Besides being nuncio and ambassador, Lorenzo was also commissary general of his order for the provinces of Tyrol and Bavaria, and spiritual director of the Bavarian army. Joseph F. Wagner, Inc., New York, NY, November 1959. Summary of Ideas of the Sunday readings. His manuscripts cannot be read without special training and diligence. Lawrences works were published in nine volumes (192845). St. Lawrence is the exemplar for the exegesis of Genesis 1-11 in the Judeo-Christian tradition. c/o cin.org, Stabat Mater He was recalled as a special envoy to the King of Spain regarding the actions of the Viceroy of Naples in 1619, and after finishing his mission, died on his 60th birthday in Lisbon. Doctor of the Church St. Lawrence of Brindisi expressed it well in Opera Omnia: Feastday Sermons, "Just as husband and wife are one flesh, so too Joseph and Mary were one heart, one soul, one . Most of his sermons are written in Italian, the other works being in Latin. St. Lawrence was born in Brindisi, Italy, July 22, 1559, the son of Guglielmo Rossi and Elizabetta Masella. "God is love," he reasoned, "and all his operations proceed from love. Though not exactly a household name, this Capuchin priest has been declared a Doctor of the Church and his doctrinal, apologetic, and devotional writings have earned for him the title of the Apostolic Doctor. contact the Webmaster, The Marian Sermons Saint Lawrence died on his birthday, July 22, at age sixty, while on a diplomatic mission to Lisbon, Portugal. The attack on Albe-Royal (now Stulweissenburg) was then contemplated. After serving as nuncio to Spain, he retired to a monastery in 1618. All this is confirmed in pontifical acts and in the breviary for his feast. He spent his whole religious life in prayer, study, teaching, preaching, and writing. the Incarnation and Redemption, those two great Mysteries around which the After studies in Verona, he was ordained and began to preach with great effect in Northern Italy. hbspt.cta.load(465210, '020feabf-81db-4868-9918-466274905f4f', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Customer Service:cservice @franciscanmedia.org, Technical Questions:support @franciscanmedia.org, Writers GuidelinesPrivacy PolicyPost a Prayer Request, Ukraines healing needs justice, repentance, say experts. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Related Subjects: (4) Theology -- Early works to 1800. (d.1619)1, then, is signally deserving of credit. of these are Marian, The Franciscan Crown Today studies are appearing constantly on the personality and doctrine of St. Lawrence and a critical life of the saint will soon appear in Italian in several volumes. Although his family was Venetian, he was born in the major port city of Brindisi, then in the . N 1319 IL SUO NOME It was a difficult beginning for what would become the First Christian Millennium. Guglielmo de Rossi -- or Guglielmo Russi, according to a contemporary writer -- was his father's name; his mother was Elisabetta Masella. and Text of the Hymn, in Latin and English, c/o marymediatrix.com, Audio Files for Note: In 1959 Pope John XXIII proclaimed St. Lorenzo da Brindisi a Doctor of the Universal Church. of the theological exposition that prevails in the Franciscan approach to He here confirmed the faith of the Catholics, brought back a great number to the practice of virtue, and converted many heretics. Versed in many languages, Saint Lawrence was an outstanding scripture scholar and used his knowledge of the holy writings to produce many homilies. benedicat Virgo Maria. Description. St. Lawrence of Brindisi (+1619) was a true champion of the absolute primacy of Christ. Updates? Eleven of these 15 contain his sermons, each of which relies chiefly on scriptural quotations to illustrate his teaching. The Order has given the Church three doctors [St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, St. Lawrence of Brindisi] and many of the greatest theologians [Bl. In his sermons one finds topics that are not treated by the Summae of the Scholastics, e.g., the Royalty of Christ and the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady. In addition to a thorough knowledge of his native Italian, he had complete reading and speaking ability in Latin, Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish, and French. Saint Lorenza (Lawrence) da Brindisi - Capuchin priest and Doctor of the Church - was born Giulio Cesare Russo on July 22, 1559 to Guglielmo Russo and Elisabetta Masella. St. Lawrence of Brindisi. Caesare de Rossi was born at Brandisi, kingdom of Naples, on July 22nd. with English and Spanish Dedicated to Mr. Francis (Larry) Crowley, Jr. & Fr. As in the case of St. Francis of Assisi, there was something poetical about his piety, which often burst forth into canticles to the Blessed Virgin. His family was Venetian, but lived in the major port city of Brindisi, then in the Kingdom of Naples, far down Italy's Adriatic coast. As far as I can tell, shipping is included in the price (even international shipping). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He made use of a personal kind of short-hand. St. Lawrence of Brindisi: Responsibility: translated from the Latin by Vernon Wagner. The Conventuals of Brindisi were entrusted with his education. The Saint explains the primary principle of Marian theology: the physical and divine maternity of Mary in regard to Christ, the God-Man, and her spiritual maternity in regard to all Christians. and Immaculate Queen found at the very center and principle of Franciscan Life. In 1575 he was received into the Order of Capuchins under the name of Brother Lorenzo, and, after his preofession, made his philosophical and theological studies at the University of Padua. Death: 1619. When still a deacon he preached the Lenten sermons in Venice, and his success was so great that he was called successively to all the principal cities of the peninsula. He was most attentive to correcting the errors by Reformation preaching. St Lawrence put his linguistic and other skills to very good use establishing monasteries across Europe, furthering (At that time the Order of Capuchins, which had broken away from the Observants in 1528 and had an independent constitution, gave its first superior the title of vicar-general only. Lawrence had encounters with Leiser in Prague, and his Lutheranismi hypotyposis is the result of all these disputes. St. Lawrence is the patron saint of deacons, librarians, and the poor. Such unusual talents, added to a rare virtue, fitted Brother Lorenzo for the most diverse missions. In 1956, the Capuchins completed a 15-volume edition of Lawrences writings. He often said: "God called me to be a Franciscan for the conversion of sinners and heretics." He joined the Capuchin Friars Minor, a strict offshoot of the Franciscans, at Verona, Italy, in 1575, taking the name Lorenzo (Lawrence). Vernon Wagner, O.F.M.Cap., of Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, and most of it has been published. With his facility for languages Lawrence was able to study the Bible in its original texts. Consequently, he was always the one chosen to address, in accordance with the Italian custom, a short sermon to his compatriots on the Infant Jesus during the Christmas festivities. It was on the occasion of the foundation of the convent of Prague (1601) that St. Lorenzo was named chaplain of the Imperial army, then about to march against the Turks. He then pursued his studies at Venice with the clerics of St. Mark's and under the supervision of one of his uncles. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Paul T. Crowley. Most of his sermons are written in Italian, the other works being in Latin. July 21, 2022 by Amy Welborn. In rapid succession he was promoted by his fellow Capuchins and was elected minister general of the Capuchins in 1602. published by The Franciscan Archive. All rights reserved. Conv.. One St. Lawrence was born in Brindisi, Italy, July 22, 1559, the son of Guglielmo Rossi and Elizabetta Masella. He teaches also that she is Mediatress of all graces and Queen of the Universe. Other diplomatic missions followed. Thus we have the three volumes which the Saint wrote against Protestant theologian Polycarp Leiser, who was a writer and a preacher at the court of the Elector of Saxony. They comprise: His original manuscripts comprise 13 volumes in parchment and are located at the Archivio dei Cappuccini di Mestre. "Forward!" Lawrence knew that to be a good preacher he had to know not only theology and philosophy, but especially Holy Scripture. Diem Illum Laetissumum In baptism he received the names of Julius Caesar. -. When he was twelve years of age his father died. Having discharged this mission successfully, the saintly ambassador received a double mandate by virtue of which he was to represent the interests of the pope and of Madrid at the court of Maximilian of Bavaria, head of the League. And it is perhaps the greatest marvel of his life to have combined with duties so manifold anunusually intense inner life. Theology. This topic has become near and dear to my heart. Lawrence was appointed papal emissary and peacemaker, a job which took him to a number of foreign countries. God Himself confirmed by following signs the sanctity and wisdom of so great a man. Brief Sketch. His story offers the open-minded an opportunity to learn more about the course and form of the Church throughout the ages and the varied forms that sanctity takes. The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation is a Roman Catholic lay apostolate dedicated to glorifying the Most Holy Trinity by proclaiming the truth about the origins of man and the universe. The Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. His knowledge of the Hebrew language was of great help in this regard. the most famous of all Lenten hymns in the Roman Rite, this chant has also been Copyright 2023 Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. Irondale, Alabama. Sermons. Lawrence of Brindisi, Saint (1559-1619) Showing one featured edition. The saint's up-to-date mastery of biblical science, which the Protestants opposed to tradition, to the Scholastics, and to the ecclesiastical magisterium, gave Lawrence an undisputed authority in controversies with the innovators. The first volume of the Saint's Opera Omnia is dedicated entirely to the Sermons he wrote for Marian Feasts. At the age of twenty-two, while still only a deacon (1851), he himself was given the rare privilege of preaching to the people. In addition to all these occupations he undertook, with the assistance of several Capuchins, a missionary campaign throughout Germany, and for eight months travelled in Bavaria, Saxony, and the Palatinate. The sermons he left fill no less than eight folio volumes. Because he spoke eight languages, he was a popular and powerful preacher in several countries. He entered the service of the Holy See, becoming papal nuncio to Bavaria. by Mohammed III had, since his accession (1595), conquered a large part of Hungary. St. Lawrence had a rich personality, wonderful talents, and a fine appearance. Despite all his traveling, preaching, and diplomatic missions, St. Lawrence wrote (either entirely or at least in rsum) some 800 sermons in Latin (only nine in Italian) which fill eleven of his fifteen huge Opera Omnia volumes, published in a critical edition from 1928 to 1956. His saintliness, combined with his great kindliness, completed the preparing of the way for the grace of conversion. In controversies his vast learning always gave him the advantage, and, once he had won the minds of his hearers, his saintliness and numerous miracles completed their conversion. It was on the occasion of the foundation of the convent of Prague in 1601 that he was named the imperial chaplain for the army of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor, and successfully recruited Philippe Emmanuel, Duke of Mercur, to help fight against the Ottoman Turks. Saint Lawrence of Brindisi was one of the greatest ornaments of the Capuchin Order, and deserved well of both Church and State at the beginning of the 17th century. The Turks were again defeated, and the honour of this double victory was attributed by the general and the entire army to Lorenzo. The This is the underlying message Jesus gave to his disciples in today's 2nd Sunday of Lent year A Gospel (Mt 7:1-11) which narrates the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, after having announced to them his Passion and Death on the cross. Despite being publicly ridiculed for . Showing an early gift for oratory, he was always the one chosen to address, in accordance with the Italian custom, a short sermon to his compatriots on the Infant Jesus during the Christmas festivities. Most of his sermons are written in Italian, the other works being in Latin. On March 19, 1959, Pope John XXIII signed the brief declaring St. Lawrence of Brindisi a Doctor of the Church, with the title Apostolic Doctor.1 He is the first Capuchin Franciscan thus to be honored, the third Doctor of the entire Franciscan family (St. Bonaventure and St. Anthony are the others), the thirtieth saint to be declared a Doctor by the Church, and the seventh to be so honored in this century. He did not spare labors, vigils, nor life itself, which was in danger more than once, so that he could win all to Christ. 14. He was educated by the conventual Franciscans there and by his uncle at St. Mark's in Venice. , c/o In addition to a thorough knowledge of his native Italian, he had complete reading and speaking ability in Latin, Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish and French. N 1050 PERCHE I BUONI SOFFRONO? Having withdrawn to the monastery of Caserta in 1618, Lorenzo was hoping to enjoy a few days of seclusion, when he was requested by the leading men of Naples to go to Spain and apprise Philip III of the conduct of Viceroy Ossuna. He was elected major superior of the Capuchin Franciscan province of Tuscany at the age of 31. On account of his eminent sanctity he was most acceptable to the Apostolic See and to nearly all the princes of Europe.". This article examines the ecclesiology of Lawrence of Brindisi's Lutheranismi hypotyposis. has edited a translation of St. Lawrences commentary on the first three chapters of Genesis in his Explanatio in Genesim (Explanation of Genesis), which is the third volume of his complete works as compiled by a commission of Capuchin Fathers. Lawrence of Brindisi was canonised in 1881 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Blessed John XXIII in 1959 in recognition of his many works of biblical exegesis and Mariology. Catholic Encyclopedia. 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