pius xi and the betrothed

8/13/2019 Pius XI and The Betrothed

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Dr. Robert Hickson 9 January 2014 Saints Julian and Basilissa of Antioch !1! A.D."

The Mutual Nourishment of Literature, Life, and the Love of Learning:

The Case of Alessandro Manzoni and Monsignor Achille Ratti (Pius X!

"#igra#hs:

#$erha%s &e can reco'nise that in these strugglesfor ()atholic* ideals+ for thetruth+ for the souls of men $ in this last most of all , a real #re%occu#ation

&ith 'oos has an im#ortance all its o&n+ (inas-uch* as it has its %lace of

service+ een thou'h that i-%ortance be only to #rovide nourishment for the

mind. So it is+ then+ that in our -odern &ay+ &e co-e to the care and the

administrationof&hat the charming )t* +rancis of )ales used to call theeighth sacrament, and the sacrament for #riests a'ove all others, the

sacrament of learning./ Don Achille Rattis o&n %ublicly e%ressed &ords in

190 &hile still a %riest3scholar at the A-brosiana ibrary in 5ilan+ the library

itself &hich &as ori'inally founded on -ecem'er./01by )ardinal 6ederi'o

Borro-eo (174317!1*+ the 'ifted cousin of Saint )harles Borro-eo. 8his%assa'e is %resented in 6ather $hili% Hu'hes book+ Pope Pius the Eleventh

e& :ork; Sheed < =ard+ 19!>"+ %a'es 12931!0 , -y e-%hasis added."

???

#@t is not sur%risin' that a man so learned (i.e.+ Achille Ratti*+ &ho 2et

remained a man of affairs+ fro- &ho- nil humani alienum+ should set sohigh a store on the value of learning to life, and should claim that the

#riest cannot 'e too learned. Seenteen years later (in early 1922*+ on the eeof his election to the %a%acy+ &e see hi- no less concerned for the fullest#ossi'le cultivation of the Catholic la2man3s mind+ and insistin' that

o%%ortunity be 'ien hi- for a religious formationthat is as adeuate and asscientific as the secular or %rofessional for-ation &hich the uniersity 'ies

the-. 8he uotation (ust belo&* is fro- a letter &ritten by )ardinal Ratti+ then

Archbisho% of 5ilan+ to 6ather A'ostino Ce-elli+ .6.5.+ Rector of the ne&lyestablished )atholic Eniersity of the Sacred Heart (in 5ilan*. @t is only an

institute of higher studies and scientific culture+ &here the Cod of Science

and the science of Cod are given the #lace that -ante and Manzoni desired4

it is only such an institution that can %roide the Christian renaissance of

societ2 and of learning...F that is to say such an institution alone can #re#arefor that restoration la2men &ho are enriched &ith an intellectual formation

that is com#lete+ that is at one and the same time scientific and Catholic.6or such an institute of hi'her studies &ill+ simultaneousl2+ %roduce -en &ho

are scientifically convinced of the rights of 5od and the Church + of the

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needs of societ2 and their countr2+ of the ends at &hich to aim and of the

means the2 must use to serve 'oththe one and the other./ 6ather $hili%

Hu'hes+Pope Pius the Eleventh19!>"+ %a'e 1!0 , -y e-%hasis added"

???

#Achilles Ratti &as by nature of sterner stuff than the (aboe3described

decadent* -an here taken as ty%ical of these &retched years (after 1G>0 in@taly*. 6is Catholicism had dee#er roots, his disci#lined, orderl2 soul haddra&n ne& strength from the o'7ectivel2 real doctrine of his religion and

from regular o'edience to its la& of life . No&here+ eer+ in the accounts of

his earlier life is there so -uch as a hint of contentment &ith su#erficialit2+

nor of #ose+ nor of satisfaction &ith anythin' short of &ork finished and &ork

&ell finished. 6e &as indeed by nature+ by intellectual for-ation+ and bychoice+ of that learned Milanese &orld in &hich Manzoni 8.9%.9;< stilllived as a ind of invisi'le tutelar2 deit2 + that &orld &hose romanticism

&as an2thing 'ut su'7ective+ and fro- the first he &ould gladl2 #roclaim

himself #artisan and child of that arte cattolica Manzonia..../ 6ather $hili%

Hu'hes+Pope Pius the Eleventh19!>"+ %a'e G , -y e-%hasis added"

???

$ius @ once %ublicly thaned 5od for the grace that he lives in an age of

critical change. The #o#e3s &hole tem#erament is+ in fact+ to s#ea

#hiloso#hicall2(I*+ cast for the irasci'le emotions* Action and attac 8along&ith learning=< are in his 'lood. +ortitude, that stimulates in the #resence

of fear and that tem#ers im#etuosit2 'efore attac, is his characteristic

virtue. 6e can afford to loo events in the face, and to no& all the facts,for it is in his nature to 'e ha##iest &hen he is facing them . 6ather $hili%

Hu'hes+Pope Pius the Eleventh19!>"+ %a'es 27932>0 , -y e-%hasis added"

???

#(8he A%ostolic isitor+ Ratti+ arriin' in $oland on !1 5ay 191G+ soon

for-ally beca-e a $a%al uncio.* uncios+ in the nor-al course of thin's+ are

inested &ith the di'nity of titular archbisho%s (#in partibus infidelium/*.

Msgr* Ratti received the title of Arch'isho# of Le#anto. He &as consecrated

on the feast of SS. Si-on and Jude+ 2G ctober 1919+ by the Archbisho% of

=arsa&+ 5s'r. later )ardinal" Kako&ski (and it &as less than a year before theDecisie and ictorious Battle of =arsa&+ 1920+ a'ainst the inadin'

Bolsheiks out of Russia*.... @ a- the first enoy of the %o%e to lie here for

-ore than a hundred years....@t is only fittin' that @ should 'ie the- (thesesu%%liants and isitors in their constant+ often des%erate+ flo&* eery %ossible

chance of seein' -e and -eetin' -e. (8hese &ords are 5s'r. Rattis o&n+

%erha%s also re-e-berin' his beloed 5anLonis o&n historical noel+ The

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Betrothed.* Did he+ one -ay ask+ recall )ardinal 6ederi'o (Borro-eo+ theArchbisho% of 5ilan*; These souls are mine* Perha#s the2 ma2 never see

m2 face again* >ould 2ou not have me em'race them? ()ha%ter ii+

5anLonis I Promessi Sposi , The Betrothed*....Not for centuries had a

#a#al envo2 8and himself @the Titular Arch'isho# of Le#anto< thus stood

&ith the arm2 of Christendom in its des#erate hour defending its (eastern*

frontier. =ho shall s%eak of the fruitsof such an e%erience (191G31921* and

such a ictory (in the su--er of 1920 and in early 1921* u#on the mind of the

scholar3di#lomatist(5s'r. Ratti*+ the culminating adventure of these three

&onderfull2 filled 2ears that lin the li'rarian &ith the #o#eM/ 6ather

$hili% Hu'hes+ Pope Pius the Eleventh 19!>"+ %a'es >7+ 993100 , -ye-%hasis added"

???

After recently discoerin' so-e %reiously3unkno&n3to3-e+ trust&orthy re%orts about the

'enerous di%lo-atic and%riestly sacra-ental %resence of the future $o%e $ius @ 5onsi'nor Achille

Ratti" in $oland to&ards the end of =orld =ar @ and durin' the 'raely conseuential Battle of =arsa&

in the su--er of 1920 a'ainst the inadin' Bolsheiks fro- the east+ @ also then 'ratefully discoered

a 19!> book entitledPius the Eleventh+ &ritten by an Nn'lish scholar &ho &as also a )atholic %riest+

na-ed $hili% Hu'hes.1

6ather Hu'hes book on the $o%e &ho &as elected on 7 6ebruary of 1922" also coers $ius

@s earlier for-atie influences+ as &ell as his -aor $a%al etters and Nncyclicals+ but only u% to

Divini Redemptoris%ro-ul'ated 19 5arch 19!> , durin' and concernin'+ in %art+ the S%anish )iil

=ar+ &hich had be'un on 1> July 19!7". $ius @ &as to die on 10 6ebruary 19!9+ &hen Ceneral

6rancos forces &ere near &innin' and thus shortly before the for-al end of the S%anish )iil =ar

&hich is usually dated to be on 1 A%ril 19!9. 8hus+ as &e -ay see+ 6ather Hu'hes book+ &hich &as

es%ecially concentrated on #the funda-ental %olicy of $ius @+/ &as %ublished &hile the $o%e hi-self

1 $hili% Hu'hes+Pius the Eleventhe& :ork; Sheed < =ard+ 19!>" 6indin' this book %resented to -e a 'ood occasion.

@ &as coninced+ not only to learn -ore about the $o%e and the -an hi-self+ but also for -e to be es%ecially ust to hi-+

since @ had lon' had so-e doubts about so-e of his actions and see-in' o-issions. 6or ea-%le+ @ had lon' doubted the

&isdo- and soundness and ustness of his %a%al conde-nation ofL!ction "ran#aiseon 29 Dece-ber 1927,ust oer

a year after $uas Primas+ on 11 Dece-ber 192+ on #8he Social Kin'shi% of )hrist/"F and the added restrictions the

@nde and $rohibition fro- the Sacra-ents" on 9 January 192> and G 5arch 192>+ res%ectielyF and also the acce#ted

if not %a%ally reuested or %ro-%ted" resi'nation of ouis )ardinal Billot+ S.J.+ on 2> Se%te-ber 192>F as &ell as there-oal+ in the late 1920s+ of 6ather Henri e 6loch+ the Rector of the 6rench Se-inary in Ro-e. Secondly+ @ also had

so-e inadeuate understandin' of ho& $o%e $ius @ acted or did not act+ in su%%ort of #La %ristiada/ #8he 192731929

)ristero =ar/" in 5eico+ des%ite his stron' &ritten censures a'ainst the Anti3)atholic Reolutionary cruelty and

inustice as in his 1G oe-ber 1927 Nncyclical+Ini&uis !fflictis&ue". 8he Hu'hes book hel%ed -e here+ for sure.

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&as still liin'+ and yet al-ost t&o years before the Se%te-ber 19!9 outbreak of =orld =ar @@ &ith the

Cer-an and Soiet attacks on $oland. @n other &ords+ the =orld =ar co--enced only shortly after the

already ruinous 19!7319!9 #S%anish Rehearsal/ in the %erce%tie &ords of Sir Arnold unn".2

Ho&eer+ one of the thin's that has -ost illu-inated -y understandin' of this dee%ly learned

-an and %o%e+ Achille Ratti+ &as 6ather Hu'hes de%iction of the for-atie influence u%on hi- of

Alessandro 5anLoni! d. 1G>!" and his distinctiely resonant )atholic &ritin's+ to include The

Betrothedand es%ecially 5anLonis unfor'ettable de%iction therein of )ardinal 6ederi'o Borro-eo as

an a%ostle and as a 'enerous %astor of souls+ een durin' the 'reat 172>3172G fa-ine and %estilence+

also in 17!0+ that struck in 5ilan a-idst all the forei'n -i'rations durin' the terrible 8hirty :ears =ar.

5anLonis for-atie influence u%on Don Achille Ratti+ as @ une%ectedly discoered+ &as lar'e and

'ratefully receied and learnedly reci%rocated. ne later co-es to see that inti-ate influence in the

constructie ideas and )atholic ethos and sacra-ental culture of the 6aith of the future $o%e+ as &ell as

in the earlier e%ressions of the Al%inist35ountaineer $atriot and ibrarian3Scholar both at the

A-brosiana in 5ilan and at the atican ibrary in Ro-e". 4

@ndeed+ 5onsi'nor Achille Ratti hi-self -ade his o&n rare and resonant discoery+ &hich he

%ublished in 1911 &hile he &as still the $refect of the A-brosiana. @t concerned )ardinal 6ederi'o

Borro-eos o&n historical life and dee%ly charitable conduct. @t is an historical discoery &hich also

2 Sir Arnold unn+ Spanish Rehearsal e& :ork; Sheed < =ard+ 19!>",this book &as first %ublished in ctober 19!>.

! Narly in his book+ 6ather $hili% Hu'hes says+ reliably and uite e-%hatically; #6or &hile Achilles Ratti is not the least ofits (the A-brosian ibrarys* -any doctors+ and this by reason of &hat he achieed in his t&enty3fie years there+ no

&riter after -ante has, self%confessedl2, had a greater influence on his 8Msgr* Ratti3s< thought and his ver2 st2le

than Alessandro Manzoni./ %. 9,-y e-%hasis added"

4 @t should be kno&n that )ardinal 6ederi'o Borro-eo+ as the Archbisho% of 5ilan for thirty3si years fro- 19 to his

death on 21 Se%te-ber 17!1"+ founded the A-brosiana in 1709 lar'ely if not -ostly" &ith the 'reat book collection and

-anuscri%t resources in his o&n %ersonal ibrary. Re-arkable also+ he &as created a )ardinal in 1G>+ at t&enty3three

years of a'e. Shortly before his 17!1 death+ he had the further %astoral challen'e of facin' and hel%in' to -iti'ate theCreat $estilence and 6a-ine in 5ilan and its surroundin's+ concentrated in the years 172>3172G+ and in 17!0. Don

Achille Ratti &as first a%%ointed to the A-brosiana as a scholar in 1GGG and &as na-ed the $refect of the A-brosian

ibrary in 190>. @n 1912+ 5s'r. Ratti &as -ade a consultatie ice3$refect of the atican ibrary by $o%e $ius F but+

on 1 Se%te-ber 1914,&ith the outbreak of =orld =ar @,5s'r. Ratti beca-e the $refect of the atican ibrary in

Ro-e and therefore &as reuired to take u% residence there and leae the A-brosiana after al-ost 27 years 1GGG3

1914". He then re-ained at the atican ibrary for only three and a half years+ until the S%rin' of 191G+ &hen he &as

sent to $oland by $o%e Benedict + arriin' in =arsa& on !1 5ay 191G &hile the =ar &as still on'oin'".

@t is ery likely,as 6ather $hili% Hu'hes hi-self also conincin'ly beliees,that 6ederi'o Borro-eo+ as kno&n bothin history and as he is so ins%irationally de%icted by 5anLoni in The Betrothed'beca-e an inti-ate ee-%lar for Achille

Ratti increasin'ly to i-itate hi-self. @n %art+ it is also a &orthy ea-%le of #Life imitating Art./ 6or the irtuous

characteriLation of )ardinal 6ederi'o by 5anLoni is so eleatin' and &orthy of i-itation. And Alessandro 5anLoni did

his o&n historical research on this %eriod in and around 5ilan durin' the 8hirty :ears =ar and the S%anish he'e-onial

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dee%ly elucidates and enriches an i-%ortant literary %assa'e fro- Alessandro 5anLonis The Betrothed+

hain' to do &ith the see-in'ly tra'ic tale and life of the #un of 5onLa+/ es%ecially in the contet of

a co-%arably %enitent and re%aratie fi'ure+ na-ely the #Creat Enna-ed/ i.e.+ the re%entant

#Innominato+/ &ho &as also hi-self based on an intentionally unna-ed historical fi'ure of

%ro-inence".

=e shall no& concentrate on Alessandro 5anLonis iid %resentation of )ardinal 6ederi'o

Borro-eo in The Betrothed' es%ecially his -eetin' &ith #the Creat Enna-ed/Fthen consider the later

de%iction of the #un of 5onLa/ and her tra'ic taleF and+ finally+ co-e to 'ras% ho& 5onsi'nor

Achille Rattis o&n learned discoery of a -ore co-%lete and true history of the later relationshi%

bet&een )ardinal 6ederi'o and the un of 5onLa not only illu-inates 5anLonis historical noel and

ro-ance+ but also %roides us no& &ith an o%%ortunity to consider another 'reat re%entance and

re%aration+ as in the unfor'ettable case of the #Innominato/ hi-self , but no& &ith additional si'ns of

a belatedly achieed sanctity.

)ha%ter 22 of The Betrothedbe'ins as follo&s+7further %re%arin' us for the cli-a &hen the

Robber oble-an #the Enna-ed/" and )ardinal 6ederi'o Borro-eo -eet;

Soon after&ards the brao (serant3hench-an of the Enna-ed* ca-e back to

re%ort. 8he day before )ardinal 6ederi'o Borro-eo+ the Archbisho% of 5ilan+

had arried at , (an intentionally unna-ed illa'e nearby do&n in the alley*+

and &ould be stayin' there for the &hole of the day &hich had ust be'un. 8hene&s of his co-in' had s%read throu'h the illa'es the ni'ht before+ and

eeryone &anted to see hi-. The 'ell%ringing &as not so much to inform

#eo#le of the occasion as to eB#ress the general ha##iness. !9G"

=e are no& to -eet the 'reat Enna-ed hi-self+ une%ectedly learnin' of his troubled

res%onse to the arrial of the )ardinal Archbisho%;

%resence+ to include his o&n s%ecific study and se%arately %ublished 5ono'ra%h on the 172>3172G+ 17!0 $la'ue in

5ilan recallin'+ in a contrastie %a'an contet+ the Creek historian 8hucydidess o&n de%iction of the $la'ue in Athens

,in the Athens of $ericles,durin' the early %art of the $elo%onnesian =ar+ 4!13404 B.).".

7 Alessandro 5anLoni+ The Betrothed Har-onds&orth+ 5iddlese+ Nn'land; $en'uin Books,$en'uin )lassics+ 19>2"+inthe eBcellent ruce Penman Translation+ %. !9G,-y e-%hasis also added to the %assa'e aboe. Henceforth+ all

uotations and citations fro- The Betrothed+ unless other&ise s%ecified+ &ill be fro- this edition and translation. All

e-%hases in the uoted etended %assa'es &ill be those of the %resent &riter+ unless other&ise sti%ulatedF and the %a'es

nu-bers to the book &ill be %laced in %arentheses in the -ain body of the essay aboe.


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=hen the -aster of the castle &as left alone a'ain+ he continued to stare do&ninto the alley+ -ore 'loo-ily than eer. #So its all on account of one -anI/ he

thou'ht. #8heyre all ha%%ily hurryin' off to see ust one -an. And yet eery

one of those fello&s do&n there -ust hae his o&n deil to torture hi-...ut

none of them has a devil lie mine4 none of them has 7ust #assed a night

lie (sic* have* >hat is it a'out that man &hich maes them all so ha##2M

Hell dish out a bit of -oney+ no doubt+ uite ha%haLard...But theyre certainly

not all be''ars lookin' for al-s. =hy+ then it -ust be for a &ae of his fin'erin front of their noses+ a &ord from his mouth...f he ne& the &ord of

consolation for me no&I And &hy shouldnt @ 'o tooI =hy shouldnt @M @ll 'o+

and @ll talk to hi-F @ll hae a %riate talk to (sic* hi-... >hat shall sa2,

thoughM @ll tell hi- that...that...Any&ay+ @ll hear &hat hes 'ot to say for

hi-selfI/ Hain' -ade his decision in this rather confused -anner+ he uickly

%ut on the rest of his clothes+ includin' a acket of -ilitary cut....He -ade his&ay strai'ht to the roo- &here he had left ucia (his %ure and innocent youn'

ca%tie+ so unustly snatched*....8he Enna-ed &ent in+ looked around the

roo-+ and (asha-edly* sa& ucia huddled -otionless in the corner. #@s she

aslee%+ thenM/ he &his%ered....#=hen she &akes u%+ tell her that @...that the-aster has 'one out for a short ti-e+ that hell be back...and that he3ll do&hatever she ass him to do./ !9G3!99"

=ell3ar-ed+ but astonishin'ly #&ithout an escort+/ 440" the Enna-ed then &ent alone do&n

into the illa'e to &here the )ardinal &as te-%orarily in residence+ #in the %arish %riests house/ 400";

8he Enna-ed &alked on to the house+ and &ent into a s-all courtyard+ full of

%riests+ &ho looked at hi- &ith astonished and sus%icious attention....Heunslun' his carbine and stood in the corner of the courtyard. He &ent (then*

into the roo- (the s-all sittin'3roo-+ #full of %riests+/ as &ell* and there too

-et &ith dark looks+ &his%ers+ and the re%etition of his na-e+ follo&ed by asilence. He turned to one of the %riests and asked hi- &here the )ardinal &as+

sayin' that he &ished to s%eak &ith hi-. 400"

After 5anLoni deftly de%icts ho& a fe& of the attendant %riests+ es%ecially+ &ere a little

nerous about the sudden %resence of #the fa-ous outla&+/ the #e%isco%al cha%lain/ hi-self+ after first

lookin' u% #into the nobles face &ith uneasy curiosity/ and then lookin' #do&n a'ain uickly+/ first

#stood there silently for a -o-ent/ and then+ after sta--erin' so-e ecuses and dubious uncertainties+

#he &ent off unco-fortably &ith the (Enna-eds* -essa'e into the nei'hborin' roo-+ &here the

)ardinal &as./ 400"

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8he author+ kno&in' that his reader is likely %oised and alert &ith e%ectation+ or -aybe a

little too tense+ decides to tease us a little+ or at least kee% us in sus%ense+ &hile he leisurely -akes an

ecursus on the back'round+ character+ and earlier e%isco%al conduct of )ardinal 6ederi'o , an

ecursus to &hich &e shall later return -ore co-%letely after considerin' the actual -eetin' of the

Enna-ed and the )ardinal &ith its -e-orable 'estures and echan'e of &ords and dee%3heartedness.

But+ before &e return to #the -ain story/ 401"+ &e should see ho& 5anLoni briefly %resents

his interlude and further fra-es his soon3to3co-e lon'er ecursus+ for it is a deli'ht and already an

eocatie 'li-%se of )ardinal 6ederi'o+ at least as a #-e-ory+/ een before &e shall be -ore fulfilled

by his #%resence./ 5anLoni sho&s us the substance and de%th of his ad-iration and elouence;

At this %oint in our story+ &e cannot hel% %ausin' for a littleF ust as a traeller+

tired and de%ressed after a lon' ourney throu'h a &ild and arid landsca%e+ &ill

sto% and s%end a little ti-e sittin' on the 'rass '2 a fountain of living &ater+under the shade of a beautiful tree. ur story has no& brou'ht us into the

#resence of a -an the -ention of &hose name+ the memor2 of &hose

character+ can neer fail to refresh the mind &ith the calm emotion of

reverence+ &ith a ha##2 feeling of affection. Ho& -uch -ore so at this

%articular -o-ent (in this lon' narratie*+ after so -any scenes of sorro&+ afterconte-%latin' such -anifold and distasteful &ickedness. =e cannot %ossibly

refrain fro- sayin' a fe& &ords (%a'es 4013 411I * about this -an. 401"

=ould that any of us &ould be so blessed to lie in the -inds of others as )ardinal 6ederi'o

b. 174" is sho&n to lie+ and to be described by such a sincere -aster &ith such ini-itable &ords in

co-bination. As 5anLoni later said of hi-; #His life is a strea- &hich s%rin's cleanly out of the rock+

flo&s in a lon' course (until his death in 17!1* across aried country &ithout eer 'ro&in' sta'nant or

-uddy+ and finally flo&s unsullied into the rier./ 401" =hat a -eta%hor for such a 'raced hi'h

destiny in life+ %ure and iid een unto the end.

=e shall fittin'ly return to consider so-e %ortions of those ten %a'es at the end of )ha%ter 22+

concernin' the earlier history of the Archbisho% of 5ilan+ but only after &e first see ho& )ardinal

6ederi'o first receies and further co-es to kno& and heal the hu-bled and 'rateful Enna-ed hi-self.

>


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)ha%ter 2! , resu-in' #the -ain story/ , be'ins &ith these &ords;

@t &as not yet the hour for )ardinal 6ederi'o Borro-eo to 'o to the church andofficiate at the serice+ and he &as s%endin' ti-e in study+ as he al&ays did

&hen he had a fe& -inutes to s%are+ &hen his cha%lain ca-e in &ith an

a'itated e%ression. #A stran'e isitor+ :our Crace+/ he said. #A really

etraordinary isitor+ in fact./....#one other than -y lord (%erha%s BernardinoiscontiM* , I/ said the cha%lain+ brin'in' out eery syllable &ith si'nificant

e-%hasis+ as he %ronounced the na-e &hich &e unfortunately cannot reeal to

our readers....#5y lord , I/ said the )ardinal &ith an ani-ated look+ closin'his book and u-%in' u%+ #Sho& hi- inI Sho& hi- in at onceI/.... #And isnt it

a stroke of luck for a bisho%+ &hen a -an like that takes a fancy to co-e and

see hi-M/.... #)o-e no&+/ interru%ted the )ardinal a'ain+ &ith a s-ile (in re%lyto his obstinate+ disa%%roin' and obstructionist cha%lainI*. @t3s a strange

arm2 &here the soldiers encourage the general to 'e a co&ard= 8hen his

face took on a serious and thou'htful look+ as he added+ #5y sainted cousin (St.

)harles Borro-eo* &ould neer hae let hi-self 'et into an ar'u-ent about&hether he ou'ht to receie such a -anF he &ould hae 'one out to look for

hi-. Brin' hi- in at once. Hes been &aitin' too lon' as it is./ 8he cha%lain

&ent out sayin'; #8heres no hel% for itF these saints are an obstinate lot./ 412341!"

8he #'ood bisho%/ &as also earlier uoted as hain' analo'ously re%lied and een #&ith

so-e an'er/" to one of those other #brae souls &ho &ill re%roe (you* for doin' ri'ht/ 40G" ,

#The2 are souls in m2 care, &ho &ill (like the Enna-ed* #ro'a'l2 never see m2 face again4 and

&ill 2ou tell me not to em'race them?/ 40G"

8herefore+ under this kind of correction and &ith co-%liant deference to his su%erior+ the

cha%lain hi-self &ent out to su--on the Enna-ed and+ so-e&hat furtiely+

He &ent u% to the Enna-ed+ and said+ #His Crace is &aitin' for your lordshi%.Be so 'ood as to co-e &ith -e./ 8hen he led the isitor throu'h that little

'atherin' &hich -ade &ay for the- uickly enou'h"+ 'lancin' fro- ri'ht to

left &ith a loo &hich said: @>hat do 2ou eB#ect me to do? Dou no& as

&ell as do that it3s no use taling to 6is 5race=/ 41!"

o& co-es &hat &e hae &anted to see;

As soon as the Enna-ed entered the roo-+ 6ederi'o &ent to -eet hi- &ith a

cal- and friendly e%ression+ and arms outstretched+ as if to a &elco-e

G


9/18

'uest. 8hen he si'naled to the cha%lain to leae the- to'ether+ &hich he did.8he t&o -en stood there for a &hile+ eEuall2 silent, though for ver2 different

reasons. 8he Enna-ed had been drien there '2 the com#elling force of am2sterious tem#est+ rather than led there by a reasoned decisionF and it &as

the sa-e force that -ade hi- stand there+ tormented '2 t&o contrar2

#assions, one the one hand+ a #o&erful longing and a confused ho#eof

findin' relief fro- his internal torture+ and on the other hand+ &rath and

shame at the idea of co-in' there like a #enitent+ an underlin'+ a ul'ar&retch+ to ad-it hi-self in the &ron'+ and i-%lore the hel% of a fello& -an.

6e could find no &ords to utter+ and hardly see-ed to be lookin' for the-.

ut &hen he raised his e2esto that -ans face+ he felt hi-self -ore and -ore%enetrated by %o&erful yet 'entle feelin's of eneration. The2 8+ederigo3s

e2es and &hole countenance< increased his sense of trust + cal-ed his &rath+

and+ thou'h they did not -ake a frontal attack on his %ride+ they uelled it andso to s%eak i-%osed silence on it. 41!3414"

As ust a %art of the fuller descri%tion of 6ederi'os a%%earance there before the Enna-eds

'aLe+ 5anLoni %resents so-e additionally eocatie and su''estie details;

His bearin' &as naturally di'nified and unaffectedly -aestic+ and the years (atleast 7* had not bo&ed his back+ nor enfeebled his li-bs. His eye &as serious

and yet liely+ his forehead cal- and thou'htful. His &hite hair+ his %allor+ all

the mars of a'stinence, meditation and la'orious da2s+ could not hide a

sort of virginal 'loom and vigour . Nery feature of his face sho&ed that he

-ust at one ti-e hae been a handso-e -an in the strictest sense of the &ordF

no& the ha'itsof serious and beneolent thou'ht+ the inner %eace of a lon'and irtuous life+ the loe of -ankind and the continuous oy of an ineffable

ho%e had #lanted there that other 'eaut2old -en sometimeshae+ &hich

struck the eye all the -ore &hen framedin the -a'nificent si-%licity of the%ur%le (of his cassock or soutane*. 414"

After the )ardinal #stood silent for a little+ lookin' intently at the Enna-ed &ith his

%enetratin' 'aLe+ &hich had so much #ractice in reading the thoughts of men from their out&ard

a##earance+/414" he &as the first to s%eak;

#=ellI/ he said briskly. #8his is a ha%%y and %recious occasion+ and @ a- -ost

'rateful to you for takin' your ad-irable decision to co-e and see -e ,

thou'h there is an element of re#roof for me+ of course./

#Re%roofI/ eclai-ed the isitor+ a-aLed but at the sa-e ti-e softened by the

)ardinals &ords and -anner+ and also 'rateful to hi- for breakin' the ice and

'ettin' a conersation under &ay. 414"

9


10/18

)ardinal 6ederi'o i--ediately e%lains his -eanin'+ thou'h to the further astonish-ent of

the Enna-ed;

#:es+ it is a re%roof to -e+/ the )ardinal continued+ #in that @ hae let you take

the first ste%+ althou'h there hae been -any ti-es+ oer a lon' %eriod+ &hen @

should hae co-e to you./#Did you say that you should hae co-e to -eM Do you kno& &ho @ a-M =as

-y na-e 'ien to you correctlyM/

#And do you think that the %leasure @ feel at seein' you+ &hich no& 2ou

can read in m2 face+ could hae been ins%ired by the isit of a -an of &ho- @

hae neer heardM @ feel that %leasure for 2ou, for 2ou+ &ho- @ should lon'

a'o hae sou'ht outF for 2ou+ &ho- @ hae so lon' loed+ and on &ho- @ haes%ent so -any tears and so -any %rayersF for 2ou&ho, heartily as @ loe all

-y children , are the one @ &ould hae -ost desired to co-e and e-brace+ if@ had dared to ho%e that it -i'ht co-e to %ass. ut miracles 8to include

@moral miracles that touch and turn the human &ill=< are in the hand of5od, and he maes good the fee'le and sluggish efforts of his #oor

servants./ 414341"

8hou'h the entire seuence of &ords echan'ed bet&een these t&o -en should be saored in

full+ &e shall atte-%t to select and accent a fe& of the -ost instructie and -e-orable" %assa'es+

es%ecially those that sho& the 'radual turnin' of the Enna-eds heart sincerely to Cod ;

8he Enna-ed &as a-aLed at the )ardinals %assionate s%eech+ at the &ords

&hich formed so definite an ans&er to all that he had not 2et said+ nor een

-ade u% his -ind to say at all. -ee#l2 stirred+ but daLed at the sa-e ti-e+ heremained silent.

#=ellM/ continued 6ederi'o+ yet -ore affectionately. #Dou have some goodne&s for me4 are 2ou going to ee# me &aiting for itM/

#Cood ne&sM 6ro- -eM =hen @e all hell ra'in' in -y heart+ you e%ect tohear 'ood ne&s fro- -eM 8ell -e+ if you can+ &hat sort of 'ood ne&s you

think you -i'ht 'et fro- fro- a fello& like -e./

#The ne&s that 5od has touched 2our heart+ and &ants to -ake you his

o&n+/ re%lied the )ardinal eenly.

#CodM CodM @f @ could see hi- or hear hi- no&I =here is this Cod of yoursM/

#:ou ask -e thatM :et &ho stands nearer to hi- at this -o-ent than you doM

Do you not feel hi- in your heartM Does he not o%%ress and a'itate your s%irit+neer leain' you a -o-ents %eaceM And does he not at the same timeallure

10


11/18

you+ 'iin' you a foretasteof the ho%e of tranuillity and ha%%iness , aha%%iness &hich &ill be co-%lete and unbounded as soon asyou acno&ledgehi-+ confessto hi-+ im#lorehis -ercyM/

#:es+ yesI 8here is indeed something o##ressing m2 heart+ torturin' -y

itals. ut&here does Cod co-e into itM fyour Cod eists+ ifhe is the Cod of&ho- &e hear+ &hat do you think he can do &ith -eM/ 413417"

@n res%onse to this last uestion+ )ardinal 6ederi'o bears &itness to his 6aith in a len'thy+ but

flo&in'+ and doctrinally rich -anner suffused &ith true+ su%ernaturally infused charity;

6ederi'o re%lied in cal-+ sole-n+ yet ins%ired tones; #Do you ask &hat Cod

can do &ith you , &hat it is his&ill that you should 'ecomeM =hy+ a si'n of

his %o&er and his 'oodness. 6e &ants to gain a glor2 from 2ou &hich he can

gain from no one else. =hat 'lory is it for Cod that the &hole &orld abhors

your &ays+ that thousands of oices are raised to %roclai- their detestation of

your actions....But &hen you yourself rise u% to conde-n your o&n life+ and

accuse yourself+ that &ill be the day that Cod is 'lorified. And you ask &hatCod can do &ith youI Poor &retch that am+ &ho a- @ to tell you &hat %rofit

so 'reat a lord -ay find in you+ and &hat use he -ay -ake of that ardent &ill+

that unshakable resolution+ &hen he has animated them and fired them &ith

flames of love, ho#e, and re#entanceM $oor &retch that 2ouare+ &ho are you

to think that the deeds of &ickedness &hich you hae %lanned and carried out

by yourself can out&ei'h the deeds of goodness&hich Cod ma2-ake you%lan and carry out '2 his &illM s it nothing that he can forgive 2ou, and save

2ou, and fulfil in 2ou the &or of redem#tionM 417"

ne -ore ad-ission and confession fro- the hu-ble+ self3effacin' 6ederi'o truly reaches the

heart of the Enna-ed;

#8hink no&I f@ , -iserable little creature that @ a-+ and so full of m2self ins#ite of it $ can be so anious for your salation that+ as Cod is -y &itness+ @&ould cheerfully surrender in return the fe& re-ainin' years of -y life+ thenthink &hat charity -ust be in hi-+ &ho ins%ires -e &ith an i-%erfect co%y of it

, im#erfect indeed, 'ut ho& dee#l2 feltI Ho& he -ust loe you and &ish

you &ell+ &hen he bids -e loe you and ins%ires -e &ith the loe &hichconsu-es -e no&I/ As these &ords left his li%s+ his face+ his eyes+ eery

-oe-ent of his body s#oe the same language as his tongue. 417341>"

At this heartfelt inte'rity of e%ression and coniction+ &hat &as the res%onse of the %roud

Enna-ed to beM At first+ durin' 6ederi'os initial s%ontaneity+ and %erha%s een unnoticed by hi-+

11


12/18

His listeners face hadbeen strained and contortedF it (no&* chan'ed first to alook of astonished and intent concentration+ and finally took on a look of

dee%er but less %ainful e-otion. 6is e2es &hich had never shed tears sincehis childhood, 'egan to s&ell u#F and &hen the Cardinal3s s#eech &as over

he covered his face &ith his hands and 'roe into a #assionate &ee#ing,

&hich &as the final and the clearest #ossi'le res#onse. 41>"

=ill &e easily for'et this sceneM And &hat for- of res%onse -ay &e no& e%ect fro-

)ardinal 6ederi'oM

#Al-i'hty Cod and 6ather of 5erciesI/ eclai-ed 6ederi'o+ raisin' eyes and

hands to&ard heaen+ #=ho a- @+ unfaithful ste&ard and neglectful

she#herdas @ a-+ to desere to be called by you to this feast of grace+ to be-ade a &itness of so ha##2 a miracleI/ As he s%oke+ he stretched out his hand

to take that of the Enna-ed.

#o+ noI/ cried the noble-an. #Kee% a&ay fro- -e , do not soil that

innocent and irtuous handI :ou do not kno& all that this hand has done./

But the )ardinal seiLed it &ith iolence+ sayin'; #Do not %reent -e fro-

clas%in' the hand &hich is to ri'ht so -any &ron's (also to little ucia soonI*+

&hich &ill %erfor- such &ides%read 'ood &orks+ &hich &ill raise u% so -anyof the afflicted+ &hich &ill offer itself+ unar-ed+ to so -any ene-ies in %eace

and hu-ility./

#But that is too -uchI/ sobbed the Enna-ed. #eae -e+ :our CraceF -y'ood lord 6ederi'o+ leae -eI A 'reat thron' is &aitin' outside for you. All

those 'ood souls+ those innocent %eo%le+ &ho hae co-e fro- far a&ay so they

-ay see you at least once in their lies+ and hear your oiceF and you &ithhold

your %resence fro- the-+ &hile you talk to the un&orthiest.../

#eer -ind the nine and ninety shee%+/ re%lied the )ardinal. #8hey are safe

on the -ountainsideF and mean to sta2 here &ith the one that &as lost.

8hose souls -ay &ell be ha%%ier at the -o-ent than the si'ht of a %oorshe%herd like -yself could -ake the-. $erha%s Cod+ &ho has 'ranted you a

miracle of his merc2+ is fillin' their souls &ith a 7o2 &hich the2 themselvesdo not 2et understand. 8hat cro&d -ay be one &ith us &ithout no&ing itF%erha%s the ord is instilling a m2sterious loving &armth into their hearts +

ins#iringtheir -inds &ith a #ra2er &hich he is alread2 granting for 2oursae+ &ith a gratitude of &hich 2ou are still the unno&n cause./ 41>341G"

=e should not sto% in %resentin' this 'racious interie&+ itself a channel of 'race+ until the

final bond and contrition and so -uch -oreI" are isibly sho&n;

12


13/18

=ith these &ords he (6ederi'o* %ut his ar-s around the neck of the Enna-ed+

&ho at first tried to dra& a&a2+ and resisted for a -o-entF 'ut then he

seemed to 'e overcome '2 that im#ulse of divine charit2 + and thre& his

ar-s around the )ardinal+ hiding his Euivering, strangel2 altered face

against his shoulder. His hot (indeed+ ardent* tears fell on the stainless

#ur#le of +ederigo3s ro'e+ and the )ardinals unsullied hands em'raced theauthor of so much violence and treacher2+ clas%in' the acket &hich had so

often concealed the instru-ents of death. 41G"

)ardinal 6ederi'o Borro-eo+ by his %ersonal contact and isit+ &as alsoa channel of 'race to

another %ro-inent character in The Betrothed, Certrude+ the un of 5onLa , but her contrition of

heart and -endin' acts of re%entance are not sho&n in 5anLonis historical noel. @t a%%ears that

5anLoni did not kno& of the sustained %ersonal relation bet&een the historical 6ederi'o Borro-eo and

the historical character Sister ir'inia 5aria+La Monaca di Monza" u%on &ho- the fictional fi'ure of

the un of 5onLa &as based.>Had Alessandro 5anLoni kno&n een a little of &hat 5onsi'nor Ratti

discoered in o&n historical studies+ it is likely that he &ould hae inserted another set of unfor'ettable

scenes about the re%aration and 'ro&in' sanctity of his o&n tra'ically de%icted un of 5onLa.G=hy

-i'ht he hae included+ not ust %assa'es that -e-orably sho&ed -ore si'ns of her contrition of heart+

'ut also something a'out her sincere and gro&ing sanctit2 M9Here is &here the illu-inatin' &ork of

5onsi'nor Achille Ratti+ the future $o%e $ius @+ co-es in.

Creatly hel%ed by his o&n kno&led'e of the @talian lan'ua'e+ 6ather $hili% Hu'hes study of

$ius @ ea-ined in -uch detail Achille Rattis ran'e of research and subseuent but too little kno&n"

%ublications in arious %laces durin' those t&enty3fie years of resident scholarshi% at the A-brosiana.

> Historical eidence also sho&s that the Enna-ed hi-self LInnominato" &as based on an historical character+ 6rancesco

Bernardino isconti+ &ho &as also brou'ht to re%entance and conersion by a #ersonalisit fro- 6ederi'o Borro-eo+

the )ardinal Archbisho% hi-self+ once a'ain sho&in' his coura'e and 'racious Leal for the salation of a s%ecific soul.

G 5anLonis %resentation co-es -ostly in )ha%ters 9 and 10,&here %arts of her tra'ic tale is told,durin' the ti-e she is'iin' ucia and her -other A'nes hos%itality and a refu'e,a shelter in her o&n conent,in their fli'ht fro- their

ho-e illa'e and fro- the -aleolent %ursuit of Don Rodri'o+ the chief illain in the book. Ho&eer+ the reader also has

other 'li-%ses or -entions of her+ #the Si'nora+/ in )ha%ters 1G+ 20+ and !>. 8he co-%osite %ortrait of her character and

sad history and -oral fall are not to be for'otten,een thou'h there are -any -ysterious #loose ends/ or hauntin'ly

ine%licable %arts. Her kind dis%osition and desire to hel% the innocent ucia are also -e-orable+ een &hen ineffectie.

9 8he historical character+ Sister ir'inia 5aria+ &as born &ith the na-e of #5arianna de eya y 5arino+/ into a noble

fa-ily &ith a forbiddin'ly stern father" in late 1> eleen years after 6ederi'os birth"+ and she died in a ne& conent+

abidin'ly faithful to her o&s once a'ain+ in early 170+ al-ost t&enty years after )ardinal 6ederi'o hi-self had died. @t&as+ ho&eer+ in the autu-n of 170G that Sister ir'inia 5aria had receied a %unitie erdict fro- the canonical

inesti'ation and trial conducted at the reuest of )ardinal Borro-eo hi-self. Bet&een 170G and his death in 17!1+

)ardinal Borro-eo -aintained a s%ecial contact &ith her+ al-ost as her s%ecial s%iritual director. At the A-brosiana+

5s'r. Ratti discoered -any -ore facts+ as his %ublished findin's in 1911 &ill sho&.

1!


14/18

A-idst his s%ecific su--aries of the nature and astoundin' ran'e and ersatility of 5'r. Rattis

contributions+ he says at one %oint so-ethin' %ertinent to our consideration of )ardinal 6ederi'o in

relation to Alessandro 5anLoni+ and ho& it might have 'eeneen further enhanced in The Betrothed;

5'r. Rattis interest in the century of the Refor-ation is re%resented else&here

than in the &orks %ublished by this learned society ( i.e.+ by #8he %eriodical S.%arlo Borromeo-entioned already+ and the !cta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis/,

the -ulti3olu-e history of the )atholic )hurch of 5ilan.* Here+ ho&eer+ &efind...also , a -atter of -ore 'eneral history , # The Life of the Lad( of

Monza') a s*etch b( %ardinal "ederi+o Borromeo ,ith an auto+raph letter

from the -Lad() to the %ardinal1911". 8his is really a #find/ and 5'r. Rattistreat-ent of it ou'ht to be disinterred. Readers of the Promessi Sposi &ill

recall ucys (ucias* co-%anion in the %rison (conent3refu'e* and the story

the nun tells of her seduction and fall. @t is this lady (the Si'nora* &ho is thesubect of )ardinal 6ederi'os #ife./ As her bisho%+ &hen the case ca-e

before hi- officially+ he had to act &ith seerity+ and the unfortunate &o-an

%assed (after the 170G erdict* to a stricter conent on his e%isco%al city. Thereshe gave herself so generousl2 to amending #enance that she reached the

heights of sanctit2. @t &as the cardinal himself &ho &as her master andguide and after her death he %lanned to &rite her life, as #art of an

antholog2 of sanctit2 he had in contem#lation. 2> , 6ather Hu'hes"

o& 6ather Hu'hes &ill consider so-e of the i-%lications of this inchoately outlined+ but

finally unfulfilled+ intention;

@t is his (the )ardinals o&n* su--ary of the %ro%osed cha%ters (of Sister

ir'inia 5arias #ife/* that 5'r. Ratti discoered and %ublished in 1911.Manzoni ne& onl2 #art of the stor2. 6e &as too merciful to tell the &holeof &hat he ne&, since, no&ing onl2 that, he could not 'ut condemn*

6ence a certain reserve 8on Manzoni3s #art


15/18

&ould that this &ould hae been fulfilledI

6ather Hu'hes had earlier &ritten about 5anLonis fittin' descri%tion of )ardinal 6ederi'o and

the s%irit as &ell as the letter of his 1709 foundin' of the A-brosianaF and he finds that ery

descri%tion a%%licable to 5'r. Ratti hi-self+ %erha%s een constitutin'+ as &ell+ an a'idingins%iration

for the future $o%e al&a2sto try to lie u% to.

o descri%tion certainly &ould be -ore suitable , but that it is so full (i.e.+ ten%a'es in 5anLonis )ha%ter 22* , for a sketch of the %articular librarian (5'r.

Ratti* of the A-brosian &ho is the subect of this book. 6or &hile Achilles

Ratti is notthe least a-on' its -any doctors+ and this by reason of &hat heachieed in his t&enty3fie years there+ no &riter after Dante has+ self3

confessedly (by his o&n ad-ission*+ had a greater influence on his thoughtand his ver2 st2le than Alessandro Manzoni. 9"

6ather Hu'hes 'oes on to 'ie a shorter+ and ery hel%ful+ de%iction of the historical 6ederi'o

Borro-eo+ &hich+ at this sta'e+ &e -ay a%%reciate -ore fully+ after also hain' seen 5anLonis

honored %resentation of hi-;

8he cardinal &as the youn' cousin of St. )harles Borro-eo. His youth &as

for-ed by his uncle and then by St. $hili% eri+ St. Robert Bellar-ine and

Baronius (the 'reat scholar*. Situs created hi- cardinal at the a'e of

t&enty3three and )le-ent @@@+ &hen he &as barely thirty+ forced on to hisreluctant shoulders the see of 5ilan. 6or nearly forty years he sho&ed hi-self

the -odel bisho%+ as %reacher+ &riter+ founder of schools+ ecclesiasticalrefor-er+ and defender of the )hurch a'ainst the continual encroach-ent of theS%anish kin's iceroys+ in a saintly %ersonal life+ and in a charity to the %oor

that kne& no li-its. 8he %la'ue of 172>3172G (and in 17!0I* found hi-+ like

his cousin fifty years earlier+ at the %ersonal serice of the &retched icti-s+and -ore than t&o thousand of the %oor &ere fed daily in his %alace. @n

5anLonis %a'es he lies i--ortally+ those &onderful cha%ters in &hich the

robber noble-an+ the -ysteriousInnominatoco-es to the cardinal to relieehis soul+ and &here the cardinal infuses so-ethin' of his o&n serene coura'e

into the fear3stricken soul of the ha%less (%riest* Don Abbondio. #8he cardinal+/

says 5anLoni (in )ha%ter 22*+ #&as one of those -en+ rare in any a'e+ &ho

brin' to the 'reat &orks they undertake a truly su%erior -ind+ the resources ofast &ealth+ the adanta'es of %riile'ed rank+ and an unchan'eable %ur%ose in

the search and %ursuit of the better thin's./ 8o the library he founded he -ade

Promessi Sposi' soddisfacendo unaltra olta da %ari suo alle %iu sEuisite e difficili esigenze dell3arte+ ci arebbe dato

tal %a'ina da stare de'na-ente allato a uella in cui edia-o le lagrime ardentidellInnominato cadere sulla #or#ora

incontaminata di +ederigo*

1


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oer his o&n aluable collection. He housed it &ell and endo&ed it liberally.5ore+ he des%atched ei'ht chosen scholars to scour the &orld in a search for

further books and -anuscri%ts....#Real conuerors oya'es they &ere+/ says

the future %o%e ($ius @*+ #the si'ns and tro%hies of &hich &ere the bales of

%rinted books and -anuscri%ts sent ho-e fro- ti-e to ti-e/....Such &ere theori'ins of the first %ublic library to be o%ened to all &ithout distinction. 9310"

Such is further elouent eidence that+ not only does #art i-itate life/ -ost inti-ately+ but

#life also i-itates art/ reci%rocally and 'ratefully , es%ecially &ithin the )atholic &orld. =e certainly

see this in the case of Achille Ratti and Alessandro 5anLoni and ho& iterature and ife and the oe

of earnin' are , &ithin both of the- indiidually and 'et&een these t&o -en+ too , deftly

inter&oen and so resonantly interrelated. 8o our 'rateful ins%iration and further illu-ination and

sustenance.

5ay &hat @ hae no& and cu-ulatiely" learned fro- the- both be an encoura'e-ent forothers to 'o further. @n -y o&n -uch 'reater res%ect no&+ also seekin' still better to understand so-e

of $o%e $ius @s -ore controersial %olicies and conduct and hesitations durin' a ery difficult ti-e

6ebruary 192236ebruary 19!9" for the )hurch in the ery destructie 8&entieth )entury+ and not only

in 5eico+ S%ain+ and 6rance.

CF-A

@n a book %ublished t&enty3one years after the 19!> book by 6ather Hu'hes+ itself said to be

#of %articular ecellence+/ 11" an additionally a%%reciatie author of Hun'arian descent+ Psolt Aradi

, relyin' on the later inti-ate testi-ony of t&o %ersons both of the- @talians" &ho &ere ery close to

$ius @ Q tells us also the follo&in' about youn' Achille Ratti;

@n &as durin' his se-inary years that he beca-e fa-iliar &ith the 'reat classics

of @talian literature. He learned Dantes Divine %omed( by heart &hile

acationin' &ith his fa-ily one su--er in the -ountains+ and &as eEuall2

&ell acEuainted &ith Manzoni3s &ors and could Euote &hole #ages from

them.11

11 Psolt Aradi+Pius I/ The Pope and the ManCarden )ity+ e& :ork; Hanoer House+ 19G"+ %. 29. Aradis o&n tribute

to 6ather $hili% Hu'hes &ork co-es earlier in his book+ on %a'e 11. 5oreoer+ the t&o %ublished books on &hich Aradi

hi-self es%ecially de%ends+ as he says+ &ere %ublished only in 19>; one of the- &ritten by #the for-er secretary of$ius @+ Archbisho% )arlo )onfalonieri+/ a &ork &hich is #a &ell of infor-ation and the best book on $ius @/ 12"F the

second one is #a char-in' sketch &ritten by 5s'r. Arborio 5ella di Sant Nlia+ &ho s%ent his entire life in the serice of

four $o%es+ one of the- $ius @+ at the atican./ 12" 8he t&o books+ both of the- in @talian+ are+ res%ectiely+ the

follo&in'; ). )onfalonieri+Pio I 0isito da vicino19>" ($ius ie&ed fro- earby or At )lose Ran'e*F and A. 5ella

17


17/18

Aradi also 'ies us other unco--on 'li-%ses of Achille Rattis %referred and recurrent

readin';

"ven as Po#e+ Achille Ratti ke%t on his desk a Bible+ The Imitation of %hrist+ a

%ocket edition of the Divine %omed(+ Manzoni3s collected &ors+ and the%oetry of an @talian %riest3%oet+ Panella (b. 1G20*+ entirely unkno&n to the non3

@talian &orld. Panellas ideas a%%ealed to the 2oungRatti more that an2thingelse he read durin' the first thirty years of his life eBce#t for -ante and

Manzoni....Dantes Divine %omed(had a 'reat a%%eal to Achille Ratti as a

'uide to the %hiloso%hy of history....efore he &as t&ent2 he had read all the&ors of Manzoni+ not only The Betrothed+ but the (sacred* odes and his 'reat

1bservations on %atholic Moralit(....Manzoni a'sor'ed him totall2* The

s#ecial a##eal of the great talian &riter la2 in the fact that 8he


18/18

the Sacred Heart in 5ilan+ another #5anLonian./ Manzoni @and (Ce-elli+ @su%%ose+ as &ell as RattiM* understood each other al&ays. Achille Ratti made

it a #oint to read Manzoni 'efore maing an2 decision* A'ove all he read

Manzoni 'efore &riting enc2clicals and 'efore receiving #eo#le in

audience. 6or hi-+ 5anLoni &as a %ractical 'uide in a &orld stran'e andso-eti-es hostile. G#on 'ecoming Po#e he relied more than ever u#on theins#iration, strength and guidance $ so rooted in Catholic sentiment and

&isdom $ that came from his readings of Manzoni./ 124234!"

8he last re%ort and i-a'e @ %ro%ose to leae &ith the reader so-ethin' &hich su%%orts the

thesis of this essay about iterature and #ife @-itatin' Art/ and the oe of earnin' , is &hat Aradi

hi-self re%orts fro- his o&n+ already -entioned+ -ore inti-ate sources+ %ersonally close to the $o%e;

Ratti &as so fond of Manzoni that he &ould often read him aloud &hen

alone, a ha'it he continued after he 'ecame Po#e. ne day his -aster of

cere-onies+ Msgr* Ar'orio Mella di )ant3 "lia+ entered the $o%es study. As

reEuired '2 ceremon2, he nelt &hile a&aiting the #a#al orders* ut thePo#e did not notice him. $ius @ &as 'us2 reading aloud , indeed

declai-in' &ith gusto , a fa-ous %assa'e fro- 5anLonis The Betrothed.

The monsignor remained on his nees for a'out t&ent2 minutes 'efore the

Po#e 'ecame a&are of his #resence* 6e a#ologized most #rofusel2 andthen said &ith a smile: @These are #ages that it is &orth listening to on

one3s nees, Monsignor./ 4!"

n the %re-ise thatpietas+ at least in %art+ is #a reerentially 'rateful res%ect for ones roots+/

-ay &e too co-e to kno& and nourish such a dee% and sustainin' dis%osition of heart.

8his essay is dedicated to 5aike Hickson+ -y &ife+ &ho ins%ired it."

336inis33 2014 Robert D. Hickson

12 @t is still not at all clear to -e &ho is actually s%eakin' to &ho- in the lon'er uotation &ithin the uotation (#5anLoni

and (M* understood each other al&ays./* 8he author+ Aradi+ does not 'ie an e%licit source. 8he #@/ is a-bi'uous+

and the %oint of ie& is uncertain+ althou'h it &ould fit both Ce-elli and Ratti.

1G

pius xi and the betrothed

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