BIOGRAPHY
Rosmini priest, philosopher, man of his times
by Gianni Cardinale
1797
24 March
Antonio Rosmini Serbati is born in Rovereto to Modesto and Giovanna dei Conti Formenti from Biacesa sul Garda
25 March
He is baptized on the feast of the Virgin Mary Announced by the Angel
1804-1808
He attends the Civic popular school of Rovereto
1808-1812
He attends the school of Latinity
1812-1814
He attends the middle school of Rovereto: the Personal Diary dates from this period in which the first entries appear attesting to the call to follow the Lord more closely
1814-1816
Two years of private studies of philosophy, maths and physics under the guidance of the Rovereto priest Pietro Orsi
1816
22 November
Rosmini enrolls at the University of Padua for theological studies; in the lectures of Canon Law he makes thea quaintance and friendship of Niccolò Tommaseo
1821
21 April
Priestly ordination
1823
September
In the Church of San Marco in Rovereto he gives the Panegyric to the sacred and glorious memory of Pius VII
1826
He publishes the essay Sulla divina Provvidenza nel governo dei beni e dei mali temporali [On Divine Providence in the governance of temporal goods and evils]
March
He stays in Milan where he makes friends with Count Giacomo Mellerio and Alessandro Manzoni
1828
20 February
He begins Lent in solitude at the Mount Calvary of Domodossola and writes the Constitutions of the Institute of Charity
1829
15 May
He is received in audience by Pope Pius VIII, who confirms him in his dual mission of writer of books and of founder
1832-1833
He writes The Five Wounds of the Holy Church (published in 1846)
1838
20 December
Pope Gregory XVI approves the rule of the Institute of Charity
1839
He writes the Philosophy of Politics and publishes the Tractatus of the moral conscience, stirring fierce reaction from some Jesuits
1841-1845
He works out the Philosophy of Law
1843
Gregory XVI intervenes, imposing the “decree of silence” on the Rosminians and their adversaries
1845
He publishes the Theodicy
1846
He publishes the essay The Five Wounds of the Holy Church
1848
He writes the Projects of Constitution for the Papal State
August
In Rome Pope Pius IX receives him in friendly fashion and invites him to prepare for the cardinalate. In November he accompanies the Pope during the flight and exile in Gaeta
1849
April
Pius IX exhorts Rosmini to reflect on his works «to change them or correct them or retract them»
June
The Five Wounds of the Holy Church and The Civil Constitution according to social justice are put on the Index
1850
April
The Memorial, with the theses accused, signed by a score of bishops, is sent to the Pope
1851
The Pope subjects all the rest of Rosmini’s works to the examination of the General Congregation of the Index
1854
3 July
Sentence of full absolution pronounced by the General Congregation of the Index
1855
1 July
Antonio Rosmini dies in Stresa in the early hours of the day dedicated to the Most Precious Blood, to which he was very devoted
The long path to the altars
1855: Antonio Rosmini dies at 58.
1882: First attempt at introducing the cause for beatification. It does not succeed, not least because it becomes known that the then Holy Office was examining Rosmini’s works.
1887: The Post obitum decree by the Holy Office condemns forty clauses taken from works of Rosmini.
1928: Second attempt to introduce the cause, without success.
1947, 1962, 1965, 1972: Subsequent attempts to introduce the cause, all without success.
1994: Non obstat from the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints. Finally the cause for beatification can begin. Even if the definitive go-ahead from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is still lacking.
1998: The diocesan phase of the process for beatification concludes.
2001: The L'Osservatore Romano publishes a Note from the CDF that affirms: «Currently the reasons for concern and of doctrinal and prudential difficulty that determined the promulgation of the Post obitum decree can by now be considered overcome». The Congregation of the Causes of the Saints therefore releases the definitive nihil obstat for the pursuance of the cause.
2006: The Pope authorizes the publication of the decree regarding the heroic virtues of the servant of God Rosmini.
2007: The Pope authorizes the publication of the decree regarding a miracle attributed to the intercession of the venerable Rosmini; ceremony of beatification of Rosmini in Novara, presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints.
24 March
Antonio Rosmini Serbati is born in Rovereto to Modesto and Giovanna dei Conti Formenti from Biacesa sul Garda
25 March
He is baptized on the feast of the Virgin Mary Announced by the Angel
1804-1808
He attends the Civic popular school of Rovereto
1808-1812
He attends the school of Latinity
1812-1814
He attends the middle school of Rovereto: the Personal Diary dates from this period in which the first entries appear attesting to the call to follow the Lord more closely
1814-1816
Two years of private studies of philosophy, maths and physics under the guidance of the Rovereto priest Pietro Orsi
1816
22 November
Rosmini enrolls at the University of Padua for theological studies; in the lectures of Canon Law he makes thea quaintance and friendship of Niccolò Tommaseo
1821
21 April
Priestly ordination
1823
September
In the Church of San Marco in Rovereto he gives the Panegyric to the sacred and glorious memory of Pius VII
1826
He publishes the essay Sulla divina Provvidenza nel governo dei beni e dei mali temporali [On Divine Providence in the governance of temporal goods and evils]
March
He stays in Milan where he makes friends with Count Giacomo Mellerio and Alessandro Manzoni
1828
20 February
He begins Lent in solitude at the Mount Calvary of Domodossola and writes the Constitutions of the Institute of Charity
1829
15 May
He is received in audience by Pope Pius VIII, who confirms him in his dual mission of writer of books and of founder
1832-1833
He writes The Five Wounds of the Holy Church (published in 1846)
1838
20 December
Pope Gregory XVI approves the rule of the Institute of Charity
1839
He writes the Philosophy of Politics and publishes the Tractatus of the moral conscience, stirring fierce reaction from some Jesuits
1841-1845
He works out the Philosophy of Law
1843
Gregory XVI intervenes, imposing the “decree of silence” on the Rosminians and their adversaries
1845
He publishes the Theodicy
1846
He publishes the essay The Five Wounds of the Holy Church
1848
He writes the Projects of Constitution for the Papal State
August
In Rome Pope Pius IX receives him in friendly fashion and invites him to prepare for the cardinalate. In November he accompanies the Pope during the flight and exile in Gaeta
1849
April
Pius IX exhorts Rosmini to reflect on his works «to change them or correct them or retract them»
June
The Five Wounds of the Holy Church and The Civil Constitution according to social justice are put on the Index
1850
April
The Memorial, with the theses accused, signed by a score of bishops, is sent to the Pope
1851
The Pope subjects all the rest of Rosmini’s works to the examination of the General Congregation of the Index
1854
3 July
Sentence of full absolution pronounced by the General Congregation of the Index
1855
1 July
Antonio Rosmini dies in Stresa in the early hours of the day dedicated to the Most Precious Blood, to which he was very devoted
The long path to the altars
1855: Antonio Rosmini dies at 58.
1882: First attempt at introducing the cause for beatification. It does not succeed, not least because it becomes known that the then Holy Office was examining Rosmini’s works.
1887: The Post obitum decree by the Holy Office condemns forty clauses taken from works of Rosmini.
1928: Second attempt to introduce the cause, without success.
1947, 1962, 1965, 1972: Subsequent attempts to introduce the cause, all without success.
1994: Non obstat from the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints. Finally the cause for beatification can begin. Even if the definitive go-ahead from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is still lacking.
1998: The diocesan phase of the process for beatification concludes.
2001: The L'Osservatore Romano publishes a Note from the CDF that affirms: «Currently the reasons for concern and of doctrinal and prudential difficulty that determined the promulgation of the Post obitum decree can by now be considered overcome». The Congregation of the Causes of the Saints therefore releases the definitive nihil obstat for the pursuance of the cause.
2006: The Pope authorizes the publication of the decree regarding the heroic virtues of the servant of God Rosmini.
2007: The Pope authorizes the publication of the decree regarding a miracle attributed to the intercession of the venerable Rosmini; ceremony of beatification of Rosmini in Novara, presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints.