Window of Blessed Dominic Barberi, Passionist

Today the Passionists celebrate the feast of Blessed Dominic Barberi, (1792-1849) famous for receiving John Henry Newman into the Catholic Church on October 9, 1845. Newman himself will be declared “blessed” by Pope Benedict XVI this September during his visit to England.

Dominic was passionately devoted to the cause of the Catholic Church in England and in the few short years after he arrived there in 1840 he established three churches, several chapels, preached many missions and received hundreds of converts to Catholicism. He died on August 27, 1849 and his remains rest today in the land he loved with those of Elizabeth Prout and Ignatius Spencer in the shrine church of St. Anne and Blessed Dominic, in Sutton, St. Helens, England.

Dominic came from a troubled, poor area of central Italy; he had no formal early education; he spent his youth as a shepherd and farm worker, until he entered the Passionists in 1814.  Early on he was filled with a desire to preach the gospel in England, and after he was ordained a priest that desire grew stronger than ever.

Finally, he was given the opportunity to go to that land as a missionary.

Where did that desire come from? In Dominic you can see an example of God’s inspiring grace, mediated in a myriad of quiet ways and connections, slowly maturing and finally reaching the purpose for which it was given.

We like to summarize a person’s life, as we’ve done here, but a longer look at someone like Dominic gives you a better view. God works slowly, in small details, second by second, minute by minute.

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