In The Footsteps of St. Paul: The "Paulism" of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria Fr. Giovanni M. Scalese, CRSP

Reflections and Meditations
In the Footsteps of St. Paul
his theme can be considered a classical one: there is no convention on St. Anthony M. Zaccaria there where there is not a contribution on the Paulism of the Saint. It started in 1933 with Cardinal Eugene Pacelli who, at the conclusion of the celebration for the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation, gave the keynote speech in St. Charles on The Apostolate of Anthony Mary Zaccaria on the footsteps the Apostles of the Gentiles. The same year, a special issue of the magazine, The Messager de St. Paul, published the article by Fr. Achilles Desbuquoit on La parent dme entre Paul et Zaccaria. During the 1950s, the student Giuseppe Motta made a research, entitled Cor Antonii, cor Pauli, under the guidance of Fr. Giuseppe Cagni. This was published at first in Rivivere, and then in the Eco dei Barnabiti, in two parts. The second part was published on the celebration of the19th centennial anniversary of St. Pauls arrival in Rome. Next came Fr. Antonio Gentili with an article on this subject in his book I Barnabiti. Finally, Fr. Andrew Bonini tried to tackle the same subject during the week of spirituality in La Mendola, on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the death of the Holy Founder. We also have, as a vital reference, Fr. Franco Ghilardottis thesis, TheBarnabite Paulism: ethical-religious aspects or The Lombard Evangelism of the 1500s, which, unfortunately, was never published, but was presented in the 1961 Eco dei Barnabiti special issue. What could we add, since the sources available have already been widely explored? Fr. Mauro Espen, at the end of his recent thesis on the Zaccarian Sermons, draws the following conclusion: The Paulism which is usually attributed to Zaccaria, and which presents as its foundation a large refer-
In the Footsteps of St. Paul: The Paulism of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria

By Fr. Giovanni M. Scalese, CRSP Translated by Fr. Frank M. Papa, CRSP
ence to the corpus paulinum, should be confirmed with a biblical-theological analysis which would be a necessary preamble to establish the limits determining the Pauline character of St. Anthony Marys spirituality. This is a task left to further studies. For now, I have limited myself to take and put in order whatever has already been published, and see if we could give it a new or more profound interpretation. The study is divided into four parts: in the first part, we shall consider the presence of St. Paul in the life of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria; in the second, we will investigate this presence in the writings of our Founder; in the third, we shall try to answer the question from where did Zaccaria draw his paulism; in the fourth, we shall ask which Paul was the reference point for Anthony Mary. We shall conclude with some relevant reflections.
Introduction: Most Faithful Follower of His Paul

I believe that in the history of hagiography, Zaccaria is the only saint, or at least the first, who makes reference to another saint who has preceded him. He did this in a wide-reaching manner, almost identifying Paul. A series of observations will confirm this impression. It is a fact that the spiritual family founded by him is the first to be entitled to a saint. Prior to him, all religious orders were without a specific title, except for those dedicated to the Mother of God. It is the first time that with Zaccaria some religious, men and women, and lay people are called children of Paul. It became a very common practice as shown in the latest Pontifical Yearbook, where about forty institutes of men are entitled to a saint, four of them to St. Paul, and six
10
St. Anthony and the Forty Hours
St. Paul caught up to the third heaven Giacinto Calandrucci
11
to St. Joseph. Women institutes number about two hundred, of which four are to St. Paul, and fifty to St. Joseph. Another noteworthy fact can be seen in the Roman liturgy where, I believe, Zaccaria is the only saint in whose prayer the name of another saint appears, namely Paul. This means that the Church considers this as a unique case of identification among saints, which is very difficult to trace elsewhere. Another observation is about iconography. Many times our Saint, especially in the oldest paintings, is represented together with St. Paul. In the collection by Fr. Boffito, I could count about fifteen of them. This, too, is a unique more than a rare case. I take the last observation from the first lines of Fr. Mottas work. It is an impression we cannot avoid: from Paul III to Pius XI, and to Pius XII, the pontif-
ical documents which deal with the Holy Founder keep underlining the intimate relationship which bound the Apostle of the Gentiles with the Apostle of Lombardy during the pre-Trent period. Perhaps the oldest Pauline title attributed to Zaccaria is found in an inscription reported by Giuseppe Bresciani which, to the end of the 700s, must have been on a plaque or on a column in Cremona. Pauli sui fidelissimus sectator (Most faithful follower of his Paul). That unique relationship between Anthony Mary and the Apostle is underlined in a three-tiered way in this expression. First of all, it says that Zaccaria was a follower of Paul. This idea has been picked up in the present title on the footsteps of Paul. An attribute has been added to this qualification. Since the simple faithful did not seem enough, the superlative most has
12
been used. But what is the most beautiful element in this expression is the word his added to the name Paul, as if the Apostle Paul belonged in a special way to our Founder. I. St. Paul in the Life of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria To be able to reconstruct the Pauline personality of our Founder we must address the witnesses: eyewitnesses (de visu), who had a personal knowledge of Zaccaria, and those by ear (de auditu), who collected the testimonies by the eyewitnesses. 1. The Witnesses We can start with the synthetic assertion by the Anonymous Angelic: He was careful to be considered a fool by the world, since he was a true imitator of Christ Crucified and of St. Paul, toward whom he had great devotion (Barnabite Documents, 44). But the most authoritative source, especially in the well-documented study by Fr. Giuseppe Cagni, for sure is the Attestations by Fr. Battista Soresina. Let us listen to this fresh eyewitness testimony, He was a great devotee and imitator of St. Paul, the Apostle. He constantly had his Letters in his hands, experiencing great delight in reading them. He used to read them as if he were singing them. In writing his letters he used a style similar to the one of St. Paul. His sermons were based and shaped with the doctrine and sayings of the same Apostle. This is why before his death, as he himself said to Fr. Soresina while lying sick in bed, St. Paul appeared to him and invited him if he wished to go with him, and Father answered that he was willing, and so he died of that illness. He wanted to write about St. Paul, but his many occupations and untimely death did not allow him to do so (Ibid, 68). This, obviously, is the principal source used by all our ancient historians, first of all Bascap, He used to take the fieriest sayings from Paul When, as an
exhortation, he used to write letters to his confreres or others, these seemed to have a certain Pauline efficacy. He gave great attention to the reading of St. Pauls epistles. He found great pleasure in them, to the point that the confreres would hear him as if singing the words of Paul, such was his enthusiasm (De spiritualibus, 7-8). Gabuzio is not different, although with a more elaborated style and rich of quotations In his sermons to the people, where he seemed to be flooded with ideas, he was so ardent and effective that he seemed to lead the souls wherever he wished, giving rise to extraordinary fruits of piety. Indeed, he did not preach about himself, but Christ (2 Cor 4:5), not with persuasive discourses of wisdom, or with sublime words, but with a language taught by the Spirit (I Cor 2:1,4, 13). He would draw sentences, rich with divine wisdom, especially from the epistles of St. Paul. In fact, he had a most extraordinary interest in these epistles, and he found great delight in them. And so it happened that in writing letters to his confreres or to others, to exhort them, which he did often, he seemed to have some kind of apostolic spirit (Historia, 78-79). The testimony given by Chiesa is also very beautiful: In his sermons he had handy the most beautiful and important sentences of St. Paul, whose epistles were for him a continuous lesson, and he pronounced their words with a certain energy and voice modulation, giving, in his mind, the effect which he thought the Apostle had in writing them (Depositio, 77). Secco stays close to the historians who preceded him, The way of life of this angelic man was the following: pay great attention to the epistles of the divine Paul, and find an extraordinary delight in them, so that because of his enthusiasm his companions used to hear him sing those words of Paul (Synopsis, 162). Previously, Secco had said,
13
Having chosen the divine Apostle Paul, not only as patron and guide, but also as model, not only had he started to make recourse to his paternal protection and his friendly help, but he also tried to secure from him inspiration for virtue, examples of honesty, the same words most useful to incite the souls (Ibid, 21). Tornielli gives us information about the preaching by Zaccaria, On feast days, Father Anthony Mary would give a lesson on the epistles of St. Paul to the many laypeople who used to come to listen to him (De Principii, 6-7). An example of the Pauline preaching by our Founder is found in his speech of October 4, 1534, reported by Gabuzio and then by Secco. It is practically a commentary to a Pauline text (I Cor 4:10), made through a series of Scripture quotations, especially from Paul, with references to the living reality. A kind of Lectio Divina on St. Paul. 2. Later Contribution The most recent historical research has ascertained that the Pauline devotion of Zaccaria is ancient, before the foundation of the Barnabites and of the Angelics. Bugati discovered a document drawn by the notary Giuseppe Fellini on September 5, 1543, where there is a reference to the last will made by Zaccaria in 1531, where Anthony Mary had established for the altar built by his family in the church of St. Donato. It was to be dedicated to the Conversion of St. Paul, adding to it a benefit with annual revenue of 75 Imperial lire, and the obligation to celebrate a Mass every Holiday of Obligation and on the feast day of St. Donato and the Conversion of St. Paul. Its first chaplain was the Rev. Gaffuri, who will be followed by one chosen by his cousin Bernard or by the oldest of his descendants or the oldest of the Zaccarians. 3. The Vision of St. Paul Before His Death We find St. Paul also at the end of our Founders
life. Soresina has told us that, before dying, the Apostle appeared to him, inviting him to go with him, and the Father answered: Willingly! The Anonymous Angelic is a simpler form. It reports that He got very sick. The glorious father and protector St. Paul appeared to him and warned him about the pending death. He received the news with great joy and exultation, and shared it with his spiritual children (Barnabite Documents, 45). Gabuzio, with his characteristic style, gives us a lengthier description. First of all, he tells us that the Saint predicted his death in the octave of the Apostles Peter and Paul. Then he describes the last moments of life of Anthony Mary: He recounted to have had at that time, many hard and troubled fights with the enemy of the human race, but that he had overcome them with Gods help. During his sleep, by Divine enlightenment, he had envisioned what would happen to the whole Congregation, and that St. Paul appeared to him in a vision, imploring God not to take him from this life yet, so that he could be of greater benefit to the same Congregation; but that he had to die, prayed the other Apostles to go to heaven with them (Historia, 72). The Milanese lawyer Giuseppe Vaillati perceives in this apparition an indication of Zaccarias holiness, Let me observe again that, as a proof of Zaccarias holiness, since in his life he had chosen as special protector the Apostle Paul, and as a subject of his instructions, homilies, etc., the same Apostle, he had the consolation to have the Apostle appear to him at the moment of his death, as reported by the majority of the writers who have talked about Zaccaria. This is why I deduce that, taking the fact as true, it matches so well with Zaccarias whole life, to appear that the fact in itself would be a most evident witness confirming his holiness. It would be, anyway, inconceivable for the Apostle to wish to appear to the dying and seal with the apparition
14
the rapport of all the ideas which could be given about the history of the Servant of Gods life and virtues (Depositio, 198). We can, then, consider this apparition as the seal with which the Apostle Paul wanted to sanction a life spent totally at his footsteps and in imitation of his virtues. 4. Although Dead, He Still Speaks (Heb 11:4) Even after his death, Zaccaria keeps speaking about Paul. Still Gabuzio reports a gracious episode which happened to Fr. Soresina, One day, after the death of Anthony Mary, Fr. Soresina, overcome by laziness, or tired from work, postponed the confession of a sick person. The following night, before falling asleep, he clearly heard Zaccarias voice: Sir Battista, my good brother, where is the love taught to us by our Paul? Why did you neglect that soul? Having said this, he disappeared leaving him astonished and, confused by the shame of the neglected duty, it made him more diligent for the future (Historia, 76). 5. Similarity of Character The authors have pointed out many similarities of character between St. Paul and Zaccaria. G. Motta noted, Both energetic and vibrant souls have the same love for God and for souls, aroused by the bloody reality of the Crucified Christ, who en-
lightens and directs the action of them both. They have the same tendency for action as to an irresistible need to expand, to the austerity of life as a control which, while saving them from illusions, would make possible in them the radiation of the spirit; to the same constancy in pain, and to the same humility in the successes, which explains the grandeur of their vast apostolic activity (Cor Antonii, cor Pauli, Eco, 1959, 39). Fr. Bonini, on his part, lingers over some aspects of the Apostles personality, which played a particular attraction on Anthony Mary, Zaccaria found in Paul some consonance also in the character. He must have been fascinated by the Apostles qualities of decisiveness and resoluteness, the opposition to any form of compromise, the fight to lukewarmness, the laying out of his life without reserve, the mixture of tenderness and intransigence towards his own, to have decided once and for all for Christ. And he saw these qualities realized in the marriage between sleepless activity and interior life in Christ, between theology and mysticism, between action and prayer (Alla Scuola di San Paolo, 71). II. St. Paul in the Writings of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria I have already treated this subject
15
in the Handbook for the Spirit, published in 1994. As I make reference to that study, I will enlarge the subject, taking into consideration the contributions of other authors. 1. Preamble In his writings, Zaccaria defines himself as priest of Paul the Apostle (Letter VII); he calls the Angelics Daughters of Paul the Apostle (Lt 5), and the Barnabites little children of Paul the Apostle (Letter VII), little children of Paul the Saint (Letter X), little children and stock of Paul (Letter VII).
father, saint father (Letter VII); chaste Paul, learned Paul (Letter IX); true friend of God (Sermon III); our most holy leader and patron, most wise doctor of the Gentiles, leader and father (Sermon VII); Apostle par excellence (Passim). We have to note that the title divine, which will cause so many suspicions for the Barnabites and the Angelics, and which was used also in reference to living individuals, is characteristic of Paul. The Oriental tradition ordinarily attributes it to him, calling him divine apostle.
Paul is the foundation for the apostolate of Zaccarias children, You will build, on the foundation of Paul, structures neither of hay nor of wood, but of gold and of precious stones (Letter VI). Paul is their ideal of life: Not to busy themselves in denying their will ... it would pull them completely out of the desire and life of Paul (Letter IX). 2. Pauline Titles He attributes to Paul the following titles: divine Paul, father (Letter V); divine father, sweet
3. Pauline Quotations a) Number of the Quotations Up until now, according to the Concordance published by Fr. Giuseppe Cagni in 1960, we could count about ninety Pauline quotations. Now, we have available the thorough study by Fr. John Rizzi, which counts over 834 Pauline references (corpus paulinum + Acts), over 1,371 references to the New Testament, and 1,717 over all references to Holy Scripture. This is how he has classified this material: BIBLE 61 37 133 297 492 351 PAULINUM 82 72 204 424 565 450
CORPUS New Testament quotations from the Latin Bible 35 quotations in Italian translation 14 paraphrases of the Biblical text 63 more evident references to the biblical text 162 more concealed references to the biblical text 328 possible scriptural parallels 232
16
The first impression coming from this data is the net predominance of Pauline references, over the other books of Holy Scripture. With reason, then, Fr. Rizzi can affirm, The Zaccarian language is first of all Pauline and then evangelical. For my part, out of curiosity, I have gone over the Pauline quotations in the Zaccarian writing, leaving aside those which, rather than true quotations, appear to be have a similarity and, therefore, the reference to the Apostle could be rather subjective, we can affirm that the Pauline passages (including the letter to the Hebrews) reported by Zaccaria in his writings (excluding the Sermon VII) are a total of 293 in the Letters, 26 in the Sermons, and none in the Constitutions (surprising, considering their particular literary genre). These quotations are clearly recognizable because usua1ly they are introduced by the expression Paul says or such 8 are from the Latin text; 11 are in the Italian translation (usually very liberal, especially in paraphrases); 7 the conflatae quotations, where the Latin text, the Italian translation, and some personal addition are mixed together. b) The Way of Quoting In his research, Fr. Motta had made the observation, The quotation from St. Paul with which especially the Sermons are crammed, are by far from being exact: at least a word must be changed; perhaps, just one, but there must always be a divergence from the canonical text. This shows that this was all material he had assimilated, and so he was quoting by heart. Moreover, in the original text of the Sermons, the Pauline quotations are never reported in full; but, after one or two words, a quick etc. ... implies the rest, which supports what was said before that he used to quote by heart, since the familiarity with the sacred text was making the book useless. In his most recent study, Fr. Rizzi has confirmed these findings. The 59 quotations are given mostly by heart with the beginning or few words from
the original text, followed by a meaningful etc. In many cases there is the mingling of two or more biblical texts, with substantial transformations in some cases, and most of the time with style and context adaptations. This is why the quotations as such from the Latin Scripture text can be reduced to very few. c) Source of the Quotations The question has been raised more than once, which Latin version of the Bible was the Founder using? Fr. Rizzi has observed that in the Zaccarian writings the quotations come from the Vulgata and from the Vetus Latina. Most likely, Anthony Mary did not have a single complete text of the Bible. From what we have read in the various ancient reports we can deduce with certainty that he had at his disposal a collection of the Epistles of St. Paul, probably in the Vulgata text. Keeping in mind what has been said by Fr. Motta and Fr. Rizzi, it seems that both for the Corpus Paulinum and the other books of the Bible, the principal direct source of biblical quotations for Anthony Mary was rather his memory, recalling passages read in various biblical texts or in the works of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church used for his formation, and which he continued to consult. d) Purpose of the Quotations As we said, usually the Pauline quotations are introduced by the expression, Paul said or the like. This expression, besides being an introduction, gives to the quoted passage a certain solemnity, underlining the fact that Paul is the master who teaches. Fr. G. Motta had already pointed this out, (Paul) is the master par excellence, whose authoritative word is always side by side with the one of the highest master, Jesus. Equally valid is the other observation: The apodictic proofs, reported always after the other scriptural proofs, are always obtained from Paul. In The Handbook for the Spirit, I have pinpointed how Paul is a master not only
17
with his teaching, but also with his example. One quotation is enough, Paul never wanted to tell an untruth, although he could have gained the whole world, and gained for Christ (Sermon II). 4. Pauline Doctrine Zaccaria takes from St. Paul not only some sentences, but most of the doctrine contained in his writings. Here we cannot exhaust the subject, also because this field still has to be explored. We will just give some indications which will demonstrate how Paul is the source of our Holy Founders thought. Fr. Ghilardotti, following the content of his thesis, gives the following summary of the Gospel Interpreted by Paul, and announced by Anthony Mary: Jesus Christ, Incarnate Word; the symbolism of the two men; the Pauline metanoia or renewal; the theory of Gods two books; man referee of his own destiny; contrast between the Old and the New Testament; social sense of charitas and its dynamism. Let us add other elements, always of Pauline origin, or somehow traced back to the Apostle, Zaccaria derives from Paul the theology of the cross, the characteristic of his spirituality. For sure it is the Pauline doctrine of the need for charity developed in Sermon IV, and of the mediation of man and of the creatures generally treated in Sermons I and VI, also in Sermon IV. Deduced from Paul is the doctrine of the Middle Way, based on the recurring quotation of 2 Cor 6:7-8 wielding the weapons of righteousness with right hand and left, whether honored or dishonored, spoken of well or ill (cf. Sermon V, VI, VII). Even the distinction between the precepts and the counsels goes back to St. Paul. Utilized to remove lukewarmness, one starts with the observance of the precepts to pass then, almost insensibly, to follow the counsels (cf. Sermon VI). Even the distinction of the four kinds
of prayer has a Pauline origin (cf. Constitutions X). The terminology of the gain so widespread in the Zaccarian writings is also of Pauline origin. And we could keep going. A question to ascertain is if these doctrines are taken directly from St. Paul or are they instead filtered through intermediate authors. We shall return to this. 5. Reference to St. Pauls Life In the Zaccarian writing we find many references not only to the letters of St. Paul, but also to his life. I have found at least six. It would be enough here to remember how Letter IX is drafted on the presentation of Paul to the apostles by Barnabas (cf. Acts 9:26-27). That shows how the Holy Founder was familiar not only with the writings, but also with the life of the Apostle. This confirms that Paul is a master not only with his teaching, but also with his example. 6. Comments to the Letters of St. Paul As we have seen, the historians note that the preaching by Zaccaria was basically Pauline. He drew ideas and words themselves mostly from the Apostle. We have noted that the speech of October 4, 1534, is nothing more but a lectio on a Pauline text. The first part of Sermon IV is nothing more but a commentary, albeit well-done, to the hymn of love by St. Paul. 7. Familiarity with the Apostle The relationship between Zaccaria and Paul, as it emerges from the writings, is an extremely familiar one. Sometimes Anthony Mary addresses the Apostle with the greatest of confidence, Oh, Paul, if your chains are so good, why do you want Festus to be a Christian without them? (Sermon VI). Also a text, which up until now has always been referred to Fra Battista, I think instead to be addressed to the Apostle, O sweet Father, you have sweat and you have been sorrowful, and we shall receive the fruits; yours has been the cross, and ours shall be
18
abundant rest; that is, carrying and eating crosses continuously, we shall deliver your fruits as well as ours (Letter VII). The familiarity between Zaccaria and Paul is also expressed in the, sometimes quite daring, comparisons he makes between his experience and the one of the Apostle. Think, for example, at the beginning of Letter V. Anthony Mary even expresses the desire to cause the envy of Paul for his daughters, the Angelics; or the beautiful dialogue we find in Letter X, You, Dionisius, and you, Timothy and Titus, how were you acting with your Paul? You were not acting like this, but you, always aware of his presence, had deep love for your Father in your hearts, and you had no other intention but to please him. Alas, it is not the same with me! (Letter X). The same vital relationship existing between Paul and Zaccaria, must exist between the Apostle and the children of Anthony Mary. Tell them, then, that this Paul preaches to them a Christ crucified in every way: crucified not only in himself but in them too (Letter IX). 8. Affinity in the Epistolary Style We have already mentioned how Soresina and, following his example, the ancient historians have noted even an affinity in the epistolary style. To the point, Fr. Premoli affirms, The letters of St. Anthony Mary testify, on their own, the study he used to make of the Pauline epistles. In the greetings then, used to close, we can almost reread St. Paul (Cinquecento, 52). In the introduction to the Sermons of the Bologna edition, Fr. Vittorio Michelini adds, If the love of children would not be an impediment, we could say that what happened
to St. Pauls style of life and apostolate happened to Anthony Marys style. Both master and disciple are far away from any literary purpose. The writings reveal an impromptu approach for the occasion, using the little free time available to jot down notes, write some letters, as the impelling spirit dictates, and so, at times, the thought becomes disorderly and obscure (Writings, 64). Even Fr. Bonini faces the question, In the letters of the Founder even the tone conforms with the one of the letters of Paul, from the initial greeting to the development of the theme, to the exhortative moment, to the final greetings. It is evident in the two Saints the drive which urges them to write, that is, the exclusive desire to gain in themselves and the neighbors, either they write to individuals, or to the community. And the assimilation of Pauls spirit by Anthony Mary has been such that, although with a style which is his own, made of expressive urgency and familiar vocabulary, it is possible to catch echoes and reflections of Pauline expressions, if not a translation of Pauls phrase. III. The Origins of the Zaccarian Paulism A question raised by the authors, and which we cannot avoid, is the following: where did Zaccaria acquire his paulism? Fr. Ghilardotti is resolute in his answer, At this point of our study we are able to say by now from where Zaccaria attained this Pauline imprint: from the Evangelism. Fr. Bonini shows more caution: It would be exciting to know which ones were the external impulses which oriented Zaccaria toward the study and the love of St. Paul; but according to our present knowledge, ours could be nothing else but pious desires. But,
19
after this general statement, he follows with the indication of a precise research track, Although we do not know the modalities, he must have received a strong impulse from Fra Battista Carioni, the Dominican with a leading role in the spiritual life of the first three decades of the Lombard Sixteen Century, spiritual director and inspirer of so many Zaccarian initiatives. The experts on the Dominican, indeed, are in agreement in affirming that among the sacred books he has a very clear preference for St. Paul, as the one whose thought is better in line with his character and ideals: spiritual battle, unrelenting fight against lukewarmness. On another occasion, I have warned about presenting Zaccaria as a man of the Renaissance. I have expressed some reservation about the traditional key used in the reading of our Founder, which interprets it in the light of Christian Humanism, of Evangelism, and of Devotio Moderna. On that occasion, I suggested to interpret Anthony Mary in the light of the patristicscholastic tradition in which he had been formed, and of which he was heavily imbued. Now I would like to propose a hypothesis, which will have to be carefully examined to respond to the present question. I do not believe that Zaccarias
interest and love for St. Paul derived from his contacts with the North Europe clubs, contacts which, need to be documented. I rather think that it derived from a Pauline mainstream which has always been present in the Christian spirituality. Conditioned as we are by the historiography of the Reformation, we have a tendency to think that Paul, after Augustine had been forgotten and that Luther was needed to rediscover him. We have never worried for clarity how, inside the tradition, the Apostle Paul had continued to be well-present, especially with some authors. Very appropriately Fr. Bonini and, before him, Fr. Colciago have emphasized Fra Battistas unquestioned influence over Anthony Mary. Now, it was not by chance that Carioni had this Pauline vein: it is part of the Dominican tradition. It is enough to think of the attestation over St. Dominic found in the Libellus de principiis Ordinis Praedicatorum, He constantly carried with himself the Gospel of St. Matthew and the letters of St. Paul, and meditated at length over these last ones to the point that he knew them by heart. But, besides the Dominican school of which Zaccaria was an alumnus, I think we can go behind to reach that patristic,
20
or better yet, monastic tradition which the Founder had gradually absorbed during his formation. He constantly drew sustenance from this for his spiritual life. Not to make any up in the air affirmations, it would be opportune to make reference to the sources. In the precious Attestations by Fr. Soresina, right after the passage reported above, on the Zaccarias devotion toward the Apostle, it says, Besides the doctrine of St. Paul, he put great emphasis on the Collationes and treatises by John Cassian. Hence, in his own conferences he utilized Cassians writings and had his listeners read passages from them which he commented on, so that everyone derived wonderful profit from this kind of exercise (Documents, 68).
I think this is a field still in need of thorough investigation. Fr. Espen has tried with his thesis a patristic approach to the Sermons. I believe that Zaccarias dependence from the Fathers, and especially So, here is my thesis: if in this author, for sure so Cassian, needs further study, reaching out to all the widely used by Zaccaria (as witnessed by Fr. Sorewritings. sina, and by Anthony Mary himself in Constitutions VIII), there is such a wide spread Paulism, it seem If, then, we read the works of the one who has been to me a natural conclusion to say that Zaccarias indefined as a disciple in the East, and a master in terest and love for St. Paul, the Apostle could have the West, we will realize that, although the accusa- derived, to some degree, exactly from reading Castion of semi-plagiarism hung over him, they are full sian. I do not think we are dealing with a useless of Pauline references. In the Coenobite Institutions, I question, because it has notable consequences for have counted 99 quotations of the Apostle over 334 the hermeneutics. It is one thing to say that Zacbiblical quotations (that is, 30%, almost a third, of carias Paulism is derived from the Evangelism, and the total); in the Collationes, I have counted 363 so from a movement which, in the Humanistic and Pauline quotations over 1,465 scriptural quota- Renaissance spirit, returns to Paul neglecting the tions (that is, 25 %, almost a quarter, of the total). intermediate tradition with the possible danger of In the Collationes, often there is a reference to Pauls subjectivism and rupture. It is another thing to afvocation; he is considered the ancient ambidex- firm that Anthony Mary got his Paulism from Castrous doctor of the Gentiles, our centurion of sian or from the Fathers and Doctors of the Church the Gospel, the most valuable master of the Gen- or from the Dominican teachers, that is, from the tiles, the vas of election through whom Christ living tradition of the Church. It means that it is not spoke, the architect of spiritual artifacts; usually a novelty, but an heredity which is transmitted and he is designated as the blessed Apostle. In the IX it is constantly been enriched. Which is not little! Collatio he affirms: One could not believe that the But at this point we have to ask another question.
Holy Spirit has said something through the mouth of St. Paul uselessly or without reason. In the XVII Collatio, we read the beautiful page describing what today we would call St. Pauls diplomatic behavior; not to mention the second to the last Collatio, the XXIII, which is totally Pauline from top to bottom. It is not a surprise to find so many Pauline references in Cassian, because, although a follower of Origin and Evagrio Pontico, he was also a disciple of St. John Chrysostom. It is well-known that the great Bishop of Constantinople was a great admirer of the Apostle Paul. So, when Cassian came out of Egypt in 399, where he had been in contact with the desert monks, he went to Constantinople and stayed there until 404, becoming a deacon under St. John Chrysostom, having in this way the opportunity to listen to the teachings of the great orator and to absorb his love for St. Paul.
21
IV. Which Paul? It is easy to talk about Paulism. But, when we talk about Paul, which Paul do we mean? The Apostles figure is extremely many-sided. We can make reference to him from so many different angles. Which ones are the aspects Anthony Mary has dealt with most? I believe we can answer: just about all of them. 1. The Theologian We have already said that in his writings Anthony Mary looks at Paul as the teacher. Surely, if we look in Zaccaria for the great theological controversies present in Galatians and Romans, we are going to be disappointed. Anthony Mary is not a Luther, and the Paul of our Founder is not the one of the great Reformer. Anyway, although not a professional theologian, Zaccaria shows to posses a discreet theological formation. It would be extremely interesting to deepen the theological presuppositions of the Zaccarian moral-spiritual doctrines. For example, no one has ever taken the time to examine the theological motivations which are the base for our Founders fight against lukewarmness. If we should do it, and we would relate them to the motivations of Jesus conflict with the Pharisees, or to the ones which inspire Pauls polemic against those in favor of circumcision, we would discover, with great surprise, that they are ... the same! Another question which should be theologically investigated is the relation between grace and free will. It would be interesting to confront Zaccarias position with that of Paul and Augustine on one side, and the one of Cassian and Fra Battista, accused of Pelagianism, on the other. 2. The Apostle Paul was not only a theologian, he was also, and especially an apostle, the Apostle par excellence. And probably this is the reason why Anthony Mary
has chosen him as his inspiring model. He too wanted to be an apostle, and wanted his disciples to be apostles. He said to the Barnabites: (Our vocation demands) from us who have started to follow, although from far away, on the footsteps of the holy apostles, and of the other disciples of Christ, not to refuse to share in their sufferings, especially those trials which are by far lighter than theirs (Gabuzio, Historia, 54). Speaking of the Angelics, he affirms, My (daughters) - not one, but all of them - banishing any personal reputation and human satisfaction ... wish to be apostles to eliminate not only idolatry and other big defects from the souls of people, but to destroy that most deadly and greatest enemy of Christ Crucified, which reigns in our modern times: I mean that incredible lukewarmness (Letter V). Paul, for anyone who wants to be an apostle, must be the fundamental point of reference, since he was not only one of the Apostles, but the first among them: He (Barnabas) presented him (Paul) to all the Christians as a column, and as if he was the prince of the Apostles (Letter IX). 3. The Martyr Paul is also the one who ended his life shedding his blood for Christ. This was not by chance, but the realization of a desire he had cherished for a long time: The wise Paulwanted to be, in actual life and in the opinion of all, a living example of Christ Crucified (Letter IX). Also in this the Barnabites wanted to imitate their master, and so they were called Clerics Regular of St. Paul decapitated. Fr. G. Motta notes that what Fr. Premoli affirms is not true, that is, that the adjective decapitated was added only in 1552, since from January 1545 we find in the Liber capitulorum the House of St. Paul decapitated mentioned. Later the cult toward the Apostle-martyr was codified in the Constitutions of 1579. The title Clerics
22
Regular of St. Paul decapitated, Fr Gabuzio explains almost quoting verbatim the Constitutions, was kept for a long time, because those ancient Fathers thought to be according to their desires, that is, they tried to care not only for the doctrine of the Apostle, but also to imitate his sufferings (Historia, 95). 4. The Mystic What seems to be often neglected is another aspect of Paul, which instead is the source for the theologian, the apostle, the martyr, the mystic Paul could be who he was, only because he had a profound experience of God. Our Apostle joins the list of the long tradition of Old Testament Fathers who met God during their earthly existence: Abraham, Moses, Elijah. It is not by chance that Zaccaria refers to Paul with the expression used by Scripture to designate Abraham that true friend of God, Paul, said about himself and other faithful ministers: God has revealed to us things that no prince of this world, that is, no philosopher nor wise man of the world, has known(Sermon II). We find this affirmation in a context which is particularly mystic in the Zaccarian writings: the Sermon III, where Anthony Mary distinguishes between two levels of Christian life: the one which, with a Pauline term, we could call the justification, destined for all, and the perfection, reserved only for the friends. His Bounty gives us, unfaithful and deceitful servants and His enemies, many gifts in spite of our negligence; nevertheless, He does not want to give to anyone but his friends and faithful dis-
ciples the gift of perfection, the taste of God, the knowledge of His secrets (Sermon III). Model of these friends, to whom God reveals his secrets, is precisely Paul, he who encounters Christ on the road to Damascus, the Paul who, ruptured to third sky, hears words which cannot be uttered (II Cor. 12:4).
Conclusion: Anthony Alter Paul

From what we have been saying up until now, we can conclude that Zaccaria somehow must be considered as an alter Paul. We can truly say that in the 16th century, Anthony Mary incarnated, if not the person, for sure the spirit of the Apostle. A vision which does not go against our Catholic faith. The book of Wisdom says, And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets (Wis 7:27). It is the same divine Wisdom, the same Holy Spirit, who age by age, enters in the Saints, often with the same characteristics. It is possible that the spirit of Paul, which was nothing else by the Spirit of God possessed by Paul, could relive 1500 years later in Anthony Mary. I believe that this answers a need inherent in the economy of salvation: the apostolic charisms, somehow, must perpetuate themselves in the Church throughout its history. Therefore, as Peters charism is perpetuated in the Church especially through the ministry of the Roman Pontiff, so the Pauline charism somehow must continue to be present in the Church through the centuries. This
23
happens through some saints who have lived St. Pauls spirit during their time. Among them our Founder, who in a particular way has identified himself with the Apostle. Zaccaria too is not anymore on this earth, and therefore he cannot make Paul present in the Church and in the contemporary society. Anthony Mary, differing from other Pauline souls always present in the history of the Church, has founded a religious family which has inherited his charism. We are the ones to render present in the world the spirit of the Apostle; his Paul, the Paul of Anthony Mary, becomes then our Paul. Are we up to this vocation? Are we really ready to be the carriers of Pauls charism in the world of today? If this question refers to the presence in us of the spirit of the Apostle, then, I believe we have to answer in the affirmative. When we think of the number of apostolic activities carried on by the meager number of religious, when I think of the untiring work done by Barnabites and Angelics of today, when I think of their continuous availability, I cannot help but think that it is the spirit of Paul that drives them; Caritas Christi urget nos (II Cor 5:14). If we, then, think of the missionary spirit which has always animated our Congregation, how can we not think that she continues to imitate her divine Father, made all to all to save some at any cost? But if we look at the exterior forms of our Paulism, perhaps, some reflection is needed. Fr. Bonini in a
communication at the week of spirituality in Lodi 1980, made this observation. In a certain period of our history (as acknowledged by our historians) the ideal of Paul has become weaker in favor of the Holy Founder. Now, besides the good tradition of dedicating some of our churches to St. Paul, and some of the things expressed in the Constitutions, whatever happened to the Paulism of the origins? In reading Fr. Boffito, I have realized the outstanding accomplishments of many scholarly confreres in many fields of knowledge, but on St. Paul there is very little. In Rome we have, thanks be to God, a well equipped library on St. Paul, but our Congregation, the first to be dedicated to St. Paul, does have produced as yet a scholar on St. Paul. ... I think today we have reached a balance between acknowledging the leading role of the Holy Founder, and the natural position of Paul in a Congregation dedicated to him. Anyway, the Zaccarian studies should lead us to this. Anthony Mary is by nature a son and disciple of Paul; to say Zaccaria, it means to made a reference to Paul For Anthony Mary, the following of Christ had passed through the Apostle: we follow Christ, following Paul; we imitate Christ, imitating Paul. Still today, we can describe the relationship between Zaccaria and Paul with the phrase: Cor Antonii, cor Pauli. We can add to it, cor autem Pauli, cor Christi, a phrase which, then, would summarize our spirituality. As we turn to our Founder, we find Paul. Once we find Paul, we will have found Christ.
24
fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. (Cf. Philippians 1:9-10). April: That the Son of God, born of a woman and under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children of God will make us aware that his Spirit, who cries out Abba! Father, constitutes us brothers and sisters and coheirs with him. (Cf. Galatians 4:4-7). May: That the God of perseverance and encouragement grant us to live in harmony with one another, following the example of Christ Jesus so that with one accord we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Cf. Romans 15:5-6). June: That our conversation be always sincere and unequivocal as was Christs faithfulness to the promises of God. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 1:19-20). July: That, having crucified our flesh with its passions and desires, we may live by the Spirit bearing fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Cf. Galatians 5:16-25).
August: That, as we are being rooted and grounded in love, we may have the power to comprehend the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Cf. Ephesians 3: 17-19). September: That, we do not allow our difficulties and limitations crush us, confident that the Lord can use even our every adversity to advance the gospel. (Cf. Philippians 1:12-18). October: That, following the example of Christ, who though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor we may seek no other wealth except Christ himself and his poverty. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9). November: That, as men of God we pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, gentleness and fight the good fight of the faith to take hold of the eternal life, to which we were called. (Cf. 1 Timothy 6:11-12). December: That, the Lord Jesus, new Adam, source of justification and life for all people grant us the grace to imitate his obedience that destroys the deadly dynamic of sin. (Cf. Romans 5: 12-21).
January: That stripped of the old self with its practices and clothed with the new self, we may be renewed in the image of our Creator and live in communion with persons of every culture and standing so that Christ may be all in all. (Cf. Colossians 3: 9-11). February: That the word of Christ dwell in us abundantly in all its richness and that all we do, in words and deeds, be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Cf. Colossians 3: 16-17). March: That our love may abound more and more with knowledge and full insight that we may always discern what is best and be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the
25
The Paulism of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria
nthony Mary Zaccaria, the founder of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul, the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul, and a third order of laity called the Laity of St. Paul, was proclaimed a saint by Pope Leo XIII, on May 27, 1897. In a speech the Pope proclaimed that St. Paul the Apostle was a master from whom Anthony Mary had developed his thought, his activity, his life. He enjoyed the letters of St. Paul so much that he took them as the model, both in doctrine and behavior, and invoked him as an intercessor to Our Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul was always there ... Paul was always before Anthonys eyes; he had Paul, his patron, stirring in his heart and always prayed to Christ Crucified with Pauls name on his lips. In stating that Paul was his master, and he a servant of Paul, we are stating that Anthony Mary derived his identity from the Apostle Paul. We can say this on the premise that a servant compared with someone who simply performs services, identifies with the master, deriving a sense of personal identity from him. However, it is not only that we say that Anthony Mary lives through Paul, but also that Paul continues to live and function through Anthony Mary. The Holy Founder of the Barnabites, with an ardent heart as that of Paul, took as a model to his children the Apostle of the Gentiles. Hopefully, the Pauline spirituality as presented through this work will enlighten the mind of the reader to the dynamism and modern application of this unfamiliar saint. It is this Pauline spirituality which we wish to present, this Pauline spirituality of Anthony Mary Zaccaria that affected the Church of the Reformation era, and still today affects the Church through those who follow in his footsteps.

by Fr. Mike M. Mancusi, CRSP
Our purpose is to examine the Pauline thought of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria, from its origins to its final form in the interior and exterior manifestations of our Holy Founder
2. Paul is Chosen as Anthonys Patron and Model

Most religious congregations have some patron saint other than the founder associated with their congregation. Anthony Mary chose for his followers St. Paul, as he had already chosen him as his personal patron and model. 2.1 Similarity in their Characters Anthony M. Zaccaria found in St. Paul a great deal of himself, as his entire being captured the strength and temperament of the Apostle Paul, Paul was the one most suiting to his temperament and ideals of reform, proclaiming the need of a radical renewal. Many aspects of their characters were similar. It was the Christ-event of the Cross that stirred their souls to preach a reform aimed to the love of neighbor and the glory of God, they both had strong and quivering souls, roused by the bloody reality of the Crucified Lord which enlightened and guided their work. Using todays terminology, we can say that both souls were open to the Spirit, letting it blow where He wished. They listened to the movement of the Spirit within their souls for they both had the same tenderness that links them together and allows the Spirit to enlighten their souls We can say that in reading the works of St. Anthony Mary, we seem to be reading St. Paul. When we meditate on the epistles of Paul we unknowingly
26
find ourselves meditating on the letters of Anthony Mary. That which moved Paul also moved Anthony Mary. The two saints, who preached a metanoia for theirs times, were of one heart and mind (Acts 4:32). It certainly can be said of Anthony Mary that he was the most faithful imitator of his Paul. Thus, the Zaccarian Paulism can be summarized in the formula familiar to every Barnabite, Cor Antonii, Cor Pauli (the heart of Anthony, the heart of Paul). There was a certain character about their lives that kept them in touch with the reality in which they lived, spiritually and temporally. This enabled their apostolates to grow, not only in size, but in the depth of their love for God and neighbor. They both felt their work as an irresistible urge to expand; they considered the austerity of their life as a control against illusions and, therefore, a guide for their steps. Paul boasted of nothing other than the Cross of Jesus. It is in this same Cross of Jesus that Anthony Mary found a source of grace in his work. Because of their openness to the movement of the Spirit in their lives, they realized that their work could not be measured as their own but only in their personal ongoing conversion to allow the Spirit to work through every aspect of their character. For they were both humble when experiencing success. Because they lived in the newness of life in the Spirit, with the Cross always before their eyes, they both experienced a foretaste of the life of glory through the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:16-25). In times of persecution they were so united with Jesus, they allowed themselves figuratively to be crucified with Him. They both spoke of themselves suffering for and with Christ (I Cor 4:8-13). As Paul accepted his persecution in a Christian manner, so
Anthony Mary Zaccaria learns from the Apostle Paul the sublime wisdom of the Cross G. Mercoro, 1763
27
did Anthony Mary. (This is exemplified in St. Anthony Marys Magna Carta of his Pauline and Christocentric spirituality: his speech of October 4, 1534). For as Jesus was forced to suffer and die on the cross and then be vindicated in the new life of the Resurrection, so will those who suffer in Jesus be vindicated for they, too, live in the newness of the divine life of the Resurrection (Rom 6:1-11). Therefore, both Paul and Anthony were steady in times of sorrow and persecution. Both Paul and Anthony can say together with one heart, I have preached faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, and now I fear no danger. I do not count my life more precious than my work, to finish my course, of preaching and proclaiming the good news of Gods grace. I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Thus, these two saints continued their lifestyles and preaching. St. Anthony Mary was vindicated not only by being acquitted in the courts, but also by Pope Paul III himself who ratified the method of life of the Saint and his sons, and with the name of the Clerics of St. Paul, convoked them immediately under the jurisdiction of the Holy See. It is obvious that St. Anthony M. Zaccaria found his character in St. Paul, his master and guide. The times needed a man with the Pauline thought of a meta-
noia and who would bring to it the spiritual vitality of Paul. It was through Anthony Marys reception of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that he was able to capitalize on the actual graces that God offered him.
God poured into Anthony Marys heart all the elements of character, of a cast made to resound to any urge of Saint Pauls spirit. He also enriched Anthony Marys will with the resolution and decision as well as generous undauntedness, thus allowing him to gather and absorb all common elements and make them spring up and bring forth fruit.
2.2 The Attraction Found in St. Paul Since the Churchs very beginning, especially with the Fathers of the Church, there has been a great attraction toward the Apostle Paul who has always had a great influence on all. Anthony Mary is no exception. Through the knowledge of Pauls personality, by means of his studies, and especially through Pauls epistles, Anthony M. Zaccaria was also taken into the attraction for Paul as he opened his heart to him. Anthony Mary grew with a deep and ardent love for the Apostle beyond that of the ordinary Christian. He developed an inspiring love and a passionate study of the Apostle, peculiar
28
to the Dominican tradition, recalling that of John Chrysostom. This was alluded to earlier in the speech of Pope Leo XIII when he said that Paul was always before Anthonys eyes. This speech of St. John Chrysostom (to which various authors refer) opens his first homily on the letter to the Romans:
As I keep having the Epistles of the Blessed Paul read, and that twice every week, and often three or four times, whenever we are celebrating the memorials of the holy martyrs, gladly do I enjoy the spiritual trumpet, and voice so dear to me, and seem to fancy him all but present to my sight, and to behold him conversing with me. But I grieve and I am pained that all people do not know this man as much as they ought to know him, as not even to know for certain the number of his epistles. And this comes not of incapacity, but of their own not having the will to be continually conversing with this blessed man. For it is not through any natural readiness and sharpness of wit that even I am acquainted with as much as I do know, if I do know anything, but owing to a continual cleaving to the man, and an earnest affection towards him.
wards Pauls footsteps to lead them to their Lord. We only have to look at the names of a few: The Missionary Society of St. Paul founded by Isaac Hecker; The Society of St. Paul founded in Malta; the Company of St. Paul founded by Cardinal Ferrari; the Society and the Daughters of St. Paul founded by Don Alberione, etc. What must be noted is that Anthony Mary and his followers were the very first religious to call upon the name of Paul. That the Barnabites and the Angelics were the first two religious orders that took their name and their program from Paul is a fact. The preoccupation that St. Anthony Mary had for the Apostle Paul and how this influenced his second foundation, the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul, can be found in a manuscript of the Angelic Sfondrati:
His desire to honor God and save souls was so upright and burning that it suggested the Angelics of St. Paul to choose this particular name, making the Apostle stand out amidst all others as a furnace of love for God, and made by God himself an object of choice and grace -being so alert in his charity to neighbor and so perfect in this virtue (as all saints can testify) - the Angelics thought that they should never give up imitating him; neither should they ever waiver from his doctrine and example.
These words can easily be placed into the mouth of our Holy Founder for he constantly studied, meditated on, and preached the Apostle. It was the Apostle Paul and his thoughts that filled Anthony Marys soul with a deep and ardent love for God through Christ Crucified and the Eucharist. His love for Paul brought him closer and closer to the glory of Crucified Lord. From Pope Paul III who ratified his Pauline mode of life, to Leo III who proclaimed him a saint, and recent Pontiffs, all have emphasized the deep and binding relationship between the Apostle Paul and St. Anthony Mary. Not only have Anthony Mary and the Barnabites been attracted to Paul the Apostle, but many other founders and their congregations have looked to-
We see that the attraction with the personality and the writings of Paul the Apostle has grown since the birth of the Church. It was St. Anthony M. Zaccaria who was attracted by the Apostle Paul and it was the Apostle Paul who instilled in him an ardent love for Christ Crucified and gave him the strength needed to carry out his spiritual mission.
3. Development of the Devotion to St. Paul

Anthony Marys development of the devotion to St. Paul is an interesting and important factor in discussing his Pauline thought.
29
3.1 Origins It is certain that Anthony Mary had, since the very first years, a particular veneration for St. Paul, and as soon as he could enjoy his scripts, he found spiritual benefit in reading the epistles and fondly meditating over them. The previous statement by the learned Father Moltedo can easily be accepted. However, there remains one problem. What significance do the words since the very first years have? It could easily be applied to his childhood as it is taken for general knowledge that he often meditated on those things that he had learned in the church. However, there are no valid documents that can testify definitively to this. Another possibility is that he became devoted to St. Paul through his friendship with Serafino Aceti da Fermo, a Lateran Canon, while at the University of Padua. This possibility is much more credible than the former since our young Founder often preached in the small church of San Vitale after leaving Padua. Again, however, there are no existing documents that would validate such a possibility. It is most plausible, though, that this holy friendship with Serafino Aceti did develop some Pauline thought within Anthony Mary. Nevertheless, the only other possibility is through the abiding advice of his spiritual director, although not much is known about him. More than likely, through the openings from his studies and friendships at Padua, it was this Dominican spiritual director who was the one to spark the flame of Anthony Marys burning love for the Apostle Paul. It will be this holy friar (Fra Marcello) to initiate the Founder to the studies of theology and thusly, to the studies of the Fathers of Scripture, and Thomas Aquinas. The Scriptures, especially the letters of St. Paul, can be found in the spirit of his thought. As the Holy Founder was preaching and gathering groups to catechize at San Vitale, Fra Marcello propelled him to the aforementioned studies to deepen his understanding of the truths
of faith. To any student who studies the Fathers or Thomas Aquinas, an understanding of the theology of the epistles must come to light. The Apostle Paul emerges at the very start to whoever wants to penetrate Catholic theology and leads him throughout the study giving him as research material his luminous inspired epistles. As a side note it is also very possible that Anthony Marys veneration and imitation of Christ Crucified could have been nurtured by Paul with some help from the works of Thomas Aquinas. His studies of Thomas Aquinas, which could most likely have led him to an ardent love for the Apostle, is well-attested to. It is St. Thomas who says that The Cross exemplifies every virtue. We also know that Anthony Marys mother formed him in the virtuous life. All this may have had an impact on him, causing him to delve deeper into the meaning of the cross and thus St. Paul, to whom the cross-event of Christ is a central aspect of theology. It was from Fra Marcello, perhaps, that young Zaccaria arrived at the certainty of Catholic doctrine, acquired the zest for the Word of God, especially the letters of St. Paul, and the ardor for preaching the revealed truth. However, it must be noted that it was under the direction of Fra Battista da Crema that Anthony Mary embraced the priesthood. It was under the Dominicans direction that he more seriously dedicated himself to the study of the Bible and Thomistic theology, particularly the letters of St. Paul and the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas, and often frequented the monastery of the Dominicans. He availed himself of the study of the Bible from Fra Marcello and more particularly from Fra Battista da Crema, a man of vast cultural theology and a profound knowledge of Sacred Scripture, especially of St. Paul as was typical to the Dominicans.
30
While he was preparing for the priesthood, under the guidance of the Preaching Friars, Anthony Mary was not only a student of the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, but soon found that it was Paul who was the central figure in the study of any aspect of Catholic theology because, to the student of theology, that is to the one preparing for the priesthood ... St. Paul appears as the great Master, the Doctor par excellence. We can see that, beginning with the influence of his maternal schooling towards the virtuous life, under the direction of Fra Marcello and more intensely under Fra Battista da Crema, it was Paul the Apostle and his writings that were to be planted and nurtured into the soul of Anthony Mary Zaccaria. Through his studies for the priesthood, Paul was to enflame and enrich his heart through the sacred theology of the Apostles epistles, through the stud-
3.2 Master and Teacher of Truth As we said at the start of this paper, a servant finds his identity from that of his master. The Holy Founder sought to find his identity in St. Paul, the one upon whom he grew to consider the Master of Truth. The young priest tends to be dogmatic and theoretically systematic. The same applies to Anthony Mary for like every newly-ordained priest, Anthony Mary often sounded theoretic (systematic), his emphatic style showing traces of the teachings of Dominican theologians. This is verified in the first few Sermons of the newly ordained priest. Anthony Mary had a clear and synthetic mind ... for his writing of the youthful sermons manifested an orderly logic and an inclination to the precision of concepts. Thus, like every young student of St. Thomas, Anthony Mary sought the truths of
ies of the Fathers of the Church, and through his study of the works of Thomas Aquinas. Thus, we can basically state that it was under the guidance of the Order of Preachers that Anthony Mary was to be nourished into the devotion of the Apostle Paul for the experience on university life and the first apostolic years enriched Anthony Mary. Undoubtedly, conferring to his thought the constant desire for a concrete life. Overall, the meeting with the person and the doctrine of St. Paul will give a distinctive mark to the spirituality of Anthony Mary.
the faith in Scripture and systematic logic. It was in the writing of St. Paul that he was able to find the truths of Christianity and for the desperately needed reform of the times. He, therefore, confessed the words, thoughts, and actions of Paul as representative, or rather as an explanation, of the one and only Truth, Jesus Christ. When writing them (the Sermons), Zaccaria considered Paul as the Master of Truth, as an object of study, admiration, and contemplation. He is the
31
master of excellence, for his very thought is based upon the Truth of Jesus. Throughout Anthony Marys sermons we can find scattered such statements as Paul says that, It is by the Apostle that ... , The Apostle Paul testifies that. ..
Paul says that the love of money is the cause and root of every evil (I Tim 6:10) and avarice which is in effect an idolater (Eph 5:5) And our Savior said that avarice is the cause of the extinction of charity, saying. Because the iniquity of many will be overwhelming, charity will be extinguished (Mt 24: 1). And Paul says that in these last times men who are self-centered, grasping, boastful, arrogant, and rude, and followers of their own opinions, will dominate (I Tim 3:1-3) (Sermon I).
What is most interesting is the manner in which the Holy Founder writes this section of the Sermon. He first quotes Jesus speaking to the Apostles from John 15:15. Having referred to Jesus as the Incarnate Truth, he then turns to Paul, calling him the true friend of this Truth, by quoting I Cor 2:6, and continues the thought by quoting Jesus both in Matthew 11:25 and Luke 21: 15. (Note that all these quotes are associated with wisdom, prudence, or revelation.) In being at the summit of spiritual life, that is friendship with God, Paul can easily be considered an object of contemplation. However, considering the fact that Anthony Mary calls Paul the true friend of God, and having placed this statement among quotes on the wisdom of God revealed to men as spoken by the Incarnate Truth, we can easily assume that Paul is not to be just considered as but, for Anthony Mary, definitely is an object of contemplation as the Master and Teacher of Truth. It is from here that we must treat the insights of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII) into that mentioned above: To the school of Paul, the future founder took that richness and depth of doctrine which would make Anthony Mary a very good teacher, enabling him to teach others: St. Paul can say to Anthony Mary, Now you are the executor of my doctrine. Which doctrines do his listeners hear? That out of which the Apostle judged there is none greater, namely Jesus and Jesus Crucified as the power and wisdom of God. To the school of Paul, Anthony Mary
As most seminarians have learned in an homiletics class, the one who preaches should leave his congregation with a conclusion to contemplate and study, to put forward into their lives Anthony Mary again is no exception. Concluding the section on the necessity of the virtue of charity in his Sermon IV, the Holy Founder uses the thoughts and words of Paul as the source of contemplation, because Paul has captured the essence of Truth and, therefore, is the Master of Truth to be studied and devoured. Fr. Ghilardotti says that to Anthony Mary, the Apostle Paul himself is considered as an object of contemplation. We can, therefore, presume that it is not only the writings of St. Paul that must be contemplated but also the person of Paul himself who assimilated the Truth into his very being. In fact, after establishing that spiritual life reaches his highest in the friendship with God, Zaccaria adds that Paul is a Master and Model of such a perfect condition. Fr. Ghilardotti is alluding to the section of Anthony Marys Sermon III where he says, that true friend of God; Paul... (p. 97).
32
knew that the foolishness of God is better than the foolishness of man, such as the weakness of God is stronger than the weakness of man. Here is the great mystery hidden in our redemption, in the healing of our misery. Cardinal Pacelli perceives that it is in Paul that Anthony Mary was able to deduce the truths and the Truth of our faith. This deduction could only occur after much study, meditation, and contemplation in order that the hidden mystery be revealed. It is only through the wisdom of Paul that Anthony Mary could perceive this r evelation of the hidden truths of the faith. Due to the climate of the times, these truths and Paul had been hidden. It was Anthony Mary who again found them by seeking and developing his devotion to St. Paul as the Doctor par excellence and a true friend of Truth itself. St. Anthony Mary found that the truth and doctrine that Paul rallied upon was that of Christ Crucified. It became the same rallying call for Anthony Mary. Most of his writings are based upon the Christevent of the cross. It is to this that he constantly referred in his sermons, speeches, advice, and letters while referring to the Apostle at the same time. Thus, Cardinal Pacelli is correct in stating that Anthony Mary has become the executor of the doctrine of Paul. It is in this doctrine of Paul, the rallying call of Anthony Mary, that we find the culmination of the teachings of Truth itself. It is because of this development in his devotion to St. Paul that we find that the letters of St. Paul have always been an object of study and meditation on the part of the children of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria. In the first Constitutions, written by Anthony Mary himself, he suggested for study the words of Scripture, especially the works of Paul: The Brothers ought to study Sacred Scripture, and avidly take delight in understanding and comprehending it so as to uncover and bring to light its hidden meanings (Chapter VIII). Thus it must have been, as stated by Fr. Moltedo, that Anthony Mary was always studious of Pauls epistles and delighted in them all.
From the above, as detected by various biographers and postulators for the canonization cause, Anthony Mary grew steadily in his development of devotion to St. Paul It was through this devout study and ardent contemplation of this true friend of God that our Holy Founder was able to discover the hidden mystery of the truths of the faith. It was by studying and contemplating Paul as the Master and Teacher of Truth that Anthony Mary was able to preach the central doctrine of St. Paul, namely, Jesus and Jesus Crucified. 3.3 Master and Teacher of Life Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6). It was through his cradling devotion to Paul that Anthony Mary was ensured that Jesus is the Way. In the development of this devotion Anthony Mary looked upon St. Paul as the Master of Truth and thus called upon Jesus as Incarnate Truth. It is in seeking out Paul as the Master and Teacher of Life that Anthony Mary looked upon Jesus as Life. As Anthony Mary saw the truths of the faith in Jesus through Paul as the Master of Truth, so too with the doctrine of Paul, Anthony Mary also followed the form of his (Pauls) life, for he made himself an illuminated likeness of his life, for it says: Be imitators of me brothers ... according to the model that you see (Phil 3:17). The model that Anthony Mary saw was not only Paul but Jesus Himself, for the Apostle tells us that it is not I who live but Christ who lives in me (Gal 2:20). When St. Paul said to be his imitators that is exactly what Anthony Mary did, even to the point of his style of writing. It can be said that the figure of St. Anthony Mary emulated the Apostle Paul. In every aspect of his life, Anthony Mary was illuminated by the doctrines and the life of St. Paul. Anthony Mary grasped one of the principal themes of St. Paul and preached it with the vigor of Paul. He preached life with a potency of the figure of
33
Paul and his spirit, a life that arrived and placed itself in Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Paul, he preached Pauls metanoia from death to life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus Our Lord (Rom 6:23). The concept of the life of Christ continued and extended in the Church to each of its individual members is one of the great Pauline themes and one of his most original insight. Anthony Mary was able to totally grasp Pauls insight and, thus, his devotion to the Apostle grew to call upon him as Master of Life. Where is this life to be found that Anthony Mary preached? It is to be found in Jesus Our Lord, particularly through his death and resurrection. Therefore, like Paul, Anthony was to preach a new life in the Spirit of the Risen Lord by the power of the cross. Theologically it is very sound, but also very sacramental. Thus, part of the reform of life that Anthony Mary preached was a return to the life-giving sacraments, especially the Eucharist and devotion to the Eucharist in order to nourish the life within us. Thus it is from St. Paul that Anthony Mary apprehended two strong ideas: the central position of Christ in the Christian life and the impetus of reform. St. Paul had become the Master to learn from in every aspect of
Anthony Marys life. The Holy Founder was the one to see the truths of the doctrines of Paul and learn to live in them and place his life as such. It is in living the life that Paul called forth from him that Anthony Mary lived the life of Jesus Christ. The hero (Anthony Mary), illuminated in his mind by Pauls doctrine and enriched in the operations of his will from his love of Paul, was vehemently yearning of following the Apostles thought: Now you are the executor of my doctrine, institution, and thoughts. You have learned which is my sincere and entire teaching; which is my way of life, ministry of reconciliation and peace between God and Man. Learn now which is my thought, that I look for in the office and in the fatigue of my apostolate, not personal advantages but the glory of God through Christ, not just what is useful to the multitude, but rather to make yourself all things to all for the salvation of all. And so it is this that is the rallying call behind Anthony Mary, that is, the goal for which he aims at with thought, with will, with work. From the above quote of Cardinal Pacelli, we see that Anthony Mary was not only to preach the doctrine of Paul but to live it. It became his everything: to become all things to all for the glory of God through Christ.
34
However, this is not just the outside we see but the very life that caused Anthony Mary to breathe. It was the apostolate of dying to oneself in order to have life eternal in Jesus Christ. Fr. Confalonieri tells us that his (Pauls) thought was constantly compared to his (Anthonys) action; it was his apostolates mainspring, the aim of all his endeavors. Here we first see that the thought and doctrine of Paul acted somewhat as a guiding line. This would lead Anthony Mary to his Crucified Lord in glory and steer him correctly and directly. The writings of Paul became the ten commandments to live rightly for God and neighbor. Secondly, we see that it was Paul who became the stimulus of all of Anthonys work. The thought of Paul acted as both the starting and finishing line in which the race of life was lived. Anthony Mary also speaks of running a race like Paul, for the Founder says: Let us rush like madmen not only to God, but also to our neighbor (Letter II), through whom we reach God. It was in Paul that Anthony Mary found the means to render glory to God, and love of neighbor as the way of loving God. Furthermore, so necessary is this love that Paul wished to be an anathema for his brethren (Rom 9:3). Throughout the whole Scripture, my friend, you find that God sets up our neighbor as an instrument to reach His Majesty (Sermon IV). From what has been said we can see then that the thought of Paul became the point of comparison, the way of evaluating his every action, the force to raise his apostolate, and the loving physiognomy for the sons and daughters of his personal paternity. Thus it was that Anthony Mary showed the Barnabites, the Angelics, and the Laity their moral code in Paul: He showed them their leader and model in living the life in which they were called: first as Christians and then as religious. This he spoke of in the October 4 speech. Because we have chosen as our Guide and Father such an
Apostle, and we are proud to be his followers, let us make the effort to follow his teaching and example in our life. St. Anthony M. Zaccaria is most known for his love and example of Christ Crucified. He was to receive this also from St. Paul as the pivotal point of all his thought. The wise Paul, who wanted to be, in actual life and in the opinion of all, a living example of Christ Crucified (Letter IX) became for Anthony Mary the master, the teacher, and the model of life which was constantly burning with the ardor of Christ Crucified. We can deduce then that Paul was the logical choice as the Master and Teacher of a life grounded in Jesus. However, St. Paul was not only the teacher of that life, but through his own example and writings, we can say that St. Paul was the standard of living for Anthony Mary.
4. Assimilation of Pauline Spirituality

In examining the Pauline thought of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria, it is only logical that we examine the assimilation of Pauline spirituality. 4.1 Spiritual Influence of Paul upon the Interior Working of St. Anthony Mary On the 400th anniversary of the approval of the Order of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul (February 18, 1533, by Pope Clement VII), the Superior General at that time, Fr. Ferdinando Napoli, received a letter from Pope Pius XI attesting to the Paulism of our Founder. Your Founder has chosen as patron and model the Apostle St. Paul, faithfully embracing his doctrine interiorly, especially those of Christ Crucified. Various authors have cited that Anthony Mary was the perfect and most faithful imitator of St. Paul, emphasizing upon the Barnabites, saying that their hearts had become one.
35
As a scholar of literature captures within his entire being the works of his most cherished author or poet, his words are so often on his lips that they become his own. The same applies to Anthony Mary and his most cherished guide and model. Fr. Giuseppe Motta has found all interesting fact in his studies on this aspect. He states that, Fr. Gabuzio and Fr. Secchi often repeated that the Founder always had at hand and on his lips Pauls teachings; they used two very peculiar verbs: dictitabat and lectitabit. Thus, like the learned professor of a university, Paul was embedded into the very essence of Anthony Marys being. It is here that it would be most fitting that we should quote the scholarly Fr. Angelo Confalonieri:
He mastered St. Pauls deepest thoughts, and assimilated them so that they became his own. His thought was constantly compared to his action; it was his apostolates mainspring, the aim of all his endeavors; the countenance he hoped for his spiritual children to attain. It even suggested the name for his religious families: Clerics Regular of St. Paul, and the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul.
most effectiveness and spontaneity. In his constant attempt to resemble Paul, there are the deep and strong concepts, which always refer to the content or spirit of Pauls writings. His quotations from St. Paul appear quite frequently, especially in his sermons. However, they are not always exact quotations. At least one word is changed or there is a slight difference from the original text. Thus, the Holy Founder was quoting from and by heart having had fully assimilated Pauls writings in both his mind and heart. Another point that must be brought to light here is that Anthony Mary, in the original version of the sermons, never completed a citation of St. Paul. After some writing, he would complete the phrase with etc. This also demonstrates that he often quoted by heart the writings of the Apostle Paul. There are some who consider the original text of the sermons a scriptural hodgepodge. However, this does not reveal so much a jumbling of Pauline writings as an interiorization of Pauline thought. The saintly Anthony Mary had thought so much within his soul that, although we cannot understand where the etc. will lead, we are more than certain that a few quotes from Paul would enable the Founder to continue his quoting by simply only writing the note etc. Pope Paul V spoke of our Holy Founder as a great figurein the spirit of St. Paul. Before Cardinal Pacelli was elected Pope Pius XII, he too spoke of St. Paul as being found in Anthony Mary: in doctrine, in temperament, and intention of his aim. The doctrine that Cardinal Pacelli was concerned
Let us take just one line from the above quote: his thought was constantly compared to his action. As mentioned previously, Anthony Mary considered the Apostle Paul to be the Teacher of Life. It was Paul who had become his moral code of living. Ones personal morality is considered ones second nature. Thus, with Anthony Mary, Paul became so second nature to him that these two saintly men were one. A most impressive fact is that the Magna Carta of Anthony Marys Paulism (the famous speech of October 4, 1534), had been uttered with the ut-
36
about is not just one but the entire thought of Paul. The temperament of soul was their common humility and steadfastness in the Lord, while the intention of his aim was the ongoing Pauline metanoia within himself, his followers, and within those to whom he preached. Cardinal Pacelli probably could have come to this above statement on Anthony Mary from the decree of canonization written by Pope Leo XIII, who says that Anthony Mary saw himself in St. Paul, as the important author handed down, recreated ... Anthony Mary often called upon St. Paul as his father. He could be likened to a child who listens to his parents and follows the norms set by them.
Should anyone ask me which was, besides the Lords grace, the secret of perfection which raised Anthony Mary above all mean (temporal) things that surrounded him, which was the star guiding him safely to the one and only Infinite Beauty, I should reply that it was his filial and operating love to the Apostle Paul. This operating love is certainly the most evident and tangible characteristic of the Founder.
4.2 Exterior Manifestations Within this area we wish to examine three aspects: a) the preaching of Anthony Mary, b) the spiritual direction offered by Anthony, c) an overall view of his writings in general. a) Preaching There are some who preach by their words and there are some who preach by their example. St. Anthony Mary was a man who did both. As an adolescent, after the Sunday Mass he would gather the servants and others in the house into the little chapel... and from his heart, burning with love of God, he would repeat the truths he heard in the church and had meditated on himself. He not only taught, but he lived St. Pauls words on charity by his disposition and heart full of compassion for the needy, both spiritually and temporally. It was during his first two years as a priest that he preached in the small church of San Vitale. It was here that he spoke of the truths of the faith, being filled with the spirit of Paul the Apostle, in order to bring others into a refining union with Christ. Every ardent word, incisive and profound, inspired by Paul, nurtured intense love to Christ. The subject of the preaching was not always the actual text of Pauls epistles. When this was the case, the various subjects were preached in light of Pauls teachings. His speeches were based on and included a large number of Pauls sayings and teachings. However, during feasts, Anthony Mary held lectures on St. Pauls epistles to a vast laity that came to hear him. He preached with the intense force of Paul, whom he had diligently studied and communicated his thoughts of reforming ones life to Jesus Christ. In this way he delighted the populace, not in the words of human wisdom, but in the divine words of his Master and Guide, Paul the Apostle, for he
It was Anthony Mary who placed the filial admiration into his functioning form, therefore, allowing to flow through his faith the illuminating quality of the Apostle of the Gentiles, which transforms the light and ardor of his children. Therefore, this filial love and imitation became an operating force within Anthony Mary not only to imitate St. Paul but, rather, to live in St. Paul by having St. Paul to continue to live through him. We can, therefore, state clearly that the spiritual influence St. Paul had upon Anthony Marys interior workings had gone beyond just an influence but had become a lived reality. St. Anthony Mary could most probably have paraphrased St. Paul, saying that it is no longer I who live but rather Paul who lives in and through me.
37
preached the metanoia of Paul. Thus, St. Paul appears as the great Master, the Doctor par excellence for this is presented in his preaching. The Sermons of Anthony Mary were filled with citations from Paul. His listeners often heard, with an ardent spirit from Anthony Mary, the words of Paul as if sung a song. It was not just the citations but the thought of Paul that prevailed in his preaching. The best example is the Speech of October 4, 1534, to his followers. It is so Pauline that it does not seem to be as much Anthony speaking with Pauline thoughts, but rather Paul speaking using the mouth of Anthony. Mary Many times we can see that Anthony Mary insists that Paul preaches to them (Letter IX). b) Spiritual Direction St. Anthony M. Zaccaria, as the Founder of three distinctive Institutes, was the director of many souls. Even before the foundation of the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul, Anthony Mary was the spiritual director of Countess Ludovica Torelli of Guastalla, and those young girls placed under his charge it was through St. Paul that he directed the souls coming to him: Delighted in his patron, guide, and model, St. Paul was the stimulus to virtue and Anthony Mary derived the majority of his direction of souls from Pauls words. In his direction to the Angelics, our Founder says, It is this that Paul preaches to them (the novices) a Christ Crucified in every way: Crucified not only in Himself but in them, too; and you beg them to chew well this one word (Letter IX). It is in this that Anthony directed his daughters and Pauls, not to devour their needs, but rather Christ Crucified.
He was preparing them for the constant battle between the Flesh and the Spirit (Rom 8:1-8). Thus, St. Anthony said that It is not appropriate for them to babble ... Similarly not to deny themselves but to go after their desires, (which) would lead them to death, because their desires are of the flesh ... it would pull them completely out of the desire and life of Paul (Letter IX). For Paul, the renewed man is no longer subjected to the law of the flesh but is under the grace of the Spirit. Anthony Mary saw that for Paul it was at the Resurrection that the Spirit-filled body of Jesus became the life source of all who believed and lived in Him (l Cor 15:45-49) and not in their own selfish desires. However, since man, although baptized, still lives in the flesh, there is a constant struggle between the old and the new man. For Anthony Mary, since man is coexisting in both the Spirit and the flesh, he must learn to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-25) by listening to the law of the Spirit (Rom 7:6; .8:9-17) and nourishing himself with the Eucharist (I Cor 10:1-4). Thus, for Anthony Mary and Paul, man may now be in the flesh but it is not totally under the flesh, but under the Spirit since with the Christ-event of the cross we have been initiated into the new mankind of the Spirit. When Fr. Bartholomew Ferrari was living and preaching in Venice to spread the reform in that city, he believed his mission to be a failure. Anthony Marys words to the dejected Ferrari were the following, Be sure, then, that you will build, on the foundations of Paul, structures neither of hay nor of wood, but of gold and precious stones
38
(I Cor 3:12) (Letter VI). Supporting him with the cross of Christ, Anthony Mary reminded him that we are always victorious in Jesus (Rom 8:37-39). Thus, Anthony Mary reassured Ferrari that the limit of his success to reform was only limited to the extent to which the Crucified Lord, and therefore the thoughts of Paul, preceded him. A basic point of Anthony Marys spirituality and his direction especially to the Angelic Sisters is the typology of the old man of Adam and the new man of Jesus Christ. From Paul, Anthony Mary sees that through the Christ-event of the cross and the Resurrection, we are now partaking of a new mankind in a new creation (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15). The old has passed away and the new has dawned for those who believe and live in Jesus and put on Christ. Thus, for Anthony Mary, Paul was telling us that to live for ones own self is to live in the old man of Adam to live in the flesh; yet, to live in the new man of Jesus is to live and walk in the freedom of the Spirit (Rom 6:15-19). Look, they are absent from meditation, or they are always busy with exterior activities, or sleep in late, or they are just lazy (Letter IX). This direction to Angelic Negri was saying that these Sisters nullify the new life found in Christ and His cross by their lukewarmness (a disease that Anthony Mary considers the greatest enemy of the cross). He continues by comparing these poor souls to the old man of Adam by calling it Sauls face. Thus Paul is referred to the old man in the time of his conversion. Therefore, we hear again the entire call of Anthony for a Pauline metanoia, a conversion, a turning about. To partake of the divine life in the Spirit, man must live in Jesus or die by his relationship to Adam (I Cor 15:20-22). As stated, Anthony Marys apostolate was to preach a Pauline reform, a metanoia. Preaching can be given through example. Therefore, Anthony Mary said to the Angelic Negri in the same letter, look
and see if when she talks she does not raven without noticing you, touching every aspect of your life ... look and see, if when she leaves you she always edifies you with a word (Letter IX, 47-48). Based upon Galatians 5:22-26, Anthony Mary saw that in living in the Spirit, in walking in the Spirit (and not in the flesh of the old man), the Church is to be built up. Thus, in giving good example and building up one another, the fruits of the Spirit will flow forth abundantly. It is through these lived-out fruits that the community preaches and, at the same times, lives an ongoing Pauline metanoia. Therefore, deriving his direction from Pauline thought, Anthony Mary directed those who sought him, and those who were under his charge to live as one walking in the newness of the Spirit. However, because of the constant struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, there is need for constant conversion. Basically, this is a summation of the Pauline thought to be devoured by those who sought the direction of Anthony M. Zaccaria, a priest of the Apostle Paul (as he signed his name). c) Writings in General There are few existing writings of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria. Perhaps it is that he only wrote down a few things. However, those writings we do have give us the spiritual orientation and doctrine of the Holy Founder namely, they are Pauline in nature. We can state this clearly for, as Fr. Colciago says, his discourses, as well his letters, were grounded in and weaved with the doctrine and sayings of the Apostle. In his letters he held a similar style to that of Paul and these took on a Pauline spirit. Anthony Marys Sermon of October 4, 1534 to the fellow members of his congregations, given in the face of persecution, can be considered the saints Magna Carta. It is in this that we have more than enough to prove that Paul represented the principal source of the whole Zaccarian thought. Our Saint used the thoughts of St. Paul from 1Cor 4: 10-13; 2 Cor
39
6:48; Rom 5:2-5; and 2 Tim 3:12 to build up the morale of his followers in the face of this persecution. Like Paul, Anthony Mary exhorted his followers not to think evil of their persecutors, for evil can only be overcome by goodness (Rom 12: 14-21). The Founder called Paul the guide, patron, and father of his followers throughout the sermon and cited, directly or indirectly, various quotes from the Apostles letters. At the conclusion of this discourse, Anthony called his followers to fidelity as children of Paul: It would not be proper that in the ranks of such a commander there would be soldiers who are cowards or traitors, and it would not be proper that the sons of such a glorious Father would be degenerate (Sermon VII). Throughout this sermon, and the Saints other writings, there is a strong emphasis on Christ Crucified. This is a central theme to both Paul and Anthony Mary. It was in the cross of Christ that we find the Christocentric Paulism of Anthony Mary. It was the understanding of the Crucified Christ, derived from Paul that he constantly set before his spiritual children. This cross was the perfect cause for the consummation of union with God and must be recognized as the charism peculiar to St. Anthony Mary. Excluding his thoughts on Christ Crucified, six principal points of Anthony Marys spirituality are derived from his writings. These have been deduced from Saint Paul, for the most used and best expounded concepts are those taken from Pauls epistles. The first concept of Anthony Marys spirituality is that of the Incarnation. It is Jesus Incarnate who is the only one to restore man to the supernatural order. It is through the Incarnation that Jesus becomes the Mediator between God and man. Anthony Mary affirms this from Pauls letters to the
Philippians (2:7) and to the Romans (8:22,32), and from the letter to the Hebrews (7:25) - which at that time was attributed to Paul. This is especially reflected in the Sermons that often quote these passages (Sermons I, IV, V, and VI). The second area to be considered in the spirituality of St. Anthony Mary is that of St. Pauls typology of the dead in the old man of Adam and the living of the new man of Jesus Christ. In his second sermon Anthony Mary said, Sanctification means to put off the old man - that is, the things of the past and the vices - and to put on the new man, (Sermon III) for it is Paul who states directly that life is to be rooted in Jesus (1 Cor 15:20-22). Anthony Mary used this typology in his letter to Paola Antonia Negri concerning the Angelic Sisters, Behold Saul, that is the face of our first man? (Letter IX). Here Anthony Mary applied the typology to Paul before and after his conversion. From Pauls letters we also learn of a need of a renewal or metanoia. Alluding to the aforementioned typology of the two men, Anthony sought this metanoia, this change of heart or conversion of ways of his followers. This metanoia that Saint Anthony Mary sought not only of his own but of all, could be easily seen in his Letter VII (using Rom 13:14 and 1 Tim 3:15) and in his second sermon, in which Paul was often quoted. A fundamental idea of Saint Anthony Mary was that of the theory of the two books of God. From Romans 1:20 the Founder saw that the cosmic revelation and biblical revelations are moments, or rather movements, of Gods revealing love for man. Creation (the first book), having been obscured by sin, can only be reoriented to its supernatural splendor through the redemption won for us in Christ (the second book).
40
Another aspect of the Pauline spirituality seen in the writings of Anthony M. Zaccaria is the contrast of the slavery in the Old Testament to the law as compared to the freedom found in the New Testament. St. Anthony Mary said in his Sermon I that, Especially to us Christians ... He has given a law of love, not of fear; of freedom of the spirit, not of slavery; and an inborn law in our hearts (Sermon I, p. 70). He assumed this especially from the letter to the Romans (2:5), from Galatians (3:19-29; 4:1-7, 21-31) and the first letter to the Corinthians (3:18). It is in this that we are able to see a true profession of faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Of all the thoughts given to us from Paul, the most popular one is that on charity taken from his first letter to the Corinthians. St. Anthony Mary, by no means, was exempted from the effect of this thirteenth chapter of Pauls letter upon him. It is the dynamism of his apostolate. In Anthony Marys Letter V, he asked the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul to give a proof of noble dedication to Christ Crucified ... longing to lead our neighbor to the attainment of perfection (Letter V). However, it was in Sermon IV that Anthony M. Zaccaria summarized his though on charity:
Throughout the whole Scripture, my friend, you will find that God sets up your neighbor as an instrument to reach His Majesty. Therefore, do you want to climb to perfection? Do you want to gain some souls? Do you want to love God, be dear to Him and be a good child of His? Then, love your neighbor, orient yourself toward your neighbor, acquire a benevolent disposition toward your neighbor, excluding all malevolence (Sermon IV). Charity, therefore, was one of the most concrete aspects of Zaccarias metanoia. One no longer lives for oneself, but for God manifested in living for ones neighbor. It is exactly in this point that we unite ourselves to Jesus and put on the new man living in the freedom of the Spirit. One fact must be pointed out that is definitely seen in Letter VII. The Barnabites and the Angelics are called the sons and daughters of Paul, stock of Paul. It is also here that Anthony Mary signs his name to this letter as Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Priest of Paul the Apostle. Pope Pius XI attests that our Holy Founder has chosen as patron and model the Apostle Paul, faithfully embracing his doctrines interiorly, especially those to Christ Crucified. We
41
can affirm what the Holy Father and others have said for we have seen the manifestation of such in the writings of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria. 4.3 Christ Crucified and the Cross In our study of the Paulism of Anthony M. Zaccaria we must conclude with a point central to both saints; namely, Christ Crucified. We have been saying, directly or indirectly, that the spirit of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria is taken from St. Paul and Jesus Crucified. We must perceive that the understanding of the Cross that St. Anthony Mary had taken from St. Paul, the great master, and that which he considered the perfect cause for the consummation of union with God ... must be recognized as the charism peculiar to St. Anthony Mary. It is from this point of view that we wish to devote this last section of our study to that of the spirit of Christ Crucified found in Anthony Mary. Just prior to and following the time of the Vatican Council II, the emphasis had been placed on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and rightly so. The
Cross of Jesus has not been down-played; rather, the two have somehow meshed together into one, for the flower cannot bloom unless the seed dies. Paul lives in Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. (Heb 12:1-2). One must willingly accept the cross of Christ before one can enjoy the new life of the Resurrection. However, one can surely taste it in the victory of the cross. This is the doctrine as derived from Paul which Anthony Mary preached (Rom 6:1-8). We can find the concept and the exact words of Christ Crucified on almost every page of Anthony Marys writings. There are many writings and sermons that Anthony Mary gave in the streets of Cremona and Milan that are not available to us today. Nevertheless, as a good follower of the Apostle Paul, Anthony Mary preached Christ and Christ Crucified, for no follower of Paul can boast anything other than Christ and His Cross. With the works we do possess, we can see that within every
42
sermon of Anthony M. Zaccaria, he announced to all Christ Crucified. As it has been stated earlier, preaching is not restricted to oratory skills. It was Anthony Mary to initiate the tolling of the church bells on Fridays to remind the people that it was of the hour that their Crucified Lord had died and won for them salvation. Fra Bono would toll the bells of the church at three in the afternoon on Fridays to commemorate the Lords death, at which time Anthony Marys men and Ludovicas girls would gather in the cathedral to meditate with heads bowed and arms outstretched. Thus, in this sermon of activity, Anthony Mary was to preach the Paulism of Christ Crucified without saying a single word yet saying so much. If we wish to give a summation of Anthony Mary we could say that To love the Cross and to imitate the Cross was the work of Anthony M. Zaccaria This was the work given to Anthony Mary by Paul - to be an imitator of Christ Crucified. Thus, in the speech of October 4, 1534, Anthony Mary underlined the Crucified Lord by exhorting the fourth chapter of St. Paul to the Corinthians ... exhorting to give principally to the imitation of Christ by embracing the evangelical vows and the virtues together which is given to us in the Cross. Thus, it was in the cross of Christ that we find the Christocentric Paulism of Anthony Mary. It was the understanding of the Crucified Christ, derived from Paul that he constantly set before his spiritual children The Christian aim is perfection. It is for this state of perfection that Anthony Mary set the cross before the eyes of his followers. I promise you that Christ Crucified will give you such a high degree of perfection (Letter X). The cross is the sign of the most perfect charity. There is no greater love than this: to lay down ones life for ones friend (Jn 15: 13). Therefore, with the cross in their heart, and
with an ardent desire for perfect identification with Christ, the Angelics are able to run in the direction of perfect charity. Here we see that the Angelic Sisters took to heart Anthony Marys sermon on charity and the words of his Letter II, which speak of the love of neighbor, Let us rush like mad men not only to God (towards the cross), but also to our neighbor, for he is the one who receives what we cannot give to God (Letter II). Anthony Mary sees the cross as the mode of perfect love, for he looks upon the Lord running to the cross, heedless of its shame, out of His love for man (Heb 12:2). In introducing a quote from a telegram to Father General received from Pope Paul VI, which speaks of Anthony Mary as a restorer of the spiritual life and apostolate in the spirit of St. Paul, Fr. Andrea Erba states the message of the Gospel and of the cross of Christ was incarnated into the life of Anthony Mary. Here the learned Barnabite historian combines the message of the cross with the spiritual renewal proposed through Paul. The constant spiritual metanoia of Paul is of an on-going dying to sin leading to the development of a virtuous life in Christ. Therefore, the love for, and the imitation of Jesus Crucified was the principal intention and constant end which he proposed to the children in the practice of virtue. Through Anthony Marys combined studies of Paul and Thomas Aquinas, he came to look upon the cross as an example of how to act...for the cross exemplifies every virtue. It was in the cross and Christ Crucified that he indicated, to his sons and his Angelic daughters, the glory to which they had to strive. Thus in seeking the virtuous life for his followers, Zaccaria wanted in the Barnabites the imitation of Christ Crucified, the image of which is precisely the means for attaining the engraving of the cross into ones heart. We can, therefore, understand why
43
the Holy Founder would wish to have the image of the cross before the minds of his children prior to every act. This also enhances the meditative action of kneeling with arms outstretched as mentioned earlier. It is from meditation and viewing the cross that Anthony Mary and his children were able to preach and live Christ Crucified for the purpose of the spiritual reform of the times. For Anthony Mary, like Paul, the cross became the school from which to learn how to live the virtuous life and the spiritual life. Anthony Mary could say, the cross will become an illumination and guide for often he will say that Calvary is a great and sublime school. It is from the cross that we learn the fundamental message of the Gospel and it is from the cross that we learn how to live. When difficulty
or an occasion arises in our life to which we do not know how to respond, Anthony Mary tells us to talk and chat in a familiar way - as you do with me - with Christ Crucified, and ask him for advice (Letter III). In seeking this advice from the Christ of the cross we respond virtuously to life; yet, at the same time, it is the virtuous life that leads us to the cross. If you observe these things ... very easily you will become close to the Crucified Lord and the Cross (ibid.). At the time of Paul, the cross represented to the Gentiles folly and foolishness The cross meant to them that human wisdom and knowledge were powerless to save (1 Cor 1:18-25). It was difficult Letter for them to see in the mystery of the cross that man needs Gods help which He gave in Jesus Crucified (1 Cor 2:1-2). With a profound love for Christ Crucified, derived from the
44
school of the Apostle Paul, Anthony Mary was to preach the Pauline metanoia to the people of his times and to come upon the same difficult Letter. It was the mystery of the cross as it penetrated St. Anthony M. Zaccaria that gave him the strength of Paul to run the race of reforming the people of his times. Notice must be made of the habit of Anthony Mary of printing a cross on every piece of his works. The sign of the cross was a habit of Zaccaria. In the original texts, in the upper margins of every page as inclusive to the title, the author traced the Greek initials of Christ Crucified, followed by a small cross (IC.XC.+). Anthony Mary included Christ Crucified in all his works, not only in words but in design, and set it before him prior to each work as
a reminder to his audience, as well as to himself, of what awaited them and the style of life that should be led. This insignia also became a form of meditation for Anthony Mary and it is in following the Apostle Paul which explains the banner of Christ Crucified. The Crucified Lord was for St. Anthony Mary an object of assiduous meditation, but more of a living affection. This affection was lived out in his apostolic activity, likened to that of Paul. Both of their energetic and vibrant souls have a love for God, excited by the crucial reality of the Crucified Lord ... that explains the majesty of their vast apostolic activity. The apostolic activity of both St. Paul and St. Anthony Mary would carry them and their followers far from whom to preach Christ
45
Crucified. Thus, Anthony Mary was able to say to his spiritual children that Christ Crucified soon will send you to proclaim everywhere an energetic spirituality and zealous spirit (Letter V). In living daily with Christ Crucified, Anthony Mary identifies each of his followers with Christ Crucified. In so doing, Christ becomes again victorious over sin in them. A Christ Crucified in every way: Crucified not only in himself but in them, too (Letter IX). This he addressed to the young novices of the Angelic Sisters. Therefore, for every vocation it is necessary to participate in the sufferings of Christ. Anthony Mary often writes about one disease that not only affected the people of his age but also that of today; namely, apathy or lukewarmness. Anthony Mary abhors any form of tepidity within anyone. If by any chance you let lukewarmness get hold of you, you will not become spiritual but, sooner than you think, you will become carnal, and, to use a more appropriate term, very fast you will become like a Pharisee, rather than Christian and spiritual (Letter XI), (Gal 5:16-25). Thus, for Anthony Mary lukewarmness is the pestilence and major enemy of Christ Crucified. It is Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli who truly captures the connection between Anthony Marys devotion to Paul and the devotion to Christ Crucified. I can sense in him, in his soul, the abounding adora tion of Paul for Jesus, and Jesus Crucified. We can verify this through the writings of the Saint himself. Remember this: the one and the other Blessed father (St. Paul and Fra Battista) ... have given such a proof of noble dedication to Christ Crucified ... that if we ourselves would not have such an infinite desire for these things, we would not consider ourselves his sons and daughters (Letter V). Again it is Cardinal Pacelli who tells us that Anthony Mary executed the doctrine of Paul. It is the doctrine which the Apostle judged there
is none greater; namely, Jesus and Jesus Crucified as the power and wisdom of God. Thus, it is Paul who stands before Anthony Mary and the two have Christ Crucified preceding them. Before and during your talk, Christ Crucified (and thus Paul) will inspire and sustain you not only in every word but also in every holy intention of yours (Letter VI). It is only in presenting the cross that the spiritual reform of Paul can be preached in word and action and, therefore, that Anthony Mary truly be an imitator of Paul, for presenting to all without distinction the way of the cross is as imitating the divine model found in Paul.
5. Conclusion
St. Anthony M. Zaccaria may have lived only 37 years. He may have left us few writings. However, the depth of those years and those writings have enriched and renewed numerous generations in the spirit of St. Paul. In identifying himself with the Apostle Paul, he was able to perceive the mystery of Christ Crucified and the message of the Gospel. It is this that he has left us by presenting Paul. Through his understanding of Paul, he was able to found two religious congregations and a third order for the laity. Through his understanding and devotion to Paul, he was to grow with him in bringing about a desperately needed ongoing metanoia. It is through Paul that Anthony Mary found his breath and his identity. It is in his grasp of Paul that Anthony Mary has been able to run towards the cross of Christ and to live in its victory.
46

In The Footsteps of St. Paul: The "Paulism" of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria Fr. Giovanni M. Scalese, CRSP

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

In The Footsteps of St. Paul: The "Paulism" of St. Anthony M. Zaccaria Fr. Giovanni M. Scalese, CRSP

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Reflections and Meditations