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St. Robert Bellarmine – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson
- Born: October 4, 1542, Montepulciano, Italy
- Died: September 17, 1621, Rome, Italy
- Full name: Roberto Francesco Romolo Bellarmino
- Feast: 17 September; 13 May (General Roman Calendar, 1932–1969)
- Place of burial: Rome, Italy, Chiesa di Sant’ Ignazio di Loyola, Rome, Italy
Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discussing St. Robert Bellarmine, a lesser-known but pivotal figure in the Catholic Church, especially during the Counter-Reformation. Bellarmine, known for his gentle demeanor, was also a fierce defender of Catholic doctrine. Born in 1542 in Tuscany, he demonstrated early intellectual brilliance, mastering Greek as a Jesuit novice and quickly becoming an expert in theology.
Bellarmine lived during a period of theological giants, including Ignatius of Loyola and John of Avila. Despite his father’s aspirations for him to rise to high rank, Bellarmine chose the Jesuit path, ultimately becoming a cardinal. His deep knowledge and methodical approach made him an influential preacher and theologian, who articulated three key qualities for a preacher: zeal for God’s honor, wisdom, and eloquence.
His role in defending Catholic teachings, particularly against Protestantism, was remarkable. His most famous work, The Controversies, objectively analyzed Protestant doctrines and refuted them charitably. This earned him admiration and even the name “Bellarmist” for those who defended the Church’s teachings.
Bellarmine’s humility was a hallmark of his character. He refused multiple papal opportunities, focusing instead on his responsibilities, including as Archbishop of Capua. His devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his extensive writings, including spiritual works like The Art of Dying Well, reveal his deep piety.
Despite his intellectual prowess, Bellarmine remained humble, caring for the poor and showing great respect to everyone, regardless of status. His humility, paired with his intellectual contributions, continues to serve as a model for Christian living.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
- The Balance Between Gentleness and Zeal
How can I emulate St. Robert Bellarmine’s example of combining gentleness and humility with a passionate defense of the faith? - Using Talents for God’s Glory
In what ways can I better use the intellectual and spiritual gifts God has given me to serve the Church and those around me? - Humility in Leadership
How does St. Bellarmine’s humility in refusing higher positions inspire me to embrace humility in my own responsibilities and aspirations? - Defending the Faith with Charity
How can I, like St. Bellarmine, engage in discussions about faith and truth while maintaining a charitable and respectful attitude toward those with differing beliefs? - Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
What role does devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary play in my own spiritual life, and how can I deepen this devotion? - Preparation for Eternal Life
Am I living with an awareness of the “art of dying well,” as St. Bellarmine teaches, by reflecting on how I can prepare spiritually for my eventual encounter with God? - Seeing Christ in the Poor
How can I grow in my ability to recognize Christ in the poor and respond to their needs with the same love and respect that St. Bellarmine showed?
From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI:
From the General Audience on St. Robert Bellarmine:
“His preaching and his catechesis have that same character of essentiality which he had learned from his Ignatian education, entirely directed to concentrating the soul’s energies on the Lord Jesus intensely known, loved and imitated. In the writings of this man of governance one is clearly aware, despite the reserve behind which he conceals his sentiments, of the primacy he gives to Christ’s teaching.
St Bellarmine thus offers a model of prayer, the soul of every activity: a prayer that listens to the word of God, that is satisfied in contemplating his grandeur, that does not withdraw into self but is pleased to abandon itself to God.
A hallmark of Bellarmine’s spirituality is his vivid personal perception of God’s immense goodness. This is why our Saint truly felt he wasa beloved son of God. It was a source of great joy to him to pause in recollection, with serenity and simplicity, in prayer and in contemplation of God.
In his book De ascensione mentis in Deum — Elevation of the mind to God — composed in accordance with the plan of the Itinerarium [Journey of the mind into God] of St Bonaventure, he exclaims: “O soul, your example is God, infinite beauty, light without shadow, splendour that exceeds that of the moon and the sun. He raised his eyes to God in whom is found the archetypes of all things, and of whom, as from a source of infinite fertility, derives this almost infinite variety of things. For this reason you must conclude: whoever finds God finds everything, whoever loses God loses everything”.
In this text an echo of the famous contemplatio ad amorem obtineundum — contemplation in order to obtain love — of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola can be heard. Bellarmine, who lived in the lavish and often unhealthy society of the end of late 16th and early 17th centuries, drew from this contemplation practical applications and applied them to the situation of the Church of his time with a lively pastoral inspiration.In his book De arte bene moriendi — the art of dying a good death — for example, he points out as a reliable norm for a good life and also for a good death regular and serious meditation that should account to God for one’s actions and one’s way of life, and seek not to accumulate riches on this earth but rather to live simply and charitably in such a way as to lay up treasure in Heaven.
In his book De gemitu columbae — the lament of the dove — in which the dove represents the Church, is a forceful appeal to all the clergy and faithful to undertake a personal and concrete reform of their own life in accordance with the teachings of Scripture and of the saints, among whom he mentions in particular St Gregory Nazianzus, St John Crysostom, St Jerome and St Augustine, as well as the great founders of religious orders, such as St Benedict, St Dominic and St Francis.
Bellarmine teaches with great clarity and with the example of his own life that there can be no true reform of the Church unless there is first our own personal reform and the conversion of our own heart.
Bellarmine found in the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius recommendations for communicating the profound beauty of the mysteries of faith, even to the simplest of people. He wrote: “If you have wisdom, may you understand that you have been created for the glory of God and for your eternal salvation. This is your goal, this is the centre of your soul, this the treasure of your heart. Therefore consider as truly good for you what leads you to your goal, and truly evil what causes you to miss it. The wise person must not seek felicitous or adverse events, wealth or poverty, health or sickness, honours or offences, life or death. They are good and desirable only if they contribute to the glory of God and to your eternal happiness, they are evil and to be avoided if they hinder it” (De ascensione mentis in Deum, grad. 1).”
For more visit Vatican.va
For more from Dr. Matthew Bunson, check out his Discerning Hearts page.
Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and a senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.
