Stigmatines

The Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata (or Stigmatines for short) are a Latin Catholic Clerical Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right for Men.

Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata
Gaspar Bertoni
AbbreviationC.S.S.
NicknameStigmatines
Formationc. AD 1816 (1816)
FounderSaint Gaspar Louis Bertoni
TypeClerical Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right (for Men)
HeadquartersVia Mazzarino 16, 00184 Roma, Italy
Membership
416 members (312 priests) (2016)
Superior General
Fr. Maurizio Baldessarri, C.S.S.
Websitestigmatines.com

History

The Stigmatines were founded on 4 November 1816 by Gaspar Bertoni in Verona, Italy.[1] The first written constitutions for the congregation were based on the constitutions of Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. Like the Jesuits, the congregation was intended as a missionary and educational ministry. [2] The patrons of the Stigmatine Congregation are the Holy Spouses, Mary and Joseph.

The growth of the community was slow. In 1905, Stigmatines went to the United States, and in 1910 they started activities in Brazil. For nearly two centuries, the Stigmatines worked in China, Thailand, the Philippines and various countries in Africa and Latin America.

In 2002, the Stigmatines settled in India.[3]

In June 2018, the city council of Waltham, Massachusetts, voted to take the 46 acres owned by the Stigmatines by eminent domain, for the purpose of building a new high school.[4] The site includes the Espousal Retreat Center, a conference center, and a retirement home for priests. Mayor Jeannette McCarthy stated that the property is valued at $25.4 million; the city is offering $18 million.[5] A statement on the Stigmatines' website states, "No one is doubting or discounting the need for a new high school in Waltham. We just don't believe the City should be able to end our existence here in Waltham because it covets our land for its own use."[6] As of September 2018, the congregation was contesting the seizure.

Statistics

In 2012, they had 94 houses with 422 members, including 331 priests.

Stigmatine Apostolates
  • the instruction of the Youth
  • the preaching of retreats and popular missions
  • the assistance in clergy formation

Fathers General
  • Peter Vignola
  • Very Rev. John B. Tomasi
  • Andrea Meschi (2000—present)

References
  1. "About us", Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata
  2. “Stigmatines”, Religion Past and Present. 2011ISBN 9789004146662
  3. Stigmatines History, Rev. Joseph Henchey, CSS, Web-site dedicated to St. Gaspar Bertoni
  4. Fisher, Jenna. "Waltham City Council Votes To Take Stigmatine Property For HS", Waltham Patch, June 28, 2018
  5. Tetrault, Jacqueline. "Stigmatines vow to challenge Waltham's eminent domain seizure", The Pilot, August 16, 2018
  6. "Urgent Matter", Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata
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