St. Jerome Emiliani

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Founder of the Order of Somascha; b. atVenice, 1481; d. at Somascha, 8 Feb., 1537; feast, 20 July; son of Angelo Emiliani (popularly called Miani) and of Eleonore Mauroceni, joined the army, and in 1508 defended Castelnuovo against the League of Cambray. Takenprisoner andmiraculously liberated, he made apilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady ofTreviso, in fulfillment of avow. He was then appointedpodestà of Castelnuovo, but after a short time returned toVenice to supervise theeducation of his nephews. All his spare time was devoted to the study oftheology and toworks of charity. After hisordination to thepriesthood in 1518, thehospitals and the hovels of the poor were his favourite resorts. In the year of plague and famine (1528), he seemed to be everywhere, and showed hiszeal especially for theorphans, whose number had so greatly increased. He rented a house for them near thechurch of St. Rose and, with the assistance of somepiouslaymen, ministered to their wants. To his charge was also committed thehospital for incurables, founded bySt. Cajetan. In 1531 he went toVerona and induced the citizens to build ahospital; atBrescia he erected anorphanage, atBergamo one for boys and another for girls. Here also he founded the first home for fallenwomen who wished to do penance. Twopriests, Alessandro Besuzio and Agostino Bariso, now joined him in his labours of charity, and in 1532 Jerome founded a religioussociety, placing the motherhouse at Somascha, a secluded hamlet betweenMilan andBergamo. In the rule, Jerome puts down as the principal work of the community the care oforphans, poor, and sick, and demands that dwellings, food and clothing shall bear the mark of religious poverty. Jerome fell amartyr to hiszeal; contracting a disease atBergamo, he died at Somascha. He wasbeatified byBenedict XIV in 1747, andcanonized byClement XIII in 1767. TheOffice andMass in hishonour were approved eight years later. His biography was first written by Scipio Albani (1600); another by Andreas Stella (1605). The best was written by Aug. Tortora (Milan, 1620; in "Acta SS.", Feb., II, 217 sq.).

After the death of Jerome his community was about to disband, but was kept together by Gambarana, who had been chosen superior. He obtained the approval (1540) ofPaul III. In 1547 the members vainly sought affiliation with theSociety of Jesus; then in 1547-1555 they were united with theTheatines.Pius IV (1563) approved the institution, andSt. Pius V raised it to the dignity of areligious order, according to theRule of St. Augustine, with solemnvows, the privileges of themendicants, and exemption. In 1569 the first six members made their profession, and Gambarana was made first superior general. Great favour was shown to the order bySt. Charles Borromeo, and he gave it thechurch of St. Mayeul atPavia, from which church the order takes its official name "Clerici regulares S. Majoli Papiae congregationis Somaschae". Later theeducation of youth was put into the programme of the order, and the colleges atRome and Pavia became renowned. It spread intoAustria andSwitzerland, and before thegreat Revolution it had 119 houses in the four provinces ofRome,Lombardy,Venice, andFrance. At present the order has ten houses inItaly two of which are inRome. The general resides inRome at S. Girolamo della Carita.

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