Saint Gaspar Louis Bertoni
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Saint Gaspare Bertoni |
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| Priest | |
| Born | 9 October 1777 Verona, Republic of Venice |
| Died | 12 June 1853 (aged 75) Verona, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 1 November 1975, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Paul VI |
| Canonized | 1 November 1989, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | 12 June |
| Attributes | Cassock |
| Patronage | Stigmatines |
Saint Gaspare Luigi Bertoni (9 October 1777 – 12 June 1853) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and the founder of the Stigmatines.
Gaspar Bertoni was born in Verona on 9 October 1777 to Francesco Bertoni (whose profession was the law) and Brunora Ravelli. His sister died when he was still a child.
Bertoni received his initial education from his parents. Bertoni later received his education from the Jesuits and the Marian Congregation at Saint Sebastian's School in his hometown of Verona.
At his First Communion he received a vision and a message that he was to become a priest and so he commenced his studies for the priesthood in 1796. On 1 June 1796 - around the time of the French Revolution - troops from France began a two decade occupation of the northern Italian cities. Bertoni joined the Gospel Fraternity for Hospitals and worked to help those wounded and ill while also focusing on those who were displaced or otherwise harmed due to the effects of the occupation. He was ordained as a priest on 20 September 1800.
Bertoni served as the chaplain to the sisters of Saint Magdalen Canossa convent while also serving as the spiritual director of nuns and an entire seminary. He was also one of the leaders to offer prayers and support for Pope Pius VII when he was imprisoned by Napolean Bonaparte. His pastoral work was marked with the establishment of the Marian Oratories and the devotion to the Five Wounds of Christ and establishment of schools to the poor. He founded the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ (the Stigmatines) on 4 November 1816. As of 2012 there were reported to be 94 houses with 422 members including 331 priests.
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