Dominic Barberi

Dominic Barberi by Fr Ben Lodge CP CTS Saints of the Isles Series

The Saints of the Isles series is mainly concerned with men and women from the British Isles, so at first glance one might wonder why Blessed Dominic Barberi is included. However, he was ‘of these Isles’ in the same way that St Augustine of Canterbury was: he came here as a missionary and his mission was to convert these Islands to the Catholic Faith.

He is most famous as the priest who received John Henry (later Cardinal) Newman into the Church, but his story is much richer than that. It starts with his birth in Pallanzana a small hamlet some 50 miles north of Rome, where Dominic was born in 1792, the youngest of eight children.

His parents were devout and also perceptive: they quickly recognised Dominic’s natural talent and, though poor, ensured that he was educated to the highest levels they could manage. His childhood was not always happy: his favourite sister died, and his mother also died when he was only eleven.

However he kept his faith and at the age of 18 he first came across the Passionists. Very quickly he decided that his vocation was to join them, initially as a lay brother, and eventually as a priest. At the same time he had a growing awareness that he was being called to ‘announce the Gospel truths and bring stray sheep back to the way of salvation.’ Over time, it became clear to Dominic that it was England to which he was called.

However, it was only after many years and many hardships that he finally came to England, and his mission here was not easy either.

This booklet traces his whole history, and brings it to life with memorable and amusing anecdotes. Dominic, apparently, never mastered English fully: at one retreat to a group of Religious Sisters, he announced that ‘without face, you cannot be shaved!”

Despite such poor English, Dominic’s reputation as a scholar, a wise and a holy man spread and spread. His retreats were popular and he converted scores of people to the Faith; he spent hours in the confessional and it was as a direct result of observing his personal sanctity that Newman finally converted.

But as this booklet makes clear, in worldly terms one could question how successful he really was. He only actually spent eight years in England, and he failed in his mission to bring it back to the Faith. He suffered for much of his life and he died practically alone.

However, Fr Lodge makes it clear throughout that the Passionist vocation is to preach Christ Crucified: this Dominic did with his whole life, not just by his preaching and missionary work, but even more by his suffering and the spirit in which it was offered back to God. It was that holiness, above all which people recognised in him, and it is for that holiness that he deserves to be remembered and honoured.