Author Archives: franksantucci

During the day, I was busy preparing the petition to present to the Pope on the day he grants me an audience. Eugene’s Roman Diary, 8 December 1825, EO XVII As this document gives a good description of the state … Continue reading →

Preparing the way to present his request for approbation of the OMI Rule to the Pope involved requests to various persons. Visit to Bishop Caprano, secretary of the Propaganda, to alert him of the favours I must ask and dispose … Continue reading →

During his time as a seminarian in Paris, Napoleon had imprisoned the Pope and had brought all the Cardinals to Paris. As Eugene was fluent in Italian, and the Cardinals did not know French, he served them as an interpreter … Continue reading →

Eugene describes his joy at finding the tomb of his former Venetian teacher and mentor, Father Bartolo Zinelli. And have I not found the memory, the bust and even the body interred in the church of this holy priest, of … Continue reading →

All is holy here for him who comes as a true Christian pilgrim. As for me, I only see the apostles, the martyrs, the holy confessors of all ages. There is not a corner of Rome which is not a … Continue reading →

Eugene was constantly amazed and edified by the reminders in Rome of the martyrs. Perhaps his arithmetic is a bit exaggerated when he speaks of their numbers, but his awe is not. He describes how the Christian slaves had to … Continue reading →

Eugene visited many churches in Rome and each one left him with a sense of wonder and admiration. I am not resisting the desire to write to you and to date my epistle from the capital of the Christian world. … Continue reading →

Eugene, who always was on the move, started to express his frustration that he had to wait for others to arrange the appointments necessary to begin the process of approbation –and so he took matters in hand. I have nothing … Continue reading →

Eugene’s discoveries in Rome filled him with reverence – he certainly was a pilgrim open to seeing God’s handiwork all around him. I had the devotion to go and offer the holy sacrifice on the tomb of Saint Bibiana whose … Continue reading →

Eugene arrived in Rome during the jubilee year of 1825. This year we can appreciate his words in a deeper way as we live through a jubilee year with its invitation to encounter the mercy of God in a deeper … Continue reading →