Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo
The Holy Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo (* 3. May 1786 in Bra (Piedmont) , Italy ; † thirtieth April 1842 in Chieri ( Turin Province )) was a Roman Catholic priest . He was the founder of a religious family and builder of the “Piccola Casa della Divina Provvidenza” hospital in Turin . He is one of the Turin social saints and bears the honorary title of the "Italian Apostle of Charity ".
history
Cottolengo was the son of a tax collector and was ordained a priest in 1811 . He then took over the office of pastor in Corneliano d'Alba , he received his doctorate in theology and in 1818 was canon at the Corpus Christi Collegiate Church in Turin. The key message of his charitable work culminates in the statement "that what is given for the poor must be spent immediately for them". Don Cottolengo died on April 30, 1842, Pope Benedict XV. beatified Canon Cottolengo on April 29, 1917 , canonization was carried out by Pope Pius XI. on March 19, 1934. His ecclesiastical day of remembrance was set for April 30, the day of his death.
In the encyclical Deus caritas est by Pope Benedict XVI. , who also visited the hospital and the grave of his namesake Joseph Benedikt himself on May 2, 2010, St. Cottolengo is portrayed as a model of charity:
“Saints like Francis of Assisi , Ignatius of Loyola , John of God , Camillus of Lellis , Vincent of Paul , Louise de Marillac , Giuseppe B. Cottolengo, Johannes Bosco , Luigi Orione and Theresa of Calcutta - to name just a few - are famous Models of social charity for all people of good will. The saints are the true bearers of light in history because they are people of faith, hope and love. [1] "
His great work: "The Little House"
During his time as canon, Don Cottolengo set up the “Little House of Divine Providence” in Turin, where the poor and the sick were cared for and orphaned children were raised. During his long career he set up 14 charitable associations, including a. the “Women of Christian Love” a congregation of the Sisters of Saint Vincent and the “ Brothers of St. Joseph Benedikt Cottolengo ”. The “little house” has become La città della Carità , the city of charity , with a population of more than 1000 and a capacity of 2000 beds; it is commonly called il Cottolengo , the Cottolengo . The focus of the hospital's activities is on the care and support of the sick, dying, blind , deaf and mute , orphans , the physically handicapped and the mentally ill . The large hospital has a nursing school and research institutes , and a total of 30 organizations are active in the health sector.
literature
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bautz : COTTOLENGO, Giuseppe Benedetto, Italian apostle of charity, saint. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 1, Bautz, Hamm 1975. 2nd, unchanged edition Hamm 1990, ISBN 3-88309-013-1 , Sp. 1140-1141.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Cottolengo, Giuseppe Benedetto |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian theologian and founder of the order |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 3, 1786 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bra (Piedmont) , Italy |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 30, 1842 |
| Place of death | Chieri , Province of Turin |