Giuseppe Dal Vago

After his ordination, Father Bernardino taught theology at the convent of San Michele in Isola until 1855, dedicating himself particularly to the study of Holy Scripture, Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint Bonaventure. Appointed guardian (superior) of the convent in 1852, he worked to restore monastic discipline there. In 1855, at only 33 years of age, he was elected Minister Provincial of the Reformed Friars Minor of the Venetian province, a position to which he was reappointed in 1858. During his provincial mandate, he promoted higher studies and opened grammar schools to raise the cultural level of the religious. He also acquired a great reputation as a preacher throughout Italy and as far as Vienna and Budapest.

In 1862, he was elected Definitor General of the Order and moved to Rome. On March 19, 1869, faced with the impossibility of convening a general chapter due to the political context, Pope Pius IX appointed him Minister General of the entire Order of Friars Minor. Confirmed in this office by Pope Leo XIII in 1881, he led the Order for twenty years, until his resignation for health reasons in 1889.

His generalate took place during an extremely difficult period, marked by the laws suppressing religious orders and the confiscation of ecclesiastical property in Italy and Europe. Bernardino deployed remarkable energy to reorganize and reunify the dispersed Franciscan family. Among his major achievements as Minister General: - He founded the College of Sant'Antonio at the Lateran in Rome (which would become the Pontifical University Antonianum). - He encouraged and supported the critical edition of the works of Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio at the College of Quaracchi, near Florence. - He gave vigorous impetus to foreign missions, notably in China, where he sent the future martyr Antonino Fantosati. - He accompanied, advised, and supported numerous foundresses of female religious congregations of Franciscan inspiration, such as Blessed Mary of the Passion (Hélène de Chappotin, founder of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary), Blessed Maria del Tránsito Cabanillas, Blessed Maria Luigia Velotti, and Barbara Micarelli.

After his resignation in 1889, he refused the episcopate and the cardinalate on several occasions. However, out of obedience to Pope Leo XIII, he accepted his appointment as titular Archbishop of Sardica (Serdica) on September 13, 1892. He received episcopal consecration on September 18, 1892, at the hands of Cardinal Lucido Maria Parocchi in the Basilica of Sant'Antonio da Padova all'Esquilino in Rome. He then retired to the College of Quaracchi, where he passed away in holiness on May 7, 1895.

The reputation for holiness of Father Bernardino da Portogruaro, both for his personal virtues and for his pastoral wisdom and dedication to the Order and the Church, led to the opening of his cause for beatification. The diocesan informative process was officially opened in October 1951. His mortal remains, initially buried in Quaracchi, were transferred in November 1960 to Venice, then definitively deposited in 1961 in a chapel of the church of the convent of San Francesco del Deserto, on the lagoon island of the same name.

On July 3, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his theological and cardinal virtues. By this act, Giuseppe Dal Vago (in religion Bernardino of Portogruaro) was declared Venerable of the Catholic Church. For his beatification to be pronounced, the official recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession is required.

The spirituality of the Venerable Bernardino da Portogruaro is deeply rooted in the Franciscan charism of poverty, humility, and active charity, summarized by his episcopal motto: Charitas veritatis - Veritas charitatis ("The charity of truth - The truth of charity"). A man of intense prayer, the confessional, and governance, he knew how to combine strict fidelity to the requirements of the regular life with a great breadth of vision in the face of the challenges of modernity.

His legacy is immense for the Order of Friars Minor, of which he is considered one of the great restorers in the 19th century. The Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome and the study center of Quaracchi bear witness to his constant concern for intellectual and theological excellence in the service of evangelization. Furthermore, his paternal accompaniment of new female congregations allowed for the flourishing of numerous missionary and charitable works throughout the world.