Saint Robert Bellarmine

SAINT ROBERT BELLARMINE (1542-1621) Robert Bellarmine Was born in Tuscany He was Jesuit And archbishop of Capua He became skilled Playing the violin And speaking in debates In 1560 He became a Jesuit And was ordained A priest in 1570 He was appointed A professor Of “controversial theology” At the Roman College And his lectures Became the basis For his famous-controversies- A four volume work With him As the leading Catholic In the counter reformation IT was a COMPLETE defense OF CATHOLIC THEOLOGY And was so LEARNED In SCRIPTURE It was wrongly believed To be the work Of a TEAM OF SCHOLARS He became the rector Of the Roman College In 1592 Provincial of Naples in 1594 And cardinal in 1598 He LIVED off of Bread and garlic And used his curtains of his apartment To CLOTHE the poor In 1602 He became archbishop of Capua And took a prominent share In pastoral and welfare work In 1605 He became the PREFECT Of the Vatican LIBRARY And an ACTIVE member Of several Roman Congregations His moderate views On the papacy MAY have delayed his canonization As well as his sympathy To Galileo Even though he RECOMMENDED caution To distinguish Between hypothesis and PROVED TRUTH In old age Bellarmine withdrew from controversy And wrote books On devotion He died at the age of 79- On September 17th-his feast day He was Physically very small Bur possessed GREAT powers Of intellect and sympathy He PRAYED DAILY For the Protestant theologians That he opposed And was canonized in 1930 And a DOCTOR of the church in 1931 He NEVER Made personal attacks On the Protestant theologians Robert P. Wallman 9-24-13