CROSTA, CLINO. - Theologian, b. at Consiglio Rumo (Como) in 1860, d. at Como in 1936.
A profound scholar, he became particularly known as one of the most strenuous supporters, in Italy, of the definability as a dogma of faith of the bodily assumption into heaven of the B.V. In order to illustrate and defend this truth, he edited for many years a monthly periodical, L'Assunta, and published a volume, L'Assunta nell'odierna teologia cattolica (3rd ed., Milan 1930). He left a valuable course of dogmatic theology for seminaries: Theologia dogmatica in usum scholarum ad quadriennium accommodata (3rd ed., Gallarate 1932). He wrote other pamphlets of solid theological culture, for popular purposes.
Clemente Gaddi of the Most Holy Savior. Through the work of the C., supported by St. Alphonsus and by Msgr. Falcoia, the conservatory of St. Francis de Sales then adopted the new rule of the Most Holy Savior. A victim of others' lack of understanding, having left here in 1733, she went to Pareti di Nocera to reform a decadent women's conservatory, and after an attempt at cloistered life at Roccapiemonte she reached Foggia in 1738, where she founded the monastery of the Most Holy Savior and where she died. The cause of beatification was introduced in 1901.
She had charisms comparable to those of St. Gertrude; although illiterate she composed about ten works, the fruit of her contemplations: principal among these the Autobiografia, the Trattenimenti dell'anima con lo sposo Gesù, the Esercizio di amore di Dio per tutti li giorni dell'anno, the Distinzioni di molti gradi di orazione; numerous Canzoncine spirituali e morali, among which notable for boldness of subject and freshness of feeling are the Tarantella al dolcissimo nome di Gesù and the Dialogo tra Gesù e un'anima zingarella.
As the basis of her spirituality, the C. places the mystery of the Incarnate Word, affirming that the contemplation of the humanity of Christ leads to the knowledge of the Divinity. The form may seem poor, but the theological language is exact.