Saint Caspar del Bufalo
Saint Caspar del Bufalo (born January 6, 1786 AD in Rome, Italy; died December 28, 1837 AD in Albano Laziale, Lazio, Italy) was an Italian priest and founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Exiled for refusing to swear allegiance to Napoleon Bonaparte, he spent his imprisonment deepening his spirituality; upon return he launched a great mission movement throughout central Italy, establishing a network of mission houses dedicated to preaching the power of Christ's Precious Blood. He was canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 12, 1954. His feast day is December 28.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Caspar del Bufalo
| Saint Caspar del Bufalo | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | December 28 |
| Profession | Priest; missionary; founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood |
| Rel. Affiliation | Missionaries of the Precious Blood (CPPS) — founder |
| Patronage | Missionaries of the Precious Blood; central Italy |
| Attributes | Priest's vestments; chalice; cross with blood; mission cross |
| Birthplace | Rome, Italy |
| Death Place | Albano Laziale, Rome Metropolitan Area, Lazio, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; exhaustion from missionary labors |
| Primary Shrine | Shrine of Saint Caspar, Albano Laziale, Lazio, Italy |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Caspar del Bufalo was born in Rome on January 6, 1786, the son of a cook at the Altieri Palace. He showed piety from his early years and was ordained a priest in 1808. When Napoleon's forces occupied Rome and required clergy to swear allegiance to the French Empire, Caspar refused on grounds of loyalty to the Pope. He was arrested and spent the years 1810–1814 in various places of exile and imprisonment, including Piacenza.
During this time of forced inactivity, his spiritual life deepened. When Napoleon fell and the Pope returned to Rome, Caspar was freed. At the urging of Saint Vincent Pallotti's spiritual director and with the encouragement of Pope Pius VII, he founded the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood at Giano dell'Umbria in 1815. The congregation's spirituality centered on the redemptive power of the Blood of Christ and on preaching popular missions to reconvert the Italian countryside, which had been disorganized and dechristianized by the Napoleonic period.
For the rest of his life, Caspar preached throughout Lazio, Umbria, and the Papal States with extraordinary energy, founding mission houses throughout the region. He was famous for his preaching, his charity to the poor, and his ability to convert even the most hardened sinners. His missions in the bandit-infested regions of the Roman Campagna and Ciociaria were credited with dramatically reducing crime and restoring religious life.
He died on December 28, 1837, worn out by his labors, at Albano Laziale. He was beatified by Pope Pius X on June 19, 1904 and canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 12, 1954.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Rome, Italy
Death location: Albano Laziale, Rome Metropolitan Area, Lazio, Italy
Notable location: His first mission house; birthplace of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood (1815) (Giano dell'Umbria, Perugia Province, Umbria, Italy)
Notable location: His birthplace; the family home in the Rione Regola district; his early priestly work (Rome, Italy)
Notable location: Major mission center; one of the most important of the houses he established (Piana di San Vittore, Frosinone Province, Lazio, Italy)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Shrine of Saint Caspar, Albano Laziale, Lazio, Italy — where he died and is venerated.
- Giano dell'Umbria, Umbria — the site of his first mission house and the cradle of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.
Canonization
Saint Caspar del Bufalo was beatified on June 19, 1904 by Pope Pius X and canonized on June 12, 1954 by Pope Pius XII in Vatican City.
Feast day
December 28
Veneration
Saint Caspar del Bufalo is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on December 28 (Optional Memorial).
Prayers
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