HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE ORDER OF THE CLERICS REGULAR OF SOMASCA [THE SOMASCAN CONGREGATION]

St. Jerome Emiliani, the founder of the Somascan Order, intercedes for the poor people on earth while in the Glory of Heaven. Insert is the painting of Pope St. Pius V, the Pope of the Council of Trent and also the same Pope who gave the Decree of Approval for the Somascan Order.

THE SOMASCAN CONGREGATION

The Founder

The humble Congregation of the Somascans

originates from the Company of the Servants of the Poor,

which was founded by St. Jerome Emiliani

in the Church

under the action of the Holy Spirit.

Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary,

Jerome had experienced a conversion to God,

and a deep Christian renewal.

Desiring to follow the way of the Crucified

and to imitate Christ, his Master,

he became poor

and dedicated himself to serving the poor.

Inspired by divine love,

he attracted other men,

who, for Gospel's sake,

offered themselves to Christ along with him.

By living the works of mercy,

our founding Father lived and proposed

to his followers a style of life

which manifests the offering of oneself to Christ

in serving the poor.

For this reason,

in the beginning, people used to call them

Fathers of the Works and the Poor.

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Recognition of the Church

On December 6, 1568, St. Pius V

included the new growing and developing Company

in the list

of the Congregations of the Regular Clerics.

He gave to it the right to profess Solemn Vows

and subjected it directly to the Holy See.

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Apostolic Mission

From the very beginning,

in order to respond to the appeals of Her shepherds

and for the good of the Church,

our Congregation has undertaken

various apostolic activities

inspired by the love of Christ.

With the same intense love of its Founder,

our Congregation continues to devote itself

to the spiritual and material care

of orphans and poor,

provides human and Christian

education to the youth,

and pastoral ministry to people.

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Form of Life

The Somascan Congregation

is a clerical institute of pontifical right,

consisting of religious, priests and laymen.

Their lifestyle is the same,

even though their ministries are different.

Following the example of Jesus and His disciples,

its members live in community

sharing all things in common,

and persevering in prayer and good works.

They strive for the perfection of charity,

in humility of heart, meekness, and benignity.

They love poverty and work,

and long for attracting

and uniting men and women to God.

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N.B.

* This is an excerpt from the CONSTITUTIONS AND RULES OF THE SOMASCAN FATHERS. Taken from the General Introduction.

* It is noted that St. Pius V officially recognized the Somascan Order on December 6, 1568. How come we are celebrating the birth of the Congregation NOW, April 29 instead of December 6?

It is because the First Batch of Somascan Religious took their Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience as First Members of the Order not on December 6, 1568 but few months later on April 29, 1569. Thus, the Congregation officially became a Religious Order with the public vows of the first religious.

* St. Jerome Emiliani lived and died from 1486-1537, how come you are calling him your founder when in fact he was long dead when the Order was approved by the Pope?

Many Congregations usually receives their Papal Approval after the death of their founders or foundresses. The Somascan Congregation was the same entity founded by St. Jerome Emiliani as The Company of the Servants of the Poor. Unlike St. Francis, our St. Jerome Emiliani failed to get Papal Approval during his lifetime because he died before reaching Rome. If he lived long enough and was able to fulfill his plan of going to Rome as requested by Cardinal Caraffa then there is no question of this kind.

After the death of St. Jerome his followers didn't disperse. Instead, they continued their works started by St. Jerome and increased in number. Then they decided to formalize the Compagnia by getting the Papal approval.

Both the Holy See and the followers of St. Jerome then, unanimously consider Jerome Emiliani as the founder and patron of the Somascan Congregation.