Early Juridical Formulations
This work is a compilation of the Founder’s Original Constitutions [English translation by Fr. Giancarlo Mittempergher, CSS], the Appendix after the 2nd General Chapter, the Preparation for the Approval of the Constitutions and the Emended Constitutions after the Approval.
 | Early Juridical Formulations of the Stigmatine Constitutions |
†
Biblical and Theological Reflections on
St. Gaspar Bertoni’s Apostolic Mission
Fr. Bertoni’s Apostolic Mission may be understood as:
Apostolic: basically, St. Gaspar Bertoni – like so many other Founders/Foundresses of religious Community, maintained the ideal of the early Church as his model. The Apostolic Circle, around Jesus Christ, being in union with Him, continuing His work after His Resurrection, as we can find on Mk 3:13, ff and Jn 20:20, ff.
Mission: the old philosophical principle was that all goodness is diffusive of itself. Theology could apply this principle to Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification – to the Church, to the Sacraments. It can be applied to the Mystery of the Trinity, and to the Personal Mission of Jesus Christ. This became the Mission of the Apostles – it is that of continuing the Personal Mission that Jesus received from His Father, in the Holy Spirit, in a particular modality, manner, as we can find on Jn 3:16, ff; Jn 10:36, ff; Jn 13:20, ff; Jn 14:24, ff and Jn 15:26, ff.
 | St. Gaspar Bertoni: Biblical and Theological Reflections on his Apostolic Mission |
†
St. Gaspar Bertoni’s Ecclesial Service:
Community, Corporate, Domestic Obedience
and Apostolic, Missionary, Doctrinal Obedience [In Obsequium]
[CF 2; 138-151; 158-186]
St. Gaspar Bertoni has been described as a Model of Holy Abandonment, in his life-long effort to live the Petition from the Lord’s Prayer: THY WILL BE DONE! The Stigmatine Service of God and the Church is the codification, his realization of Abandonment to God, Availability to the Church, in a life-long vocation of carrying out God’s will in the Apostolic Mission for the Assistance of Bishops on various levels. The codification of all this is found in his Original Constitutions. In CF # 1, St. Gaspar seems to have quoted Rm 12:1, ff.: Make of your lives and oblation [obsequium] to God’s Mercy. For St. Gaspar, this meant Corporate Obedience [cf. Part VI, Section, IV, CF ## 138-151], within the Stigmatine Community [with its three levels: Execution; Obedience of Will; and Obedience of Intellect]; Missionary Obedience; and Doctrinal Obedience [cf. DV # 5; LG # 25].
 | St. Gaspar Bertoni's Ecclesial Service: Community, Corporate, Domestic Obedience and Apostolic, Misisonary, Doctrinal Obedience [In Obsequium] |
†
Un Analogy:
Increased Understanding of Sacred Scripture -Development of Dogma and the Multi-faceted Ideal of PROGRESS in the Founder’s Charism
The following is an attempt to compare the development of understanding the Divine Word leading to an increasing understanding of it in the Church – to St. Gaspar Bertoni’s developing grasp of his own charism. Throughout his Original Constitutions, there is not only an entire Part dedicated to” Progress” but he seems to extend this ideal spiritually, intellectually, juridically and apostolically – to the utmost development of the Apostolic Mission, Any Ministry of the Word of God whatsoever – anywhere in the Diocese and the world – gratuitously.
 | St. Gaspar Bertoni: An Analogy: Increased Understanding of Sacred Scripture - Development of Dogma and the Multi-faceted Idea of Progress in the Founder's Charism - by Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS [2014] |
†