Celestino Sfondrati

Celestino Sfondrati (10 January 1644 – 4 September 1696) was an Italian Benedictine theologian, Prince-abbot of St. Gall and Cardinal.

Sfondrati was born at Milan. At the age of twelve he was placed in the school at Rorschach, on the Bodensee, which was conducted by the Benedictines of St Gall, and on 26 April 1660, he took the Benedictine habit at St. Gall. When twenty-two years old he already taught philosophy and theology at Kempten, and, after his elevation to the priesthood (26 April 1668), he became professor and master of novices at his monastery.

From 1679 to 1682 he taught canon law at the Benedictine University of Salzburg. In 1682 he returned to St. Gall to take charge of a small country church near Rorschach for a short time, whereupon Abbot Gallus appointed him his vicar-general.

In 1686 Pope Innocent XI created him Bishop of Novara, a dignity which he accepted only with reluctance. He was, however, prevented form taking possession of his see by being elected Prince-abbot of St. Gall on 17 April 1687.

His learning and piety, as well as his literary works in defense of the papal authority against the principles of Gallicanism, induced Pope Innocent XII to create him cardinal-priest on 12 December 1695, with the titular church of St. Caecilia in Trastevere. But he had scarcely reached Rome when his health began to fail. He died at Rome, nine months after receiving the purple and was buried in his titular church.

His chief works are:

He belonged to the noble Milanese family of the Sfondrati, of which Cardinals Francesco Sfondrati and Paolo Sfondrati, and Pope Gregory XIV, were members.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton. 

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