Tableau et châsse du bienheureux dans l'église
Saint-Dominique de Catane
Bienheureux Bernard Scammacca
Dominicain (✝ 1486)
Né à Catane, dans une famille très riche, il connut
une jeunesse déréglée dont la fortune favorisait les plaisirs. Étourdi par eux,
il se réveilla à la vie spirituelle quand, après un duel, il se mit à réfléchir
à ses folies. Devenu dominicain, il se distingua par ses pénitences
continuelles pour expier ses péchés.
Né à Catane en Sicile, Bernard de Scammacca se livra d'abord
à une vie de plaisirs et de débauches. Mais Dieu ne refuse jamais la conversion
d'un pêcheur que sa grâce poursuit. Bernard revint de ses égarements et entra
dans l'Ordre des dominicains, se livrant à des œuvres d'une pénitence
effrayante. C'était l'époque des "flagellants" en Allemagne et de
Savonarole à Florence. En 1825, le pape Léon XII approuva le culte qui lui
était rendu chez les Frères Prêcheurs.
À Catane en Sicile, l’an 1487, le bienheureux Bernard
Scammacca, prêtre. Après une jeunesse dissolue et un duel où il fut grièvement
blessé, il se convertit, entra dans l’Ordre des Prêcheurs et ne cessa de
pleurer les fautes de sa jeunesse dans l’observance rigoureuse de la Règle et
dans la pénitence.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/5716/Bienheureux-Bernard-Scammacca.html
Blessed Bernard
Scammacca, OP (AC)
Born in Catania, Sicily; died 1486; cultus approved 1825. Born of wealthy and
pious parents, Bernard was given a good education. In spite of this good
training, he spent a careless youth. Only after he was badly injured in a duel
was he brought back to his senses. His long convalescence gave him plenty of
time to think, and once he was able to go out of the house, he went to the
Dominican convent of Catania and begged to be admitted to the order.
Bernard, as a
religious, was the exact opposite of what he had been as a young man. Now he
made no effort to obtain the things he had valued all his life, but spent his
time in prayer, solitude, and continual penance. There is little recorded of
his life, except that he kept the rule meticulously, and that he was particularly
kind to sinners in the confessional. Apparently, he did not attain fame as a
preacher, but was content to spend his time in the work of the confessional and
the private direction of souls.
One legend pictures
Bernard as having great power over birds and animals. When he walked outside in
the gardens, praying, the birds would flutter down around him, singing; but as
soon as he went into ecstasy, they kept still, for fear they would disturb him.
Once, the porter was sent to Bernard's room to call him, and saw a bright light
shining under the door. Peeking through the keyhole, he saw a beautiful child
shining with light and holding a book, from which Bernard was reading. He
hurried to get the prior to see the marvel.
Bernard had the gift
of prophecy, which he used on several occasions to try warning people to amend
their lives. He prophesied his own death. Fifteen years after his death, he
appeared to the prior, telling his to transfer his remains to the Rosary
chapel. During this translation, a man was cured of paralysis by touching the
relics (Benedictines, Dorcy).
Blessed Bernard Scammacca, C.O.P.
Memorial day: February 16th
Profile
Born in Catania, Sicily; died 1486; cultus approved
1825. Born of wealthy and pious parents, Bernard was given a good education. In
spite of this good training, he spent a careless youth. Only after he was badly
injured in a duel was he brought back to his senses. His long convalescence
gave him plenty of time to think, and once he was able to go out of the house,
he went to the Dominican convent of Catania and begged to be admitted to the
order.
Bernard, as a religious, was the exact opposite of
what he had been as a young man. Now he made no effort to obtain the things he
had valued all his life, but spent his time in prayer, solitude, and continual
penance. There is little recorded of his life, except that he kept the rule
meticulously, and that he was particularly kind to sinners in the confessional.
Apparently, he did not attain fame as a preacher, but was content to spend his
time in the work of the confessional and the private direction of souls.
One legend pictures Bernard as having great power
over birds and animals. When he walked outside in the gardens, praying, the
birds would flutter down around him, singing; but as soon as he went into
ecstasy, they kept still, for fear they would disturb him. Once, the porter was
sent to Bernard's room to call him, and saw a bright light shining under the
door. Peeking through the keyhole, he saw a beautiful child shining with light
and holding a book, from which Bernard was reading. He hurried to get the prior
to see the marvel.
Bernard had the gift of prophecy, which he used on
several occasions to try warning people to amend their lives. He prophesied his
own death. Fifteen years after his death, he appeared to the prior, telling his
to transfer his remains to the Rosary chapel. During this translation, a man
was cured of paralysis by touching the relics (Benedictines, Dorcy).
Born: Catania, Sicily (year unknown)
Died: 1486
Canonized: Leo XII confirmed cultus in
1825
First Vespers:
Ant. Strengthen by holy intercession, O Bernard, confessor of the Lord,
those here present, have we who are burdened with the weight of our offenses
may be relieved by the glory of thy blessedness, and may by thy guidance attain
eternal rewards.
V. Pray for us, Blessed Bernard.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Lauds:
Ant. Well done, good and faithful servant, because Thou has been
faithful in a few things, I will set thee over many, sayeth the Lord.
V. The just man shall blossom like the lily.
R. And shall flourish forever before the Lord.
Second Vespers:
Ant. I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock..
V. Pray for us. Blessed Bernard.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer:
Let us Pray: O God , who didst
mercifully bring back Blessed Bernard from the vices of the world, and dist
lead him into the way of perfection, grant, through his merits and
intercession, that we likewise may bewail our sins and turn with pure minds
unto Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
SOURCE : http://www.willingshepherds.org/Dominican%20Saint%20February.html#Bernard
Scammacca
Beato Bernardo Scammacca Domenicano
11 gennaio
Catania, 1430 - 1487
Di nobile
famiglia catanese, trascorse la sua giovinezza nel lusso e nel peccato. In
seguito a una grave ferita riportata durante un duello, ispirato dalla grazia,
entrò nell'Ordine nel 1452, dove visse una vita di penitenza e di particolare
devozione alla Passione di Cristo. Zelante di carità verso il prossimo, curò la
costruzione di un ospedale, ancora esistente, e come superiore curò la
restaurazione della vita religiosa regolare.
Martirologio
Romano: A Catania, beato Bernardino Scammacca, sacerdote dell’Ordine dei
Predicatori, che si distinse in modo speciale per la misericordia verso i
bisognosi e i malati.
Il Beato Bernardo della nobile famiglia catanese
Scammacca, nacque a Catania nel 1430. Sebbene educato cristianamente, non seppe
sfuggire alle insidie tese dagli agi della vita e dalle lusinghe del mondo e
alla sua inesperta giovinezza, scivolando in una vita piena di disordini.
Costretto alla immobilità da una dolorosissima piaga a una gamba, la voce del
Signore si fece sentire al suo cuore, invitandolo a cambiare vita. Bernardo non
respinse la celeste ispirazione e ribattezzato nelle lacrime da una viva
contrizione, appena guarito, nel 1452, si presentò al convento dei Domenicani,
per esservi accolto ed abbracciarne tutte le austerità. Le sue ascese nella
santità furono mirabili, ma più mirabile ancora fu l’assoluto nascondimento in
cui seppe tenere celate tante virtù e tanti eroismi. La luce che possedeva però
irradiò al di fuori e specialmente sulle anime traviate della cui salvezza era
assetato. Fu Priore di San Domenico in Catania, poi a Palermo, ed infine
Vicario Generale dei Conventi riformati in Sicilia. Del suo beato transito, nel
1487, la storia nulla ci ha tramandato e la zona della sepoltura comune accolse
i suoi resti mortali. Solo la voce dei miracoli ruppe tanto silenzio. Si volle
allora trasportare il sacro corpo in luogo più degno, e quando si aprì la
vecchia sepoltura ne esalò un celeste profumo mentre le campane cominciarono,
da sole, a suonare a festa. Il Beato fu trovato intatto, come ancor oggi si può
ammirare nella sua urna cristallina, veneratissimo dal popolo, che sempre
ricorre a lui con fiducia. Papa Leone XII l’8 marzo 1825 ha confermato il
culto.
L'Ordine Domenicano lo ricorda il 27 gennaio.
Autore: Franco Mariani
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/Detailed/90751.html
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