[B.] St. IGNATIUS of LOYOLA Presentation: The ... - St. Gaspar Bertoni

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[B.]
Three “Franciscan” Panegyrics by
St. Gaspar Bertoni 13
{I}
Panegyric in Honor of St. Francis of Assisi, preached in St. Firmus’ Major Church,
Verona , Italy –
October 4, 1808 [evening before]
[Three Ages of the Interior Life]
[Introduction: Definitions and Texts]
1795: 14 Perfection consists in conformity with Christ: … everyone shall be perfect, if he be as his
master. [cf. Lk 6:40] 15 .
Since it is our intention now to expose with simple words, which are the only ones at our
disposal, the sublime life of the humble St. Francis, to his great praise and honor and for our
instruction, we need to fix our attention on the character of his perfection, and to distinguish its
grades.
The perfection of every Servant of God consists in imitating the Divine Master. It was a
singular imitation of Christ that forms the character of St. Francis.
1796: Wishing, then, to expose with simple words, which are all that we can muster, the
sublime life of the humble St. Francis, for his just praise, and no less for our own useful
instruction, it is not difficult to fix our attention on the character of his perfection and to be able to
distinguish its levels.
The perfection of every great Saint consists in conformity with Jesus Christ: the
perfect conformity with Jesus Christ is the character of the sublime holiness of Francis.
Perfection, which springs forth from charity and which finds its perfection in charity,
consists in the imitation of Christ: the life of Christ is expressed His teachings.
1797: Be followers of me as I also am of Christ [cf. 1 Co 4:16].
Charity is the bond of perfection. [Col 3:14].
Everyone shall be perfect, if he be as his master [ Lk 6:40]
Charity is the bond of perfection [Col 3:14].
Everyone shall be perfect if he be as his master [Lk 6:40].
Perfection, which from charity has sits root as well as its accomplishment, consists in
the conformity of our life with that of Jesus, our Lord. And since this divine Master began to do
and to teach [Ac 1:1], His actions are individual to Him and of incomparable excellence, but they
are expressed under the heading of His teachings for imitation.
13 St. Gaspar Bertoni: born, October 8, 1777 in Verona, Italy; founded Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our
Lord Jesus on Nov. 4, 1816; died, June 12th, 1853; Beatified on Nov. 1, 1975; canonized on Nov. 1, 1989. [NB: In the
Franciscan tradition, there are two special homilies - morning and evening - attributed to St. Bonaventure [cf. Francis
of Assisi. The.. Early Documents. A Three Volume Series. New York City Press 2000,pp. 508-524; Vol. II, Saint
Francis of Assisi. The Founder ]. Here are two panegyrics in honor of St. Francis, preached by the Stigmatine Founder
on October 4th, 1808, perhaps following the same custom of a morning and evening intervention. Much of the text is
in Latin, perhaps copied. [The texts abound In “pious exaggerations”, more in accord with the spirituality of earlier
times].
14 These marginal numbers were affixed to the copies made of the Stigmatine Founder’s original document s by the
Stigmatine scholar of these writings, Fr. Louis Benaglia, CSS [+ Dec. 3, 1988]. These are collected in a typewritten
five volume set, Monoscritti di Don Gaspar Bertoni. Series III. Fonti Bertoniane. Archivio Storico Bertoniano.
Roma 1999.
15 Since Fr. Bertoni’s text was the Latin Vulgate, the English translation used in these sermons will be: The Holy
Bible translated from the Latin Vulgate. Douay Version.