St Robert
Francis Romulus Ballarmine 1621
![[Saint Robert Bellarmine]](./st%20robert%20bellarmine_files/image004.jpg "10kb jpg drawing of Saint Robert Bellarmine, artist unknown; if you have information about this image, please email me; please do not write to ask about the image")
Feastday
17th September
Born
1542
Died
1621
Third
of ten children on Vincenzo Bellarmine and Cinzia Cervini, a family of
impoverished nobles. His mother, a niece of Pope Marcellus II, was dedicated to
almsgiving, prayer, meditation, fasting, and mortification. Suffered assorted
health problems all his life. Educated by Jesuits as a boy. Joined the Jesuits
on 20 September 1560 over his father's opposition; he wanted Robert to enter
politics. Studied at the Collegio Romano from 1560 to 1563, Jesuit centers in
Florence in 1563 and Mondovi, Piedmont; the University of Padua in 1567 and
1568, and the University of Louvain, Flanders in 1569. Ordained on Palm Sunday,
1570 in Ghent, Belgium. Professor of
theology at the University of Louvain from 1570 to 1576. A the request of Pope
Gregory XIII, he taught polemical theology at the Collegio Romano from 1576 to
1587. While there he wrote Disputationes de Controversiis Christianae Fidei
adversus hujus temporis hereticos, the most complete work of the day to defend
Catholicism against Protestant attack. Spiritual director of the Roman College
from 1588. Taught Jesuit students and other children; wrote a children's
catechism, Dottrina cristiana breve. Wrote a catechism for teachers,
Dichiarazione piu copiosa della dottrina cristiana. Confessor of Saint Aloysius
Gonzaga until his death, and then worked for the boy's canonization. In 1590 he
worked in France to defend the interests of the Church during a period of
turmoil and conflict. Member of the commission for the 1592 revision of the
Vulgate Bible. Rector of the Collegio Romano from 1592 to 1594. Provincial of
the Jesuit province in Naples from 1594 to 1597. Theologian to Pope Clement
VIII from 1597 to 1599. Examiner of bishops and consultor of the Supreme Sacred
Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition in 1597; strongly
considered with discipline among the bishops. Created Cardinal-priest on 3 March
1598 by Pope Clement VIII; he lived an austere life in Rome, giving most of his
money to the poor. At one point he used the tapestries in his living quarters
to clothe the poor, saying that "the walls won't catch cold." Defended the Apostolic See against
anti-clericals in Venice, and the political tenets of James I of England. Wrote
exhaustive works against heresies of the day. Took a position fundamentally
democratic - authority originates with God, is vested in the people, who
entrust it to fit rulers, a concept which brought him trouble with the kings of
both England and France. Spiritual father of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Helped
Saint Francis de Sales obtain formal approval of the Visitation Order. Noted
preacher. Archbishop of Capua on 18 March 1602. Part of the two conclaves of
1605. Involved in disputes between the Republic of Venice and the Vatican in
1606 and 1607 concerning clerical discipline and Vatican authority. Involved in
the controversy between King James I and the Vatican in 1607 and 1609
concerning cntrol of the Church in England. Wrote Tractatus de potestate Summi
Pontificis in rebus temporalibus adversus Gulielmum Barclaeum in opposition to
Gallicanism. Opposed action against Galileo Galilei in 1615, and established a
friendly correspondence with him, but was forced to deliver the order for the
scientist to submit to the Church. Part of the conclave of 1621, and was
considered for Pope. Theological advisor to Pope Paul V. Head of the Vatican
library. Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Rites. Prefect of the Sacred
Congregation of the Index. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 17 September
1931. 1
1. Taken from the Patron
Saints Index at http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintr03.htm
“For
all Catholics actually perceive antichrist to be one certain man but all the
previously referenced heretics in a manner peculiar to them proprie teach
antichrist not to be a single person but rather they teach the antichrist to be
a single throne or tyrannical kingdom or the apostolic chair of those who
preside over the Catholic Church…” 1
“For
it must be known that in the divine letters the Holy Spirit to have given as
six sure signs concerning the coming of the antichrist: two which precede
himself namely the preaching of the gospel in the whole world and the
devastation of the Roman Empire; the contemporaneous men (2 witnesses) which it
is to be seen prophesied Enoch and Elias and the greatest and last persecution
and also that the public sacrifice (of the mass) shall completely cease; the
two following signs surely the death if the antichrist after 3 and half years
(after his rise to power) and the end of the world, none of which signs have we
seen at this time. The 3rd demonstration arises from the coming of
Enoch and Elias who live even now and and shall live until they come to oppose
Antichrist himself and to preserve the elect in the faith of Christ and in the
end shall convert the Jews and it is certain that this has not yet been
fulfilled. But it is easily seen that by is truly this is not a childish
fantasy but a most true concept the Enoch and Elias shall personally return and
it is also seen that the contrary concept (that they will not personally
return) is either absolutely heretical or a serious error very close to
heretical…” 2
“But
it is easily seen that by us (Catholics) truly this is not a childish fantasy,
but a most true concept, that Enoch and Elias shall personally return, and it
is also seen that the contrary concept (that they will not personally return)
is either absolutely heretical or a serious error very close to the heretical…”
3
“The sixth demonstration arises from the last sign, that follows antichrist which shall be the consummation of the world. After antichrist at once comes the last Judgement…the future reign of antichrist shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days duration. Mat 24 “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to the whole world and then shall come the consummation (of the world). That is a little after antichrist shall come the end of the world…” 4
References
1. Bellarmini, Opera Omnia, Disputationum Roberti Bellarmini 1577 as quoted by Desmond A. Birch Trial Tribulation and Triumph: Before, During and After Antichrist, (Queenship Publishing. 1996) p 458
2. Tomus Primus, Liber Tertius p 431 as
quoted by Desmond A. Birch Trial Tribulation and Triumph: Before, During and
After Antichrist, (Queenship Publishing. 1996) p 474
3. De Summo Pontifice p 434 as quoted by
Desmond A. Birch Trial Tribulation and Triumph: Before, During and After
Antichrist, (Queenship Publishing. 1996) p 476
4.
Caput VI p 438 as quoted by Desmond A. Birch Trial Tribulation and Triumph:
Before, During and After Antichrist, (Queenship Publishing. 1996) p 515