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Pope Pius X

Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto. He was the Pope of the Catholic Church from August 4, 1903, until his death on August 20, 1914.

He opposed modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine. He promoted liturgical reforms & Thomist scholastic theology. Thomism is the philosophical & theological school that arose as a legacy of the work & thought of Thomas Aquinas.

He initiated the preparation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the 1st comprehensive & systemic work of its kind, which was ultimately announced by his successor. He’s venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

He was born in the Austrian Empire to a poor family. He was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Confidence. His papal encyclical Ad deim illum took on a sense of renewal that was reflected in the motto of his pontificate.

He advanced the Liturgical Movement by formulating the principle of participatio actuosa (active participation of the faithful) in his motu proprio, Tra le sollecitudini (1903). He encouraged the frequent reception of Holy Communion. He lowered the age for First Communion, which would become a lasting innovation of his papacy. It was changed from 12-14 years to around 7 years.

Pius X was known for his firm demeanor & sense of poverty, reflected by his membership in the Third Order of St. Francis. He regularly gave sermons from the pulpit, a rare practice at the time.

After the 1908 Messina earthquake, he filled the Apostolic Palace with refugees, long before the Italian government acted. He rejected any kind of favors for his family, & his close relatives chose to remain in poverty, living near Rome. He also undertook a reform of the Roman Curia with the Apostolic Constitution Sapienti consilio in 1908. An apostolic constitution is the most solemn form of legislation issued by the Pope. It’s 1 of several types of papal bull that can be issued from the Vatican.

After his death, a strong cult of devotion followed, with a reputation for piety & holiness. He was beatified in 1951 & canonized in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. A statue bearing his name stands within St. Peter’s Basilica. His birth town was renamed Riese Pio X after his death. It’s located in northeast Italy in the province of Treviso in the region of Veneto.

He was born in Riese, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, Austrian Empire, on June 2, 1835. He was the 2nd born of 10 kids of Giovanni Battista Sarto, the village postman, & Margherita Sanson. He was baptized on June 3, 1835 (1 day old). The most common (modern) age for the 1st baptism in the Catholic Church is between 6 weeks & 6 months old. In the 1800s, Catholics baptized infants within the 1st 24-48 hours.

As Pope, he rejected any kind of favors for his family: his brother stayed a postal clerk, his favorite nephew stayed on as village priest, & his 3 sisters lived together in humble circumstances in Rome.

In 1850, he received the tonsure from his parish priest. The parish priest wrote to the Cardinal of Venice to secure Sartol/Pius a scholarship to the Seminary of Padua, “where he finished his classical, philosophical & theological studies with distinction.”

On September 18, 1858, Pius was ordained a priest by Giovanni Antonio Farina, Bishop of Treviso (later canonized), & became a chaplain at Tombolo. While there, Pius expanded his knowledge of theology, studying Thomas Aquinas & Canon Law, while carrying out most of the functions of the sickly parish priest Constantini. In Tombolo, Pius’ reputation for holiness grew so much that some people called him “Don Sarto.”

After 1880, Pius taught dogmatic theology & moral theology at the seminary in Treviso. On November 10, 1884, he was appointed Bishop of Mantua by Pope Leo XIII. He was consecrated 6 days later in Rome, in the church of Sant’Apollina alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrini, by Cardinal Lucido Parocchi, assisted by Pietro Rota & by Giovanni Maria Berengo.

He was appointed to the honorary position of assistant at the pontifical throne on June 19, 1891. Pius required papal dispensation from Pope Leo XIII before episcopal consecration, as he lacked a doctorate, making him the last Pope without a doctorate until Pope Francis. An assistant to the pontifical throne was an ecclesiastical title in the Catholic Church. It was designed for prelates belonging to the Papal Chapel, which stood near the throne of the Pope at solemn functions.

Pope Leo XIII made Pius a cardinal of the order of Cardinal priests in a secret priests in a secret meeting (consistory) on June 12, 1893. In a public meeting (consistory) on June 15, 1893, the Pope gave him his cardinal’s red hat (galero), appointed him the titular church of San Bernardo alle Terme, & appointed him Patriarch of Venice.

This created a problem as the reunified Italian government claimed the right to nominate the Patriarch. Since the previous sovereign (the Emperor of Austria) has exercised that power. The poor relations between the Roman Curia & the Italian civil government since the annexation of the Papal States in 1870 placed additional strain on the appointment. Pius was finally allowed to have the patriarchy in 1894. He was formally enthroned on November 24, 1894.

Pope Leo XIII died on July 20, 1903. At the end of the month, the conclave convened to elect his successor. Pius had 0 desire for the papacy. According to historians, the favorite was the pope’s secretary of state, Cardinal Mariano Rampolla. On the 1st ballot, Rampolla received 24 votes, a man named Gotti had 17 votes, & Pius got 5 votes. On the 2nd ballot, Rampolla had gained 5 votes, as did Pius.

The next day, it seemed that Rampolla would be elected. However, the Polish Cardinal Jan Puzyna de Kosielsko from Krakow, in the name of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, proclaimed a veto (jus exclusivae) against Rampolla’s election. Many protested in the conclave. It was even suggested to disregard the veto. Emperor Franz Joseph was also the 1 who triggered the events of WWI.

However, the 3rd vote had already begun. This resulted in no clear winner but increased support for Pius, with 21 votes. The 4th vote showed Rampolla with 30 votes & Pius with 24 votes. The following morning, the 5th vote gave Rampolla 10 votes, Gotti with 2 votes, & Pius with 50 votes. On August 4, 1903, Pius was elected to the pontificate. This marked the last known exercise of a papal veto by a Catholic monarch.

In 1904, Pope Pius X formally abolished the jus exclusivae through the constitution Commissum Nobis. Any monarch or government official who attempts to submit a veto or interfere in a papal election faces automatic excommunication (latae sententiae).

Historically, the “right” was only ever claimed by the monarchs of Spain, France, & Austria. Smaller principalities like Monaco, Liechtenstein, or Luxembourg never held or claimed this privilege. Therefore, King Felipe VI of Spain is the only current monarch whose ancestors historically used the veto. But he has no legal or ecclesiastical right to do so today.

At 1st, Pius declined the nomination, feeling unworthy. With the Cardinals asking him to reconsider, he went into solitude in the Pauline Chapel. After deep prayer, he accepted the position. Cardinal Luigi Macchi announced Pius’ election around 12:10 pm.

He took the papal name of Pius X. This was out of respect for his recent predecessors of the same name, particularly Pope Pius IX (who had fought against theological liberals & for papal supremacy). Pius X’s traditional coronation took place on the following Sunday, August 9, 1903.

Pius X beatified a total of 131 individuals & canonized 4. One of the most famous people he beatified was THE Joan of Arc in 1909. And in 1908, Pope Pius X named John Chrysostom a patron saint of preachers.

In 1913, Pope Pius X suffered a heart attack. In 1914, he fell ill on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary (August 15, 1914). He wouldn’t recover. The Pope, shortly after, received the Last Rites & eventually the disease, which he’d been suffering, extended to the bronchial tree, resulting in pneumonia that killed him.

He passed away at 1:20 pm on August 20, 1914. This was on the very day when German forces marched into Brussels. His sister, Anna, was praying at his bedside when Pius X passed away. His last act of life was to kiss the little crucifix that he’d clasped in his hands.

He was buried in a simple & unadorned tomb in the crypt below St. Peter’s Basilica. His body was laid in state on August 21 in red pontifical vestments & then interred following the Requiem Mass, following his coffin lying in state on a large catafalque in the Sistine Chapel. A catafalque is the raised platform that supports the casket, coffin, or body of a dead person.

On May 29, 1944, the body of Pius X was exhumed for inspection as part of the beatification process. During which the remains were found to be miraculously incorrupt. After the examination & the end of the apostolic process towards Pius X’s cause, Pius XII bestowed the title of Venerable Servant of God upon Pius X.

Following this, the process towards beatification began. His beatification took place on June 3, 1951. On May 29, 1954, Pius X was canonized. Pius X became the 1st Pope since Pius V (1712) to be canonized.

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Pope Leo XIV strengthens Vatican with new appointments in dicasteries for legislative texts, charity

Pope Leo XIV continues to make changes to the leadership of the Roman Curia with new appointments to…
#Italy #Europe #Europa #EU #Rome #'popeleoxiv' #catholic-news #papal-almoner #RomanCuria #vatican-appointments
https://www.europesays.com/italy/28754/

St. Vincent de Paul

Author’s Note: This post contains mentions of slavery. If this triggers you, you may go to the next post. We understand.

Vincent de Paul (April 24, 1581-September 27, 1660; 79 years old at the time of his passing) was a French Catholic priest who dedicated himself to serving the poor & is best known for founding the Congregation of the Mission & Daughters of Charity.

After being ordained a priest in 1600, de Paul was kidnapped/adult-napped (he was 19 years old at the time) & enslaved for 2 years in Tunis (This was a semi-autonomous territory of the Ottoman Empire; it’s in modern-day Tunisia). He returned to Europe after escaping in 1607 (26 years old at the time).

He then served as a parish priest & in the French royal court before dedicating himself to the poor, founding the Ladies of Charity in 1617 (36 years old at the time). In 1622, de Paul was appointed as chaplain to the galley slaves in Paris.

De Paul founded the Congregation of the Mission (a.k.a. the Vincentians or Lazarists) in 1625 (44 years old). Having vowed poverty, chastity, obedience, & stability, they were to devote themselves entirely to people in smaller towns/villages.

He was a pioneer in seminary education & also founded the Daughters of Charity in 1633 (52 years old). He’s the namesake of the Vincentian Family of organizations, which includes the religious order he founded, among others.

He was renowned for his compassion, humility, & generosity. He was canonized in 1737. He was venerated as a saint in both the Catholic Church & the Anglican Communion.

Vincent de Paul was born on April 24, 1581, in the village of Pouy, in the province of Guyenne & Gascony, Kingdom of France, to peasant farmers. His dad was Jean de Paul & his mom was Bertrande de Moras. He wrote the name on 1 word, Depaul, but none of his correspondents did so.

He had 3 brothers & 2 sisters. He was the 3rd child & demonstrated a talent for literacy early in life. He worked as a child, herding his family’s livestock. At age 15, his dad sent him to a seminary. He paid for this by selling the family’s oxen.

For 3 years, he studied at a college in Dax, Aquitaine. It adjoined a monastery of the Friars Minor (a.k.a. the Franciscans), where he resided. In 1597, he enrolled in theology at the University of Toulouse. The atmosphere at the university was rough. Fights broke out between various factions of students, which escalated into armed battles. An official was murdered by 2 students. Vincent continued his studies, financing them by tutoring others.

Vincent was ordained subdeacon & deacon at Tarbes Cathedral in the French Great South-West, near Périgueux. This was against the regulations established by the Council of Trent, which required a minimum of 24 years old for ordination. So when he was appointed parish priest in Tilh. An appeal against the appointment was made to the Roman Curia.

Rather than respond to a lawsuit in which he would probably not have prevailed, he resigned from the position & continued his studies. On October 12, 1604, he received his Bachelor of Theology from the University of Toulouse. Later, he received a Licentiate in Canon Law from the University of Paris.

Vincent wrote a letter in July 1607 & a postscript in February 1608 that described his experience of abduction & slavery. In 1605, he sailed from Marseille on his way back from Castres, where he had gone to sell property he’d inherited from a wealthy patron in Toulouse. He was taken captive by Barbary pirates, who took him to Tunis. Vincent was auctioned off as a slave, & spent 2 years in bondage.

His 1st “master” was a fisherman. But this wasn’t the life for Vincent because he got seasick. He soon was sold. His next “master” was a spagyric physician (this is a modern medical movement based on the theories & therapies of Paracelsus), alchemist, & inventor. Vincent became fascinated by his art & was taught how to prepare the attention of men who summoned him to Istanbul.

During the passage, the old man died & Vincent was sold once again. His new “master” was a former Catholic priest & Franciscan from Nice, Guillaume Gautier. Gautier had converted to Islam to gain his freedom from slavery & was living in the mountains with 3 wives.

The 2nd wife, a Muslim by birth, was drawn to & visited Vincent in the fields to question him about his faith. She became convinced that his faith was true & admonished her husband for renouncing his Christianity. Her husband became remorseful & decided to escape back to France with his slave.

They had to wait 10 months. But finally they secretly boarded a small boat & crossed the Mediterranean, landing in Aigues-Mortes on June 29, 1607. After returning to France, Vincent went to Rome. There he continued his studies until 1609, when he was sent back to France on a mission to King Henry IV.

Once in France, he made the acquaintance of Pierre de Berulle, whom he took as his spiritual advisor. Andre Duval, of the Sorbonne, introduced him to Canfield’s Rule of Perfection.

In 1612, he was sent as a parish priest to the Church of Saint-Medard in Clichy. In less than a year, Berulle recalled him to Paris to serve as a chaplain & tutor to the Gondi family. The Gondi family was a prominent Florentine banking family and a financial partner of the Medici family.

Although Vincent had initially begun his priesthood with the intention of securing a life of leisure for himself, he underwent a change of heart after hearing the confession of a dying peasant. It was the Countess de Gondi who persuaded her husband to endow & support a group of able & zealous missionaries who would work among poor tenant farmers & country people in general.

On May 23, 1643, after King Louis XIII had passed away, Queen Anne had her husband’s will annulled by the Parlement de Paul (a judicial body composed mostly of nobles & high clergymen), thereby making her the sole Regent. Anne appointed Vincent de Paul as her spiritual advisor.

He helped her deal with religious policy & the Jansenist issue. Jansenism is/was a 17th-18th century Christian theological movement within the Catholic Church, rooted in the writings of Dutch bishop Cornelius Jansen.

Vincent is the patron of all works of charity. Several organizations inspired by his work & teaching & which claim Vincent as their founder or patron saint are grouped in a loose federation known as the Vincentian Family.

Vincent died in Paris on September 27, 1660. Vincent’s body was exhumed in 1712, 53 years after his death. The written account of an eyewitness states that “the eyes & nose alone showed some decay.” However, when the body was exhumed again during the canonization in 1737, it was found to have decomposed due to an underground flood.

According to the custom of the time, his bones were encased in a waxen figure, which is displayed in a glass reliquary in the chapel of the mother house of the Vincentian fathers in Paris (the St. Vincent de Paul Chapel). His heart is still incorrupt & is displayed separately in a reliquary in the chapel of the mother house of the Daughters of Charity.

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Pontifical Yearbook goes digital: What is it and what does it contain?

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2025/12/16/306380/pontifical-yearbook-goes-digital-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-contain/