Archbishop of Birmingham prays for Barberi's
Canonisation
The Archbishop of Birmingham
joined Rome’s Passionist community for a Mass for the Cause of
Canonisation for Blessed Dominic Barberi, on Saturday 5th March.
The Most Reverend Bernard Longely
was joined by the Superior General of the Passionist Order and the Superior of
Rome’s Passionist centre, along with priests and seminarians of the Archdiocese
of Birmingham and others who have been praying for Blessed Dominic to be
canonised. The Mass was held within the Basilica of Saints John and Paul, in
the Chapel of Saint Paul of the Cross. St Paul of the Cross was the founder of
the Passionist Order and is buried within the chapel.
Blessed Dominic Barberi was
born in Viterbo in 1792. Having been overlooked for military conscription in
1814, he entered the Passionist Order as a novice. He rose quickly through the
order, holding a number of teaching positions before feeling a call to
Missionary activity.
After establishing a
Passionist presence in Belgium in 1840, Dominic’s reputation spread and he was
invited to move to England in order to set up a Passionist house there. Dominic
had long been interested in the religious situation in England, having met and
instructed prominent English Catholics such as Ambrose Phillips and Ignatious
Spencer, during his years in Rome.
Life for English
Catholics was still difficult and often very dangerous, but Dominic soon won
over his doubters and began to receive a steady stream of converts to the
Catholic Church.
Most famously, he received
John Henry Newman into the Church in 1845. Newman, who went on to found the
Community of the Oratorians in England, was a noted writer and Apologiest and
was created Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII. Newman was Beatified by Pope Benedict
XVI in 2010.
After founding a number of
Passionist houses in England and converting hundred of people to Catholicism,
Dominic Barberi died at Reading Railway station in 1849. He is regarded as one
of the most effective Catholic evangelists in recent English history.
Pope Paul VI beatified
Dominic Barberi in 1963, during the Second Vatican Council.
Much of Barberi’s work in
England took place with the Archdiocese of Birmingham, particularly in the
Staffordshire area and the city of Birmingham itself. Because of this
connection, authorities within the Archdiocese of Birmingham have taken a great
interest in the cause for Baberi’s canonisation. Parishioners of the
Archdiocese concluded a nine day novena prayer for Barberi’s canonisation on
5th March.
(John Waters)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét