John Baptist de' Rossi, Saint

JOHN BAPTIST DE' ROSSI, Saint. - Born on 22 Feb. 1698 at Voltaggio (Genoa) to Carlo and Francesca Anfossi, died at Rome on 23 May 1764. At the age of ten he went to Genoa as a page of the noble Scorza family, where, admired for his piety and innocent habits by two Capuchins passing through on their way to Rome, he was summoned to the Eternal City by an uncle, provincial of the same order, and by a cousin who was a canon of S. Maria in Cosmedin. He arrived there in 1711 at the age of thirteen and remained there for more than fifty-three years, never leaving it again except for brief periods and to nearby places, such as Ariccia, Albano, Civita Castellana, Tivoli.

Having taken lodging with his cousin d. Lorenzo, he attended the schools of the Collegio Romano founded by Gregory XIII (Archiginnasio Romano), which at that time drew a great number of young laymen, both Italian and foreign, so that the Saint could say he had there met the best of the Catholic world. After following the courses in the humanities and sciences, always obtaining the highest grades, he took his doctorate in philosophy, publicly defending his thesis with much praise. Having entered Theology, he suffered a severe breakdown and the first attacks of epilepsy, from which he was afflicted throughout his life. The weakening came about as a result of an indiscreet penance in eating and drinking, which he had undertaken to correct himself of certain slips of the tongue, into which, because of his jovial and mocking character, he was wont to fall. This experience served to instruct others, since afterward he recommended to young people not to perform excessive penances. Despite this he did not interrupt his studies, but continued them in an easier manner with the Dominicans of S. Maria sopra Minerva, who, expounding the Summa of St. Thomas as their text, did not require of their hearers the labor of taking written notes. In the meantime the Saint continued to frequent at the Collegio Romano the Congregation known as della Scaletta, which he had entered at the age of fourteen, in which he held the office of sacristan, and where at the school of the celebrated educator p. Francesco Maria Galluzzi S. I. he had learned devotion to St. Aloysius Gonzaga. P. Galluzzi introduced him into the ristretto of the SS. Apostoli, and having become his confessor for more than twenty years, launched him into the apostolate. Ordained a priest on 1 March 1721, G. B. on the same day made the vow never to seek any ecclesiastical benefice and never to accept one, unless it were imposed upon him out of obedience, and he enrolled in the ristretto of priests that was at the Oratory of the Caravita, beginning from then on a life wholly devoted to the priestly ministry, dedicating himself to the spiritual education of the poor, at S. Dorotea near Ponte Sisto, at Palazzo Chigi, at S. Galla, at Ripa Grande, visiting the sick in the hospitals, preaching missions to the people. At 39 years of age he was made a canon of S. Maria in Cosmedin, in the place of his deceased uncle, and at once sold and gave to the poor and to pious works the entire inheritance he had received from him, going to live at the Trinità dei Pellegrini. There he ended his days, after violent epileptic attacks. He was a confessor and one of the most esteemed counselors among the Roman clergy. He valued and recommended as one of the most important the ministry of confessions; in his last twenty years he devoted every day from four to five hours, and sometimes eleven or twelve, to that ministry. The ordinary processes of beatification were begun in 1781 under Pius VI, he was beatified by Pius IX in 1860 and canonized on 8 Dec. 1881 by Leo XIII. Feast on 23 May.

Arnaldo M. Lanz