Savoyard members from participating in the
general chapter. A petition was sent to Rome to have the chapter convene in either Bologna or
Genoa. When the Pope learned that sixty capitulars were expected to attend, he pressured them to
reduce the number, citing as reasons the exorbitant expense and the fact that it occasioned too
much absence from work! At last the general chapter of 1659 approved the establishment of a 4th
Province (Tuscany), in this way changing the size and make-up of the general chapter.

d) Small Communities and Congregations

In December 1649 the Holy See required a list of all religious houses and communities
along with their financial reports, indicating that until these were received and reviewed, no new
novices could be accepted nor any profession of vows made. The object was to reduce or eliminate
communities that were either too small, or experiencing serious financial and/or other problems.
The papal bull, “Instaurandae disciplinae,” was published on October 15, 1652, and resulted in the
closure of our houses in Tortona, Pieve, Orta and Acqui. At least the congregation was not forced
into a merger, thanks to the maneuvering of Procurator General Fr. Facciardi, a clever and capable
administrator.

Rome, seat of the General Curia

 HISTORY OF THE BARNABITES 135

During this period the congregation had grown from about ten houses to more than forty
(1662). In 1659 the Tuscan province was added; the German houses (started in 1625) were united
to the Lombard province, and the French ones to Piedmont. A perfect balance was achieved in
1662, when the general curia was moved to Rome.

The idea of moving the curia to Rome had already been proposed and accepted in the
chapters of 1623 and 1626. But when the chapter of 1629 was supposed to take a final vote on the
matter, the dissension among the members was such that they almost tabled the whole question.
They had their reasons: it meant transferring their historic headquarters (St. Barnabas) from what
had been the “stomach and lung of the congregation,” namely Milan, to distant Rome.

The opposition was organized in Milan, supported too by some politicians, but to no avail,
as the Pope also supported the move.

In the same year the general chapter was held in Rome, and a Lombard, Fr. Andrew Cuttica,
was elected superior general. Meanwhile St. Barnabas became the see of the provincial superior.

The change was a decisive one. Henceforth the order was strategically located so as to
participate more fully and directly in all the Church’s major fronts: against the diffusion of heresy,
on behalf of missions to the heathen, the care of the poor everywhere, church renewal, and pastoral
care of the laity.

We will see Barnabites at work in each one of these holy missions, imprinting some of the
most beautiful pages on to the history of the Church.

The three areas of apostolate

Apostolic activities in the 1600’s took the direction of

a) the opening up of schools for the laity;
b) the acceptance of penitentiaries in Bologna, Livorno, and Naples:

• in Bologna they became well-known and sought after spiritual directors;

• in Livorno they were entrusted with the running of the penitentiary by Archbishop Giuliano
dei Medici;
• in Naples their fame as good confessors gained them a position in the penitentiary of the
Cathedral, and as spiritual directors in many convents;
c) the third area of their apostolate was preaching in lands affected by the Protestant
Reformation.

Today with the ecumenical movement in full bloom, it seems awkward to talk about this
last type of mission, but we have to take into consideration the times and also the charity and
136 CHAPTER 12 – From the Constitutions to the Transfer of the General Curia to Rome (1579 - 1662)

gentleness used by our reverend fathers in their fight for the truth. For their work of conversion
they targeted four areas: Valtellina, Bearn, Silesia, and Switzerland.

Fr. Dominic Boerio was asked by the Most Reverend Francis Bonomy, Bishop of Vercelli
and extraordinary nuncio of Pope Gregory XIII, to move to the German city of Cologne, whose
pastor, Fr. Gherard Truches, had become a Protestant. In his history, Fr. Gabuzio tells us that for
two years (1581-1582), Fr. Boerio gave himself totally to that mission.

St. Charles Borromeo also sent him on a special mission to Valtellina. Fr. Boerio went
there in 1583, but the anti-Catholic persecution was so violent that he had to abandon it.

In the Bearn, in southern France, the conditions were no less dramatic. In 1608 Pope Paul
V sent Father Fortunato Colon and two other reverend fathers there to face the Calvinists. Father
Colon was especially valuable since he had converted from Calvinism to Catholicism and hence
was the most qualified person for such a mission. They established themselves in the cities of
Lescar and Oleron, and soon other Barnabites joined them.

By 1624 the bishop of Lescar reported remarkable progress. In his report that year he gave
unstinting praise to the Barnabites for working zealously for the conversion of souls to the Catholic
faith, and for refuting Protestant heresies in writing and in public debates.

The third mission was to Prague, where Fr. Ferdinand Hauch and Fr. Pius Cassetta opened
a religious house in 1627.

In 1645 Pope Innocent X called the Barnabites to Switzerland. Fr. Virgilio Batocletti and
Fr. Ludovico Tremouille were chosen for the mission. As the situation in Switzerland was less dire
than elsewhere, they concentrated their efforts on a program of prevention rather than conversion.
Their center in Savoy, as in Thonon, was used to influence the neighboring regions which were
dominated by Protestants. Among the reverend fathers involved there was also the nephew of St.
Francis de Sales, Joseph, and Fr. Recrosio, destined to become the bishop of Nice.

THE GALLICAN CHURCH

Under the Declaration of the Clergy of France of 1682, the following privileges were claimed
by the crown, but never accepted by the Holy See:

▪ Kings of France had the right to assemble church councils in their dominions.
• Kings of France had the right to make laws and regulations touching ecclesiastical
matters.
• The Pope required the king's consent to send papal legates into France.
• Those legates required the king's consent to exercise their power within France.
• Bishops, even when commanded by the Pope, could not leave the kingdom without
the king's consent.
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• Royal officers could not be excommunicated for any act performed in the discharge
of their official duties.
• The Pope could not authorize the alienation of landed church estates in France, or the
diminution of any foundation.
▪ Papal bulls and letters required the pareatis of the king or his officers before they took
effect within France.
▪ The Pope could not issue dispensations "to the prejudice of the laudable customs and
statutes" of the French cathedral churches.
▪ It was lawful to have recourse to the "appeal as from an abuse" (appel comme d'abus)
against acts of ecclesiastical power.