# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop,
# Confessor and Doctor of the Church (May 13). Sourced directly from
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/05-13.txt, English/Sancti/05-13.txt.
# Nocturn 2: Lectio4-6 combined into one reading, one continuous vita.
# Nocturn 3: his own Gospel citation ends "Et réliqua"/"And so forth"
# with no full pericope given -- per the bare-incipit convention, only
# the homily (Lectio7-9, Bellarmine's own words on the Doctors of the
# Church) is authored, isGospel: false, no citation field.
id: st-robert-bellarmine
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    text:
      la: >-
        Robertus, Politianus, e patrícia Bellarminórum gente, matrem pientíssimam hábuit
        Cynthiam Cervini, Marcelli Papæ secúndi sorórem. Eximia pietáte et castíssimis
        móribus quamprimum enituit, id unum exoptans, ut Deo soli placeret et ánimas
        Christo lucrifáceret. Patrium Societátis Jesu collegium summa cum ingenii et
        modestiæ laude frequentávit; ac duodeviginti annos natus, Romæ eamdem Societátem
        ingréssus, religiosárum virtútum ómnibus exemplo fuit. Emenso in Romano Collegio
        philosophíæ curriculo, missus est primum Floréntiam, tum Montem Regalem; deínde
        Patavium ad sacram theologíam addiscéndam, ac póstea Lovanium, ubi concionatoris
        munere, nondum sacerdos, mirifice functus est. Lovanii præterea, sacerdotio
        auctus, theologíam ita docuit, ut plurimos hæreticos ad Ecclésiæ unitátem
        reduxerit, ac theologus per Europam claríssimus haberétur, eumque Sanctus Cárolus
        Mediolanénsis epíscopus aliique veheménter sibi expéterent.


        Romam ex desidério Gregórii Papæ décimi tertii revocatus, theologicam
        controversiárum disciplínam trádidit in Collegio Romano: ibique vitæ spiritualis
        magister constitútus, angelicum juvenem Aloísium per sanctitátis sémitas
        moderátus est. Ipse Collegium Romanum ac deínde Neapolitanam Societátis Jesu
        Provinciam ad Sancti Ignatii mentem gubernávit. In Urbem íterum accersítus, a
        Cleménte octavo ad summa Ecclésiæ negotia, máximo cum christianæ rei emolumento,
        est adhibitus: tum invitus et frustra reluctans, in Cardinalium númerum
        cooptátus quia, ut palam asseruit ipse Pontifex, tunc non habebat parem Ecclésia
        Dei quod ad doctrinam. Ab eodem Pontifice consecrátus Epíscopus, Capuanam
        Archidiœcésim triennium sanctíssime administrávit: quo munere deposito, Romæ ad
        mortem usque degit, integerrimus ac fidelíssimus Summi Pontificis consiliarius.
        Multa præcláre scripsit, illud meritum adeptus in primis quod, sanctum Thomam
        ducem et magistrum secutus, de suórum necessitate témporum próvide cónscius,
        invicto doctrinæ róbore et amplíssima testimoniórum copia e Sacris Litteris et e
        Sanctórum Patrum ditíssimo fonte apte deprompta novos erróres debellávit,
        traditiónis catholicæ et Romani Pontificátus jurium strenuus præprimis adsertor.
        Complúribus étiam ad pietátem fovéndam libellis exstat insígnis ac præsertim
        aureo catechismo, quem licet aliis gravíssimis negotiis distentus, tum Capuæ tum
        Romæ púeros ac rudes docére non prætermittebat. Robertum æquævus Cardinalis a Deo
        missum judicávit, qui catholicos erudíret, pios cóleret, hæreticos profligaret;
        Sanctus Franciscus Salesius doctrinæ fontem hábuit; Summus Pontifex Benedíctus
        décimus quartus hæreticórum malleum dixit, ac Benedíctus décimus quintus
        catholicam religiónem propagántibus et tuéntibus exemplar indicávit.


        Vitæ religiosæ studiosíssimus, eam, inter purpuratos Patres adlectus, in
        exemplum servávit. Opes ultra necessarias nóluit; módico famulatu, ténui cultu
        habituque contentus: suórum non studuit opuléntiæ, ac vix adduci pótuit ut
        inópiam idéntidem levaret. De se humillime sensit, et mira fuit animi
        simplicitate. Deíparam diléxit unice: plures horas quotídie oratióni tribuebat.
        Parcíssime víctitans, ter in hebdomada jejunábat: in se constanter austérus,
        caritate in próximum flagrávit, vocátus sæpenúmero Pater páuperum. E baptismate
        innocéntiam ne vel levi quidem culpa macularet strenue contendit. Prope
        octogenarius, ad Sancti Andréæ in Colle Quirinali, extrémum in morbum íncidit,
        quem sólito virtútum fulgóre illustrávit. Moribundo Gregórius Papa décimus
        quintus et plures Cardinales adstitérunt, tantum Ecclésiæ cólumen éripi
        complorantes. Die sacrórum Stígmatum sancti Francisci, quorum memóriæ ubíque
        celebrandæ auctor fuerat, obdormívit in Dómino, anno millesimo sexcentésimo
        vigesimo primo. Mortuo tota cívitas parentávit, Sanctum uno ore conclámans. Eum
        vero Pius undecimus, Pontifex maximus, Beatórum primum ac deínde Sanctórum
        número adscripsit, et paulo post, ex Sacrórum Rituum Congregatiónis consulto,
        universalis Ecclésiæ Doctórem declarávit. Ejus corpus Romæ in templo Sancti
        Ignatii, apud sepúlcrum Sancti Aloísii, ut ipse optarat, pia veneratióne cólitur.
      en: >-
        Robert, a native of Montepulciano and of the noble family of Bellarmine, had for
        his mother the most pious Cynthia Cervini, sister of Pope Marcellus II. From the
        first he was conspicuous for exemplary piety and most chaste manners, earnestly
        desiring this one thing, to please God alone and to win souls to Christ. He
        attended the college of the Society of Jesus in his native town where he was
        highly commended for his intelligence and modesty. At the age of eighteen he
        entered the same Society at Rome, and was a model of all religious virtues.
        Having passed through the course of philosophy at the Roman College, he was sent
        first to Florence, then to Monreale, later to Padua to teach sacred theology, and
        afterwards to Louvain where, not yet a priest, he ably discharged the office of
        preacher. After ordination at Louvain, he taught theology with such success that
        he brought back many heretics to the unity of the Church, and was regarded
        throughout Europe as a most brilliant theologian; and St. Charles, Bishop of
        Milan, and others keenly sought after him.


        Recalled to Rome at the wish of Pope Gregory XIII, he taught the science of
        controversial theology at the Roman College, and there, as spiritual director he
        guided the angelic youth Aloysius in the paths of holiness. He governed the Roman
        College and then the Neapolitan province of the Society of Jesus in accordance
        with the spirit of St. Ignatius. Again summoned to Rome, he was employed by
        Clement VIII in the most important affairs of the Church, with the greatest
        advantage to the Christian state; then against his will and in spite of
        opposition, he was admitted among the number of the cardinals, because, as the
        Pontiff publicly declared, he did not have his equal among theologians in the
        Church of God at the time. He was consecrated bishop by the same Pope, and
        administered the archdiocese of Capua in a most saintly manner for three years:
        having resigned this office, he lived in Rome until his death, as a most
        impartial and trusty counsellor to the Supreme Pontiff. He wrote much, and in an
        admirable manner. His principal merit lieth in his complete victory in the
        struggle against the new errors, during which he distinguished himself as a
        strenuous and outstanding vindicator of Catholic tradition and the rights of the
        Roman See. He gained this victory by following St. Thomas as his guide and
        teacher, by a prudent consideration of the needs of his times, by his
        irrefragable teaching, and by a most abundant wealth of testimony well-chosen
        from the sacred writings and from the very rich fountain of the Fathers of the
        Church. He is eminently noted for very numerous short works for fostering piety,
        and especially for that golden Catechism, which he never failed to explain to
        the young and ignorant both at Capua and at Rome, although preoccupied with
        other very important affairs. A contemporary cardinal declared that Robert was
        sent by God for the instruction of Catholics, for the guidance of the good, and
        for the confusion of heretics; St. Francis de Sales regarded him as a fountain of
        learning; the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XIV called him the hammer of heretics; and
        Benedict XV proclaimed him the model of promoters and defenders of the Catholic
        religion.


        He was most zealous in the religious life and he maintained that manner of life
        after having been chosen as one of the empurpled cardinals. He did not want any
        wealth beyond what was necessary; he was satisfied with a moderate household, and
        scanty fare and clothing. He did not strive to enrich his relatives, and he could
        scarcely be induced to relieve their poverty even occasionally. He had the lowest
        opinion of himself, and was of wonderful simplicity of soul. He had an
        extraordinary love for the Mother of God; he spent many hours daily in prayer. He
        ate very sparingly, and fasted three times a week. Uniformly austere with
        himself, he burned with charity towards his neighbour, and was often called the
        father of the poor. He earnestly strove that he might not stain his baptismal
        innocence to even the slightest fault. Almost eighty years old, he fell into his
        last illness at St. Andrew's on the Quirinal hill, and in it he shewed his usual
        radiant virtue. Pope Gregory XV and many cardinals visited him on his deathbed,
        lamenting the loss of such a great pillar of the Church. He fell asleep in the
        Lord in the year 1621, on the day of the sacred Stigmata of St. Francis, the
        memory of which he had been instrumental in having celebrated everywhere. The
        whole city mourned his death, unanimously proclaiming him a Saint. The Supreme
        Pontiff Pius XI inscribed his name, first, in the number of the Blessed, and then
        in that of the Saints, and shortly afterwards, by a decree of the Sacred
        Congregation of Rites, he declared him a Doctor of the universal Church. His body
        is honoured with pious veneration at Rome in the church of St. Ignatius, near the
        tomb of St. Aloysius, as he himself had desired.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }

  - nocturn: 3
    isGospel: false
    source: "St. Robert Bellarmine, Concio 9, de probitate Doctorum Ecclesiae (ab initio)"
    text:
      la: >-
        Quemádmodum in Deo, quem unum in Trinitáte et Trinum in unitate veneramur, tria
        quædam singuláriter eminent, poténtia, sapiéntia, bonitas; ita quoque, auditores,
        singulares amicos et fílios suos, Patres ac Doctores nostros, Deus, ut sibi quam
        simillimos et géntibus ómnibus suspiciéndos atque admirábiles redderet,
        potentíssimos, sapientíssimos, optimos sanctissimósque esse vóluit. Primum ea
        poténtia eos armávit, qua multa præter sólitum cursum ordinemque natúræ in
        elementis, in arbóribus, in brutis animántibus, in ipsis homínibus plane
        admirabília et singularia fácerent. Deínde sapiéntia ita mentes eórum instruxit,
        ut non solum præséntia et prætérita cernerent, sed étiam futura multo ante
        prævidérent atque prædícerent. Postremo dilatávit corda eórum summa atque
        ardentíssima caritate, tum ut ipsi magno animo opus aggrederéntur, tum ut ii qui
        converténdi per eos erant, non solum verbis et miraculis, sed étiam exemplis et
        vitæ probitate moverentur.


        Prædicatores ígitur nostræ legis, tam ii qui primi ad nos fidem detulérunt et
        Evangélium, quam ii quos deínde singulis sæculis Deus excitávit ad fidem eamdem
        confírmandam vel propagandam, quales fúerint, quam pii, quam justi, quam
        religiosi totus mundus novit. Aspicite primum Apóstolos. Quid sublimius atque
        excellentius móribus Apostolicis? Aspicite deínde sanctos illos hómines, quos
        Patres et Doctores vocamus, lúmina illa claríssima, quæ Deus in firmaménto
        Ecclésiæ lucére vóluit, ut iis omnes hæreticórum ténebræ, dissiparéntur, ut
        Irenæum, Cyprianum, Hilárium, Athanasium, Basilíum, duos Gregórios, Ambrósium,
        Hierónymum, Augustínum, Chrysóstomum, Cyríllum. Vita et mores eórum nonne in iis
        monuméntis, quæ nobis reliquérunt, quasi in speculis quibusdam elucent? Nam ex
        abundántia cordis os lóquitur.


        Quanta, óbsecro, apparet in libris Sanctórum Patrum cum summa eruditióne conjuncta
        humilitas? Quanta sobrietas? Nihil ibi obscenum, nihil turpe, nihil súbdolum,
        nihil arrogans, nihil inflátum. Quam multis modis Spíritus Sanctus, qui eórum
        péctora inhabitabat, in páginis eórum se prodit? Quis legere potest atténte
        Cyprianum, qui non statim ardeat amóre martyrii? Quis in Augustino diligenter
        versátus est, qui non profundíssimam didicerit humilitátem? Quis Hieronymum sæpe
        evolvit, qui non virginitátem et jejunium adamare incipiat? Spirant scripta
        Sanctórum religiónem, castitátem, integritátem, caritátem. Isti sunt ígitur
        epíscopi et pastores (ut verbis utar divi Augustíni) docti, graves, sancti,
        veritátis acerrimi defensores, qui catholicam fidem in lacte suxérunt, in cibo
        sumpsérunt: cujus lac et cibum parvis magnisque ministravérunt. Tálibus post
        Apóstolos sancta Ecclésia plantatóribus, rigatóribus, ædificatóribus, pastóribus,
        nutritóribus crevit.
      en: >-
        Just as in God, whom we venerate as one in the Trinity and three in the Unity,
        there are three things in particular which are especially clear: power, wisdom,
        and goodness; so also God, beloved listeners, that he might make his special
        friends and children, our fathers and teachers, very like unto himself and to be
        esteemed and admired by all nations, wished them to be in the highest degree
        powerful, wise, excellent, and holy. First, he furnished them with that power, by
        which they might do many evidently wonderful and extraordinary things, out of
        the usual course and order of nature, in regard to the elements, trees, brute
        beasts, and even to mankind. Then, he gave them such wisdom, that they saw not
        only the past and present, but they even foresaw the future long before, and
        predicted it. Finally, he enlarged their hearts with very great and burning
        charity, enabling them not only to enter whole-heartedly on their labours, but
        also to influence those whom they were about to convert, as well by their
        example and holy life, as by their preaching and miracles.


        And so, the whole world knew how pious, how just, how religious were the
        preachers of our law, both those who first brought to us the faith and the
        Gospel, and those whom God thereafter stirred up in every age to confirm or
        propagate that same faith. And first, consider the Apostles. What could be
        better or more sublime than the Apostles' way of life? Next, consider those holy
        men whom we call Fathers and Doctors, those most shining lights which God hath
        ordained should shine in the firmament of the Church, that all the darkness of
        heresy might be dispersed, such as Irenaeus, Cyprian, Hilary, Athanasius, Basil,
        the two Gregories, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Cyril. Do not
        their lives and conduct shine forth in the records, which they have left us, as
        in a special kind of mirror? For out of the fulness of the heart the mouth
        speaketh.


        Consider, I ask you, the humility, together with the most profound learning,
        which appeareth in the books of the holy fathers. What moderation! Nothing
        offensive there, nothing unseemly, no cunning, nothing assuming, nothing
        pompous. How the manifold working of the Holy Spirit, who dwelt in their hearts,
        revealeth itself in their pages! Who can read Cyprian attentively without
        immediately longing for martyrdom? Who can assiduously turn over the pages of
        Augustine without learning the most profound humility? Who can open Jerome
        frequently without beginning to love virginity and fasting? The writings of the
        saints breathe forth religion, chastity, integrity, and charity. Such then are
        our bishops and pastors (to use the words of the heavenly Augustine), learned
        men, eminent, holy, intelligent, defenders of the truth, who have taken in the
        Catholic faith as their milk, and have consumed it as food: and this milk and
        food they have ministered to great and small. Since the Apostles, holy Church
        hath flourished by such planters, waterers, builders, shepherds, and nurses.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }
