Chronology of the Life of Blessed Grimoaldo Santamaria, C.P.

• 4th May 1883 - Born at Pontecorvo, Frosinone, Italy
• 5th May 1883 - Baptised in the parish church of St. Paul receiving the name Ferdinand
• 1891 - Made his First Communion at the Church of St. Mary of Porta
• 25th May 1892 - Became a member of the Sodality of the Immaculate Conception at the Church of St. Mary of Porta
• 1986 Frequently went to the Monastery Shrine of Our Lady of Grace to pray and confer with the Passionists regarding his vocation
• 15th February 1899 - Left home for the Passionist Novitiate at Paliano
• 5th March 1899 - Vested with the Passionist Habit taking the name Grimoaldo of the Purification
• 6th March 1900 - Made his religious profession as a Passionist
• 7th March 1900 - Left Paliano for the Passionist Monastery at Ceccano, Frosinone, to continue his studies for the priesthood
• April 1902 - Received the last visit of his parents and sister Vincenzina
• 31st October 1902 - First signs of illness while on an afternoon hike with his classmates. He returned immediately to the Monastery
• 1st November 1902 - Illness diagnosed as acute meningitis
• 18th November 1902 - Passed on to the Lord in the late afternoon
• 19th November 1902 - Funeral Mass and Burial in the cemetery at Ceccano, Frosinone
• 1914 - Grimoaldo’s father passed away at 56 years of age
• 6th June 1933 - Grimoaldo’s mother passed away at Rochester NY (USA) at the age of 78
• 1954 - Because of the many favours attributed to Grimoaldo’s intercession, the Passionists decided to begin his Cause for Beatification
• 28th Matrch 1957 - The beginning of the Ordinary Informative Processes for Beatification in Italy, USA and Brazil. Concluded on 15th January 1964 and the “ACTS” sent to the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints in Rome
• 20th October 1962 - Grimoaldo’s remains exhumed for formal identification
• 23rd October 1962 - Grimoaldo’s remains are buried in the Passionist Monastery Church at Ceccano
• 9th October 1990 - The Theological Commission, in a special meeting at the Congregation of Saints, voted unanimously in favour of the heroic nature of the virtues lived by Grimoaldo
• 14th May 1990 - Pope John Paul II issued the Decree on the heroic nature of the virtues lived by the Servant of God, Grimoaldo Santamaria
• 2nd July 1994 - Approval of the miracle needed for Beatification
• 29th January 1995 - In the solemn ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope John Paul II declared Grimoaldo Santamaria “Blessed”

Blessed Grimoaldo Santamaria (1883-1902)

PRAYER TO BLESSED GRIMOALDO, PASSIONIST STUDENT

Almighty God, you continually provide new models of Christian life for your holy church in the example of Blessed Grimoaldo of the Purification.  Grant us also the grace to imitate his filial devotion to the Immaculate Virgin and his generous practice of fraternal charity, that, like him, we may become a pleasing fragrance of Christ on earth and thus receive the reward of eternal life.

Read more about Blessed Grimoaldo Santamaria   here

Blessed Grimoaldo - from the Beatification Homily of Pope John Paul II

5. “. . .And till the present I proclaim you wondrous deeds. . . ” (Resp. Psalm). Thus did Blessed Grimoaldo of the Purification, born Ferdinando Santamaria, testify to the world. A young Passionist, in the course of his brief life he was constantly inspired by a few basic ideas which are still meaningful to us: to give God priority, to show Jesus Crucified constant gratitude by concrete works of penance and humility; to persevere in goodness even at the cost of great sacrifice- to live with austerity and be content at all times: to be always available to others. In accord with the Passionist family’s charism, he felt that he should complete in himself Christ’s suffering for the sake of his entire Mystical Body (cf. Col 1:24). He liked to say: “I always think of Jesus when he went up to Calvary and of his Blessed Mother who walked close to the Lord, and I want to follow their suffering”.

Grimoaldo of the Purification, a model of generous spirituality

His biographers describe him as joyful even amid humiliations, contradictions and difficulties in his studies. He companions noted that although Grimoaldo did nothing different from them, he did it with an extraordinary and growing intensity of love.

Young people today and in the future can see in him a model of simple and generous spirituality, firmly rooted in Christ’s paschal mystery.

- from the Beatification Homily, 29th January 1996.

Passionist Feast November 18 - Blessed Grimoaldo Santamaria, C.P.

BL. GRIMOALDO of the PURIFICATION was born on 4th May 1883, the eldest of five children of a devout family in Pontecorvo (Frosinone),Italy, and baptized Fernando. His family gave him his first schooling in the faith. At the age of eight he made his First Communion and served Mass regularly, growing in piety especially through personal prayer and attendance at catechism class. At nine he joined the Congregation of the Immaculata, and participated faithfully in all their religious exercises. He also sang in the parish choir and by the age of 12 was helping to catechize his peers.

After regularly attending retreats given by the Passionists at the Marian shrine of Our Lady of Graces in Pontecorvo, at the age of 13 he expressed a desire to enter their community, which his father at first opposed because he had others plans for the boy. In the end he gave his permission.He entered the Congregation of the Passion at Santa Maria di Pugliano and received the habit on 5th March 1899, taking the name of Grimoaldo, in honour of St Grimoald, a martyr and the patron of his people.

He made his religious profession on 6th March 1900, including the special vow of practising and spreading devotion to Christ’s passion. The next day he moved to the student residence in the ancient abbey of Santa Maria di Corniano, near Cecceano.Grimoaldo continued to live the Passionist rule with the same fervour he had in the novitiate, spending time in study, prayer, penance and community life.

Although outwardly his life appeared ordinary, his companions noticed something special: he had a particular sense of God’s presence and concentrated all his attention on the Lord.He was never ordained a priest, but he lived his religious vocation to the full.

At the age of 19 he was diagnosed as having acute meningitis. The seriousness of the illness revealed the heroic virtue that was second nature to him. Clear, calm and recollected, he was not saddened by his approaching death, but kept repeating: “God’s will be done”. With a smile on his face he went to meet the Lord on 18th November 1902.

Pope Clement XIV and Supremi Apostolatus

The Papal Bull Supremi Apostolatus, signed by Pope Clement XIV on 16th November 1769, contained the approbation of the Passionist Congregation, to which, besides juridic personality, other faculties were acknowledged. It stated that

• The Institute is established as a Congregation of simple vows;
• the Congregation may erect houses with churches in which to celebrate the divine offices and Mass
• it may hold general and provincial chapters;
• clerics may be ordained on the sole testimonials of the general or provincial under the title of “common board” or “of poverty”;
• the general chapter and the superior general with the consent of his council can, for just causes, dispense simple vows and dismiss religious;
• the Congregation may quest everywhere with the sole permission of the ordinary and shares all the privileges and indulgences granted to other existing orders and congregations;
• all bishops are exhorted by the pope to receive benignly the members of the Institute and to consider them as “indafatigable laborers in the Lord’s vineyard.”

- History of the Passionists, Father Fabiano Giorgini, C.P., Volume 1, p. 190-191.