Aloysius Gentili
Encyclopedia
Aloysius Luigi Gentili was an Italian Rosminian
cleric.
but was refused because of his health. He made the acquaintance of Father Rosmini
who accepted him as a postulant of the newly-founded Institute of Charity. He remained in Rome, attending theological lectures whilst residing at the Irish College
in order to improve his English, and after his ordination to the priesthood, in 1830, proceeded to Domodossola
to make his novitiate.
Whilst Gentili was living at the Irish College, Ambrose Phillips de Lisle, a young English gentleman who had been converted to Roman Catholicism while a student at Cambridge, arrived in Rome. This zealous convert applied to the rector of the Irish College to obtain a priest to preach the Catholic Faith in the neighbourhood of his ancestral home. The rector suggested the Abate Gentili as in every way suited to the purpose. This led to a great friendship between the young priest and de Lisle, the submission of the whole project to Rosmini, and eventually to the coming of Gentili and other fathers to England in 1835. It was not merely the invitation of de Lisle that brought the Rosminians to England. In the meantime, a Vicar Apostolic Peter Augustine Baines
sought to obtain the services of the fathers for his Prior Park College
. Though Rosmini gave his consent as early as 1831, the little band did not sail from Civitavecchia
till 22 May, 1835. Pope Gregory XVI
came on board the vessel and blessed the three as "Italian missioners" before they sailed.
Gentili and his companions arrived in London on 15 June. A few days later Gentili preached his first sermon in England, at Trelawney House, in Cornwall
, whither they had been invited by Sir Henry Trelawney, a convert. He took for his text, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church". Soon after, the missionaries were settled at Prior Park, where early in the following year (1836) Gentili gave a retreat to the whole college.
For two years Gentili was made president of Prior Park; but bishop Baines' plan of combining secular and regular professors on his staff was ill-advised and eventually led to the entire withdrawal of the fathers from Prior Park College. In 1840 was opened the missionary settlement at Grace Dieu, the seat of de Lisle, from which as a centre they evangelized much of the surrounding country. Gentili's labours were rewarded on a space of some two years, by the reception of sixty-one adult converts, the baptism
of sixty-six children under seven years of age and of twenty other children conditionally, and the conversion of an Anglican clergyman, Rev. Francis Wackerbarth.
In 1842 Gentili visited Oxford
, where it is probable that he met Newman. He did meet one of Newman's chief and best-beloved followers, William Lockhart
, a young Scottish graduate. The result was that during August of the following year, Lockhart came to visit Father Gentili at Loughborough and was received into the Catholic Church, and a little later, entered as a postulant of the Order. This conversion was the first of the Oxford Movement
, preceding the reception of Newman himself by no less than two years.
The first public mission, given at Loughborough by Fathers Gentili and Furlong, had success: sixty-three converts were instructed and received at it. Public missions all over the country alternated with spiritual retreats to colleges and communities for the next five years.
The years 1844 to 1848 were occupied with numerous popular missions and retreats all over England. At Newcastle 250 adult Protestants were received into the Church; at Manchester missions in three of the principal churches produced no less than 378 converts. In 1848 Gentili gave his great mission in Dublin, where, in spite of the political excitement of that year, the confessionals were so crowded, that the Fathers often sat there without a break from the last instruction at night till the Mass on the following morning. Gentili died in Dublin after only a few days illness. His remains now lie at St Michael's, Omeath
in county Louth in the Republic of Ireland.
Rosminians
The Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata, are a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Antonio Rosmini and first organised in 1828....
cleric.
Biography
His early life was that of a brilliant young man of the world. He sought admission into the Society of JesusSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
but was refused because of his health. He made the acquaintance of Father Rosmini
Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
Blessed Antonio Rosmini-Serbati was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and philosopher. He founded the Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata.-Biography:...
who accepted him as a postulant of the newly-founded Institute of Charity. He remained in Rome, attending theological lectures whilst residing at the Irish College
Irish College
Irish Colleges is the collective name used for approximately 34 centres of education for Irish Catholic clergy and lay people opened on continental Europe in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Colleges were set up to educate Roman Catholics from Ireland in their own religion following the...
in order to improve his English, and after his ordination to the priesthood, in 1830, proceeded to Domodossola
Domodossola
Domodossola is a city and comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy...
to make his novitiate.
Whilst Gentili was living at the Irish College, Ambrose Phillips de Lisle, a young English gentleman who had been converted to Roman Catholicism while a student at Cambridge, arrived in Rome. This zealous convert applied to the rector of the Irish College to obtain a priest to preach the Catholic Faith in the neighbourhood of his ancestral home. The rector suggested the Abate Gentili as in every way suited to the purpose. This led to a great friendship between the young priest and de Lisle, the submission of the whole project to Rosmini, and eventually to the coming of Gentili and other fathers to England in 1835. It was not merely the invitation of de Lisle that brought the Rosminians to England. In the meantime, a Vicar Apostolic Peter Augustine Baines
Peter Augustine Baines
Peter Augustine Baines was an English Benedictine, Titular Bishop of Siga and Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of England.-Life:...
sought to obtain the services of the fathers for his Prior Park College
Prior Park College
Prior Park College is a Roman Catholic co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils.It is situated on a hill overlooking the city of Bath, in Somerset, in south-west England...
. Though Rosmini gave his consent as early as 1831, the little band did not sail from Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...
till 22 May, 1835. Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...
came on board the vessel and blessed the three as "Italian missioners" before they sailed.
Gentili and his companions arrived in London on 15 June. A few days later Gentili preached his first sermon in England, at Trelawney House, in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, whither they had been invited by Sir Henry Trelawney, a convert. He took for his text, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church". Soon after, the missionaries were settled at Prior Park, where early in the following year (1836) Gentili gave a retreat to the whole college.
For two years Gentili was made president of Prior Park; but bishop Baines' plan of combining secular and regular professors on his staff was ill-advised and eventually led to the entire withdrawal of the fathers from Prior Park College. In 1840 was opened the missionary settlement at Grace Dieu, the seat of de Lisle, from which as a centre they evangelized much of the surrounding country. Gentili's labours were rewarded on a space of some two years, by the reception of sixty-one adult converts, the baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of sixty-six children under seven years of age and of twenty other children conditionally, and the conversion of an Anglican clergyman, Rev. Francis Wackerbarth.
In 1842 Gentili visited Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, where it is probable that he met Newman. He did meet one of Newman's chief and best-beloved followers, William Lockhart
William Lockhart
William Lockhart was an English Roman Catholic priest; the first of the Tractarian Movement to convert to Roman Catholicism.-Early life:...
, a young Scottish graduate. The result was that during August of the following year, Lockhart came to visit Father Gentili at Loughborough and was received into the Catholic Church, and a little later, entered as a postulant of the Order. This conversion was the first of the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
, preceding the reception of Newman himself by no less than two years.
The first public mission, given at Loughborough by Fathers Gentili and Furlong, had success: sixty-three converts were instructed and received at it. Public missions all over the country alternated with spiritual retreats to colleges and communities for the next five years.
The years 1844 to 1848 were occupied with numerous popular missions and retreats all over England. At Newcastle 250 adult Protestants were received into the Church; at Manchester missions in three of the principal churches produced no less than 378 converts. In 1848 Gentili gave his great mission in Dublin, where, in spite of the political excitement of that year, the confessionals were so crowded, that the Fathers often sat there without a break from the last instruction at night till the Mass on the following morning. Gentili died in Dublin after only a few days illness. His remains now lie at St Michael's, Omeath
Omeath
Omeath is a village on the R173 regional road in County Louth, Ireland, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is roughly mid way between Dublin and Belfast, very near the County Louth and County Armagh / County Down border. Omeath has a population of 439, and is approximately from...
in county Louth in the Republic of Ireland.