Giulio Bevilacqua,
Orat (14 November 1881 – 6 May 1965) was an Italian prelate of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
who devoted himself to pastoral work in Brescia and served as a military chaplain, known for his opposition to fascism. A few weeks before his death he was made an
auxiliary bishop of
Brescia
Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo ...
and a
cardinal. He was a teacher and spiritual confidant of
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...
.
Biography
Giulio Bevilacqua was born in
Isola della Scala
Isola della Scala is a ''comune'' (municipality) of c. 10,000 inhabitants in the Province of Verona in the Italian region of Veneto, located about west of Venice and about southeast of Verona.
Isola della Scala borders the following municipalit ...
to a family of
merchants. He studied at the University of Louvain in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and the
seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
in
Brescia
Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo ...
, and later entered the
Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
The Confederation of Oratories of Saint Philip Neri ( la, Confoederatio Oratorii Sancti Philippi Nerii) abbreviated CO and commonly known as the Oratorians is a Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men (priests and lay- ...
.
Bevilacqua was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
to the
priesthood on 13 June 1908, and then did
pastoral work in Brescia until 1914. During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, he served as a
chaplain to the
Italian Army
"The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law"
, colors =
, colors_labels =
, march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
and was captured by Austrian forces in 1916.
[ Following his release in 1918, he resumed his ministry in Brescia, where he became the ]spiritual director
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divinity, divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of their encounters ...
and a personal friend of Giovanni Battista Montini
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...
, the future Pope Paul VI, while the latter was a student.
He was made an official of the Vatican Secretariat of State
The Secretariat of State (Latin: ''Secretaria Status''; Italian: ''Segreteria di Stato'') is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the central papal governing bureaucracy of the Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State ...
for his protection against Fascist threats and lived in the Vatican from 1928 to 1933.[ He also did pastoral work in ]Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
during this time. He then returned to Brescia. During World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, served as a chaplain on an Italian hospital ship.[
In 1964, he preached to Pope Paul and the small group of Church officials who were preparing to visit the Holy Land; he accompanied Pope Paul on that visit.][
On 15 February 1965, Bevilacqua was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of ]Brescia
Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo ...
and Titular Archbishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of Gaudiaba by Paul VI, in advance of his elevation to the College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals, or more formally the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. its current membership is , of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals are app ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
on the following 18 February from Bishop Luigi Morstabilini, with Bishops Giuseppe Carraro
Giuseppe Carraro (26 June 1899 – 30 December 1980) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Verona from 1958 until his retirement in 1978. He also served as the Bishop of Vittorio Veneto until his transferral to the see ...
and Carlo Manziana, Orat, serving as co-consecrators, in the basilica of Saints Faustus and Jovita.
Pope Paul created him Cardinal Deacon
A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Co ...
of San Girolamo della Carità in the consistory
Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to:
*A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church
* Consistor ...
of 22 February of that year. By the special permission of the pope, Bevilacqua continued to serve as pastor
A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
of Sant'Antonio parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
in Brescia. He assured his parishioners that he would also continue to wear a simple black cassock.
He died fifteen weeks later in Brescia on 6 May at the age of 83. He is buried in the church of Santa Maria della Pace.
References
External links
Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bevilacqua, Giulio
1881 births
1965 deaths
20th-century Italian cardinals
Cardinals created by Pope Paul VI
Italian military chaplains
World War I chaplains
World War II chaplains
Royal Italian Army chaplains
Royal Italian Navy chaplains
20th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops