Leonardo Castellani
Encyclopedia
Leonardo Castellani was an Argentine essayist, novelist, poet and theologian.
Born in Reconquista, Santa Fe
, Castellani was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1930, he studied Philosophy and Theology in Rome
. Back in his country, he worked in the Catholic press and went into politics as a representative of Catholic nationalism. He was among the candidates of the Alianza Nacionalista party for a seat in Congress in the 1946 elections. Between 1946 and 1949 he clashed with his own Society of Jesus
, who promptly sent him to a two year confinement in Manresa
(Spain
). After his petition to assist his brother's funeral was refused, Castellani escaped from Manresa returning to Argentina. He was then expelled from the order and suspended from his functions as a priest, which were repristinated in 1966.
Castellani has left a considerable bulk of essays, novels, tales and poetry. Among the wide range of subjects he tackled, his religious writings deserve a special place, especially his sermons on the gospels and his exegesis of John’s Apocalypse
. His prolific intellectual production includes a commented edition of St. Thomas Aquinas
’ Summa Theologica
. One of his last books is dedicated to Søren Kierkegaard
, for whom he nurtured a great admiration. Father Castellani’s style is forceful, lively and of an acute intelligence.
Considering his right wing sympathies earned him the dislike of the progressive left wing intelligentsia on the one hand while his conflicts with the Jesuit order spawned the mistrust of weighty sectors of the Catholic world, it is no surprise that Castellani’s work has never reached the position it deserves among Argentine letters. Apart from a restricted group of fervent admirers such as Argentine writers Rafael Squirru
and Sebastian Randle (author of a voluminous biography of the priest published by Vortice in 2003) and Cardinal Antonio Quarracino who consider him one of the foremost Argentine intellectuals of the Twentieth Century, it would not be exaggerated to say that Castellani’s writings are still widely ignored in his own country.
For a series of translated essays by Fr. Castellani, see
Born in Reconquista, Santa Fe
Reconquista, Santa Fe
Reconquista is a city in the north of the , from the provincial capital. It is the head town of the General Obligado Department, and it has 66,187 inhabitants according to the ....
, Castellani was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1930, he studied Philosophy and Theology in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Back in his country, he worked in the Catholic press and went into politics as a representative of Catholic nationalism. He was among the candidates of the Alianza Nacionalista party for a seat in Congress in the 1946 elections. Between 1946 and 1949 he clashed with his own Society of Jesus
Society 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...
, who promptly sent him to a two year confinement in Manresa
Manresa
Manresa is the capital of the Comarca of Bages, located in the geographic centre of Catalonia, Spain, and crossed by the river Cardener. It is an industrial area with textile, metallurgical, and glass industries. The houses of Manresa are arranged around the basilica of Santa María de la Seo....
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). After his petition to assist his brother's funeral was refused, Castellani escaped from Manresa returning to Argentina. He was then expelled from the order and suspended from his functions as a priest, which were repristinated in 1966.
Castellani has left a considerable bulk of essays, novels, tales and poetry. Among the wide range of subjects he tackled, his religious writings deserve a special place, especially his sermons on the gospels and his exegesis of John’s Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
. His prolific intellectual production includes a commented edition of St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
’ Summa Theologica
Summa Theologica
The Summa Theologiæ is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas , and although unfinished, "one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature." It is intended as a manual for beginners in theology and a compendium of all of the main...
. One of his last books is dedicated to Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish Christian philosopher, theologian and religious author. He was a critic of idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel...
, for whom he nurtured a great admiration. Father Castellani’s style is forceful, lively and of an acute intelligence.
Considering his right wing sympathies earned him the dislike of the progressive left wing intelligentsia on the one hand while his conflicts with the Jesuit order spawned the mistrust of weighty sectors of the Catholic world, it is no surprise that Castellani’s work has never reached the position it deserves among Argentine letters. Apart from a restricted group of fervent admirers such as Argentine writers Rafael Squirru
Rafael Squirru
Rafael Squirru , is an Argentine poet, lecturer, art critic and essayist.- Biographical notes :Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Squirru was educated at Saint Andrew's Scot School and at the Jesuit El Salvador Secondary School...
and Sebastian Randle (author of a voluminous biography of the priest published by Vortice in 2003) and Cardinal Antonio Quarracino who consider him one of the foremost Argentine intellectuals of the Twentieth Century, it would not be exaggerated to say that Castellani’s writings are still widely ignored in his own country.
External links
- http://hjg.com.ar/txt/lc/index.html
- http://web.archive.org/web/20080324033549/http://www.geocities.com/tomistas/castellani.htm
- http://www.feyrazon.org/Castellani.htm
For a series of translated essays by Fr. Castellani, see
- http://www.statveritas.com.ar/Libros/Libros-INDICE.htm
- http://tollers.jack.googlepages.com/etvoil%C3%A0%21