Bartolomeo do Quental, Venerable

BARTOLOMEO DO QUENTAL, Venerable. - Portuguese religious, b. at Fenaes in 1626 and d. at Lisbon in 1698. He founded in Portugal, in imitation of that of St. Philip Neri, the Congregation of the Oratory, which exercised a great influence on contemporary society, and he increased its prestige through his active and exemplary life and the fervent spirit of charity that animated his work and his word. He did not lack hearers and readers, for, as confessor and preacher to John IV, he was an eloquent orator and a simple and moving writer. Rightly appreciated for purity of language and sincere spirit of devotion are the sermons, which he himself saw through the press, and the numerous meditations.

Among his works, particular mention should be made of the Meditações da infância de Cristo Senhor nosso (Lisbon 1666), the Meditações da sacratísima Paixão de Cristo Senh. nosso (ibid. 1675), the Meditações dos domingos do anno, in three parts (ibid. 1695, 1696, 1697). The Sermões, in two parts, were published for the first time in 1692 and 1694. His Cause of beatification was introduced on 8 April 1744.

Ruggero M. Ruggieri