This prayer is from a manuscript by St. Gaspar Bertoni, and is presented here in the three central languages in the Congregation [Italian, English and Portuguese]:
 | La Preghiera del Fondatore per la Beata Vergine Maria |
 | Prayer of the Founder to the Blessed Virgin Mary |
 | Oração do Fundador à Bem-Aventurada Virgem Maria |
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Elements of the Stigmatine Charism in the Prayer to the Virgin Mary by St. Gaspar Bertoni
This Reflection is a study on St. Gaspar Bertoni’s Spirituality, using as our launching pad his mysterious prayer of Abandonment in honor of our Lady’s Immaculate Conception, which was defined in 1854. The prayer may be found in his Spiritual Diary [Memoriale Privato], and seems to have been copied from some unknown source.
This present study reflects on St. Ignatius’ Prayer, the Suscipe [cf. his Spiritual Exercises, n. 234] – and the most modern Prayer of Abandonment attributed to Charles de Foucauld. Fr. Bertoni’s Charism flows from the Self-Giving within the Trinity – the distribution of the Holy Eucharist – and the Holy Spirit coming as “Gift”.
It seems that, from these biblical sources and traditional Church teaching, one can much better understand the spirit behind Fr. Bertoni’s high ideal for the Stigmatines: Missionarii Apostolici in Obsequium Episcoporum.
 | Elements of the Stigmatine Charism in the Prayer to the Virgin Mary by St. Gaspar Bertoni |
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