Blessed Dominic – An Apostle of England

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Through his continued correspondence with these persons, Dominic's hopes for England's conversion were kept alive. Barberi at that time held in Italy the offices of rector, provincial consultor, and provincial, and fulfilled the duties of these positions with ability. At the same time he constantly gave missions and retreats, always mindful of his hopes to travel and preach in England. In the Passionist General Chapter met and discussed the possibility of making a foundation in England.

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Finally in January , negotiations were completed with regard to a Passionist foundation at Ere, near Tournai, in Belgium , the superiors, mindful of Dominic's singular vocation to England, in spite of his age and ill health, sent Barberi to be superior of the Belgian mission. Life in Belgium posed plenty of problems for the Passionists; one of the Brothers had fallen ill, the community was in abject poverty, and Barberi had few words of French. Dominic's spirit rose to the occasion and soon the community was flourishing and even Barberi enjoyed good health.

Dominic, with the permission of the Passionist General, visited the site in November , though Ignatius Spencer warned Barberi that the situation in England would mean this would not be a favourable time to make such a foundation.

Father Dominic Barberi, Apostle of England

Barberi set out for England once more in October , where he was greeted with stares and suspicion, not only as a Catholic priest, but for the strange garb of the Passionist habit. Brodrick SJ, in his work on the "Second Spring" of Catholicism in England, says of Father Dominic's arrival, "The second spring did not begin when Newman was converted nor when the hierarchy was restored.

It began on a bleak October day of , when a little Italian priest in comical attire shuffled down a ship's gangway at Folkestone. After many months of waiting at Oscott College , Barberi finally secured possession of Aston Hall in Staffordshire in February , after 28 years of effort, thereby establishing the Passionists in England. The initial reception of Barberi and his fellow Passionists was less than welcoming.

Local Catholics feared the arrival of these newcomers would cause renewed persecutions. Barberi was also met with ridicule: However, the community increased in numbers. As the people of Aston grew to know Barberi, they became enamoured of him and Barberi soon began to receive a steady stream of converts. Opposition to Barberi was also present in Stone, where on his journeys to the Mass centre, local youths would throw stones at him, though two youths took to the decision to become Catholics when they were greatly edified to see Barberi kiss each stone that hit him and place it in his pocket.

During many of these frequent attacks, Barberi barely escaped death.

Local Protestant ministers often held anti-Catholic lectures and sermons to ward the people away from Barberi and the Catholics. Wilson records how one of these ministers followed Barberi along a street shouting out various arguments against transubstantiation , Barberi was silent, but as the man was about to turn off, Barberi retorted: It is not his body! I prefer to believe Jesus Christ. Converts increased at Stone, so much so that a new church had to be built.

Dominic Barberi, C.P. - An Apostle of England

It was at Aston, however, that on 10 June the first Corpus Christi procession was held in the British Isles, an event which attracted thousands of Catholics and Protestants alike. They frequently took place in the industrial cities of northern England, such as Manchester , Liverpool and Birmingham. While in Italy and later in Belgium, Barberi had always kept up a keen interest in the Oxford Movement. Barberi decided to respond to this letter in the mistaken belief that it represented the views of the entire faculty of Oxford University. Dalgairns was an undergraduate when he wrote the letter.

Barberi's "Letter to University Professors at Oxford" [9] describes his long hopes for the conversion of England and his belief that the men of Oxford would be instrumental in such a conversion. The letter, through the help of Ignatius Spencer , eventually ended up in the hands of Dalgairns, who was residing with John Henry Newman at Littlemore. Prayer for the Cause of Canonisation of Blessed Dominic Barberi O God, Who so lovingly raised Blessed Dominic to the heights of holiness, learning and apostolic zeal and made him a powerful minister of Your mercy, listen to our humble request.

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Dominic Barberi

This site uses cookies. He was orphaned at the tender age of eight and an uncle and aunt raised him in the town of Merlano. Young Dominic was not sent to school but instead was taught to shepherd sheep. But the child always found time to pray as he tended the sheep and he also diligently taught himself to read and write.

When Napoleon closed all the religious houses in Italy, Dominic became acquainted with several Passionists living in exile near his town. During this time, Dominic experienced a divine message to join the Passionists and one day go to England. Dominic had promised God that if he were not drafted, he would become a Passionist. But just before the arranged marriage was to take place, he slipped away and instead entered the nearby Passionist monastery at Vetralla.


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  8. Dominic studied eagerly, for he had a brilliant mind. He was ordained in Rome on 1 March For the next nineteen years he shared the life and ministries of the Passionists in Italy but his heart was in England. In this capacity, he was able to plant the seed to send missionaries to England.

    By the time of the General Chapter, changes in the Congregation were afoot. He sent him with three companions to Belgium to make a foundation in that country with the hope that from Belgium the mission to England could be realised. Dominic established the first Passionist monastery outside of Italy in , at Ere in Belgium. Finally, the time came to establish the first Passionist residence in England.

    One of his first ministries was the celebration of the Holy Week services. While in Italy and later in Belgium, Barberi had always kept up a keen interest in the Oxford Movement.