Antonio Rosmini-Serbati

The heart of Antonio Rosmini's pastoral action and commitment lies in the foundation of the Institute of Charity (whose members are commonly called "Rosminians"). On February 20, 1828 (Ash Wednesday), he retired to the Sacro Monte Calvario in Domodossola to draft the Constitutions of this new religious society.

The institute is structured around two major spiritual principles formulated by Rosmini: - The principle of passivity: the religious must first focus on his own interior sanctification and humbly wait for the will of God to manifest clearly before undertaking any external work. - The principle of impartiality: the choice of works of charity must not depend on any personal preference, but solely on the calls of Providence.

Rosmini conceives charity in a universal form, which he breaks down into three complementary dimensions: 1. Spiritual charity: the pastoral care of souls, preaching, the administration of the sacraments, and missions. 2. Intellectual charity: teaching, the education of youth, and the reconciliation of modern thought with theology. 3. Temporal charity: material assistance to the poor, the sick, and marginalized persons.

The Constitutions of the Institute of Charity received formal approval from Pope Gregory XVI on December 20, 1838. The institute experienced rapid development, sending missionaries to England as early as 1835. At the same time, Rosmini accompanied the foundation and development of the female branch of his work, the Sisters of Providence (Suore della Provvidenza).

Antonio Rosmini's journey toward holiness was marked by intense doctrinal controversies, often referred to as the "Rosminian Question." In 1848, he published two major works that sparked strong opposition within the Church: Delle cinque piaghe della santa Chiesa (The Five Wounds of the Holy Church), a critical analysis of the ills afflicting the Church of his time, and La Costituzione secondo la giustizia sociale (The Constitution according to social justice). In 1849, these two books were placed on the Index by the Congregation of the Index.

Faced with this trial, Rosmini demonstrated heroic and immediate obedience to the Holy See, declaring his desire to submit in all things to the authority of the Church. In 1854, after a meticulous examination of all his writings, the Congregation of the Index promulgated the decree Dimittantur, dismissing the accusations and preserving the reputation of the author and his institute intact.

However, after his death, tensions resurfaced. In 1887, the decree Post obitum of the Holy Office condemned 40 propositions extracted mainly from his posthumous works.

Definitive doctrinal rehabilitation occurred on July 1, 2001. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the signature of its prefect, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (future Pope Benedict XVI), published an official Note clarifying that the condemnations of 1887 concerned erroneous or deviant interpretations made by third parties, and not the authentic thought of Antonio Rosmini, whose orthodoxy was thus solemnly recognized.

The beatification process, relaunched after the doctrinal clarification of 2001, progressed rapidly.

On June 26, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Antonio Rosmini, thus conferring upon him the title of Venerable.

On June 1, 2007, the Pope approved the decree recognizing a miracle attributed to his intercession. This involved the inexplicable healing of Sister Ludovica Noè, a religious of the Rosminian Sisters of Providence. Suffering from terminal bone (pelvic), intestinal, and pulmonary tuberculosis, she was instantly and permanently healed on January 1, 1927, after applying images of Antonio Rosmini to her body and invoking his intercession.

The beatification ceremony was celebrated on November 18, 2007, at the Sports Palace in Novara, Italy. It was presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, acting on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI.

The spirituality of Antonio Rosmini is condensed in his reference work, the Massime di perfezione cristiana (Maxims of Christian Perfection). It invites every Christian to constantly seek justice and the divine will, by abandoning oneself to Providence. On the philosophical level, his thought is articulated around the concept of the "ideal being" (l'idea dell'essere), an innate light placed by God in human intelligence, allowing for the reconciliation of modern reason with Christian Revelation.

Rosmini is today widely recognized as a precursor to the Second Vatican Council. His intuitions regarding the active participation of the faithful in the liturgy, religious freedom, and the role of the laity in society found a direct echo in the conciliar texts. Pope Paul VI described him as a "prophet" ahead of his time. More recently, Pope Francis, in his apostolic constitution Veritatis Gaudium, praised his intellectual figure and designated him as a master of thought for ecclesiastical universities.