DOMENICO della MADRE DI DIO, venerable. – Passionist theologian, missionary, and mystic, born at Viterbo into the Barberi family on 22 June 1792, died at Reading (England) on 27 August 1849. After his “second conversion,” he was favored with lofty mystical gifts.
He pursued his studies in Rome, at SS. Giovanni e Paolo; he taught philosophy and theology (1821–31), was a superior and preacher, especially among the clergy, a spiritual director, and a prolific and sound writer. His spiritual experiences and doctrines have been transmitted to us more extensively in his Autobiography (1822, in Summarium additionale, p. 50), in the Commentary on the Canticle (ms., 1823 and 1837, pp. 121), in The Divine Paranymph (posthumous editions 1853 and 1860), in the Dialogues on Mental Prayer (ms., 1836, pp. 100), and in The Dove’s Lament (ms., 1837, pp. 100). He also composed a manual of philosophy (ms., 1828–30, pp. 1557) and one of moral theology (ms., ca. 1839, pp. 1872), a Mariology (ms., 1825 and ca. 1835; in French translation: Excellence de Marie, 2 vols., Tournai 1842, 1856, 1890), a characteristic pamphlet on the De auxiliis controversy (ms., 1835, pp. 24), and very many letters, discourses, and conferences, together with apologetic, didactic, oratorical, and hagiographical pamphlets, particularly combating rationalism, Lamenessism, Jansenism, Anglicanism, and Protestantism. In his spirituality, besides his great devotions to the Crucified Christ and the Sorrowful Virgin, there stands out an ardent and active zeal for the Church, inspired by the Apostle to the Gentiles. Having felt himself prodigiously called to this apostolate, he devoted his entire life and activity to the conversion of the dissenters of northwestern Europe.
In 1840 he founded the first Passionist retreat outside Italy, at Ere in Belgium. In 1841 he went to England and established the Congregation there, founding or initiating the foundation of four retreats before his death. In close contact, from 1830 onward, with Philipps and Spencer, and to some extent also with Wiseman, in 1841 he began an interesting correspondence with Dalgairns and other Tractarians, only part of which has been preserved. He played a major role in Newman’s conversion, receiving him into the Catholic Church between 8 and 9 October 1845. Newman had been struck by D.’s extraordinary vocation, heroic apostolate, and holiness; he later esteemed him also as a good, able, and profound theologian. D. likewise exercised a very important influence on the revival of Catholic life in England, of which he may be called the second Augustine.
The heroicity of his virtues was declared in 1937.