John Baptist Scandella
Encyclopedia
John Baptist Scandella STD
(Gibraltar
, 19 September 1821 - id., 27 August 1880) was a Gibraltarian
Roman Catholic
priest of Genoese descent
. He was Vicar Apostolic
of Diocese of Gibraltar
between 1857 and 1880. He spoke fluent English
and his native Spanish
. Scandella is mainly remembered in Gibraltar for seeing the return of the statue of Our Lady of Europe
to Gibraltar from Algeciras
in Spain
and for his efforts to improve education in the territory.
during their first stay in Gibraltar (1835-1837) and since he was very young he felt the call of the vocation to priesthood
. He was a gifted student who later obtained a Doctorate of Sacred Theology
with the mark of magna cum laude.
priest on 25 March 1845 and was seconded to Corfu
(then under British rule) as Vicar General to Bishop
Nicholson. He remained there for ten years, returning to Gibraltar in 1855 to be appointed secretary to Vicar Apostolic Henry Hughes. Hughes resigned in 1856 and on 28 April 1857, Scandella was appointed new Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar. He was also appointed Titular Bishop
of Antinoë (since 1840, all Vicars Apostolic of Gibraltar were also appointed Titular Bishops). Scandella was the first Gibraltarian to be appointed to such dignity which was welcomed by Gibraltarian society. According to Charles Caruana, current Bishop of Gibraltar:
by the Anglo
-Dutch
fleet, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
was plundered and desecrated
. The statue of the Virgin and Child
was broken and its remains thrown out to sea. The pieces had been recovered by a fisherman and later delivered to Juan Romero de Figueroa
, the priest in charge at the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard. Romero de Figueroa eventually took the pieces of the statue to Algeciras
for safekeeping in a chapel that took the name of Our Lady: the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
. During the early 1860s Scandella petitioned for the return of the original statue from Algeciras. After long discussions, it was agreed that the original statue was to return to Gibraltar so long as an exact replica would be carved and placed in the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe in Algeciras. The original statue eventually returned to Gibraltar in 1864. As the original Shrine of Our Lady of Europe remained in military hands, a new location for the statue had to be found, provided that, at Scandella's wishes, the new shrine were as near to Europa Point
as possible. After a popular fundraising campaign, a site was acquired along Engineer Road, and a new chapel was built, where Our Lady of Europe was enthroned in May 1866.
Scandella attended the First Vatican Council
(1869-1870) as Council Father. During his stay in Rome
, he succeeded in bringing the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe to the attention of Pope Pius IX
. The Pope later donated a marble
altar
to Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar. Its front piece depicted the coat of arms of Pope Pius IX and that of Bishop Scandella, together with a monogram
of Our Lady of Europe.
and secondary
, for boys and girls, charging the wealthy parents to support the education of poorer children. He first opened a school at Rosia Parade. When the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
established itself in Gibraltar in 1860, Scandella asked them to promote children's education, so the society eventually opened two additional schools, one in Catalan Bay
and another at Lime Kiln Road. Two more were erected in the crypt of St. Joseph's Parish Church when it was completed in 1865. He was also the main person responsible for bringing the Christian Brothers back to Gibraltar and for the establishment of the Loreto Nuns
in Gibraltar. After a five year battle, he managed to obtain a 50% increase in the Colonial Office
grant
for all the schools in the territory.
The fame of the schools promoted by Scandella spread widely:
Thanks to his efforts by the 1870s, the Roman Catholic Church took a position of pre-eminence in the Gibraltarian education that lasted until the twentieth century.
or the colonial administration. In 1876, he rejected the imposition of a tobacco tax in order to avoid tobacco smuggling
into Spain. He argued that if the British Government
wished to impose such a tax
, alternative employment had to be provided. He even traveled to London
in order to lobby the Members of Parliament for the order to be withdrawn. Scandella tried to enlist the wealthiest classes of Gibraltar join his cause, however, the members of the Exchange and Commercial Library refused. This created a serious antagonism against Scandella, which worsened upon his death and the election of the new Bishop, Scandella's secretary, Gonzalo Canilla.
He also vigorously rejected the alien
orders in council that prevented Spanish
boys from attending his schools or refused to allow residence in Gibraltar to the children of native mothers and alien fathers (as it could incite illicit unions and the birth of illegitimate children). On the contrary, he rejected the presence of Maltese immigrants
on the grounds that they were mostly criminals, an opinion shared with the majority of the Gibraltarian society at the time.
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
(Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, 19 September 1821 - id., 27 August 1880) was a Gibraltarian
Gibraltarian people
The Gibraltarians are a cultural group native to Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean sea.- Origins :...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest of Genoese descent
History of the Genoese in Gibraltar
A Genoese community has existed in Gibraltar since the 16th century and later became an important part of the population.-History:There is much evidence of a community of emigrants from Genoa, who moved to Gibraltar in the 16th century and that were more than a third of the Gibraltar population in...
. He was Vicar Apostolic
Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar
The Bishop of Gibraltar is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar which is immediately subject to the Holy See.The see is in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar where the bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral of St...
of Diocese of Gibraltar
Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Latin name for the diocese is Gibraltariensis. About twenty priests and nine sisters serve in the diocese...
between 1857 and 1880. He spoke fluent English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and his native Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Scandella is mainly remembered in Gibraltar for seeing the return of the statue of Our Lady of Europe
Our Lady of Europe
Our Lady of Europe is a consecrated title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gibraltar, where devotion began, and to a lesser extent in Algeciras, Spain. The entire European continent was consecrated under the protection of Our Lady of Europe in the early 14th century from the Shrine in Gibraltar...
to Gibraltar from Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and for his efforts to improve education in the territory.
Early life
He was born to a Gibraltarian family of Genoese descent. As a child, he was a pupil of the Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
during their first stay in Gibraltar (1835-1837) and since he was very young he felt the call of the vocation to priesthood
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
. He was a gifted student who later obtained a Doctorate of Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
with the mark of magna cum laude.
Career
He was ordainedOrdination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
priest on 25 March 1845 and was seconded to Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
(then under British rule) as Vicar General to Bishop
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Corfù, Zante e Cefalonia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cefalonia is an archdiocese comprising the Ionian islands of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cephalonia in western Greece.-History:* 1310: Established as Diocese of Corfùu...
Nicholson. He remained there for ten years, returning to Gibraltar in 1855 to be appointed secretary to Vicar Apostolic Henry Hughes. Hughes resigned in 1856 and on 28 April 1857, Scandella was appointed new Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar. He was also appointed Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
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 Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Antinoë (since 1840, all Vicars Apostolic of Gibraltar were also appointed Titular Bishops). Scandella was the first Gibraltarian to be appointed to such dignity which was welcomed by Gibraltarian society. According to Charles Caruana, current Bishop of Gibraltar:
Return of the statue of Our Lady of Europe
At the time of the Capture of GibraltarCapture of Gibraltar
The Capture of Gibraltar by the Anglo-Dutch forces of the Grand Alliance occurred between 1–3 August 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Since the beginning of the war the Allies had been looking for a harbour in the Iberian Peninsula to control the Strait of Gibraltar and facilitate...
by the Anglo
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
-Dutch
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
fleet, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe is a Roman Catholic shrine at Europa Point in Gibraltar. It is the church where Our Lady of Europe, the Catholic patroness of Gibraltar is honoured....
was plundered and desecrated
Desecration
Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character, or the disrespectful or contemptuous treatment of that which is held to be sacred or holy by a group or individual.-Detail:...
. The statue of the Virgin and Child
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was broken and its remains thrown out to sea. The pieces had been recovered by a fisherman and later delivered to Juan Romero de Figueroa
Juan Romero de Figueroa
Juan Romero de Figueroa was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest, in charge of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Crowned during the last years of Gibraltar's Spanish period and first ones of the British period, until his death...
, the priest in charge at the Church of St. Mary the Crowned and St. Bernard. Romero de Figueroa eventually took the pieces of the statue to Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
for safekeeping in a chapel that took the name of Our Lady: the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
The Chapel of Our Lady of Europe of Algeciras , popularly known as the Small Chapel of Europe is placed in the High Square . It was built as today we know it, in 1769, since the original building was severely affected by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and had to be demolished. The first chapel had...
. During the early 1860s Scandella petitioned for the return of the original statue from Algeciras. After long discussions, it was agreed that the original statue was to return to Gibraltar so long as an exact replica would be carved and placed in the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe in Algeciras. The original statue eventually returned to Gibraltar in 1864. As the original Shrine of Our Lady of Europe remained in military hands, a new location for the statue had to be found, provided that, at Scandella's wishes, the new shrine were as near to Europa Point
Europa Point
Europa Point, also called Great Europa Point, is the southernmost point of Gibraltar. At the end of Rock of Gibraltar, the area is flat and occupied by such features as a playing field and a few buildings...
as possible. After a popular fundraising campaign, a site was acquired along Engineer Road, and a new chapel was built, where Our Lady of Europe was enthroned in May 1866.
Scandella attended the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
(1869-1870) as Council Father. During his stay in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he succeeded in bringing the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe to the attention of Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. The Pope later donated a marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
to Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar. Its front piece depicted the coat of arms of Pope Pius IX and that of Bishop Scandella, together with a monogram
Monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a...
of Our Lady of Europe.
Improving education
His other concern was education, where he continued the efforts of his predecessor, Vicar Apostolic Hughes. Scandella promoted the institution of new schools, both primaryPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
, for boys and girls, charging the wealthy parents to support the education of poorer children. He first opened a school at Rosia Parade. When the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
The St Vincent de Paul Society is an international Roman Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need. Active in England & Wales since 1844, today it continues to address social and material need in all...
established itself in Gibraltar in 1860, Scandella asked them to promote children's education, so the society eventually opened two additional schools, one in Catalan Bay
Catalan Bay
Catalan Bay is a small bay and fishing village in Gibraltar, on the eastern side of The Rock away from the main city.-Etymology:The true origin of the name of Catalan Bay is unknown, but a couple of theories exist...
and another at Lime Kiln Road. Two more were erected in the crypt of St. Joseph's Parish Church when it was completed in 1865. He was also the main person responsible for bringing the Christian Brothers back to Gibraltar and for the establishment of the Loreto Nuns
Sisters of Loreto
The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, more commonly known as the Loreto Sisters , is a women's Catholic religious order founded by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609 at Saint-Omer in northern France...
in Gibraltar. After a five year battle, he managed to obtain a 50% increase in the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
for all the schools in the territory.
The fame of the schools promoted by Scandella spread widely:
Thanks to his efforts by the 1870s, the Roman Catholic Church took a position of pre-eminence in the Gibraltarian education that lasted until the twentieth century.
Civil society
He was also a prominent figure within Gibraltar's civil society, and had several clashes with the GovernorGovernor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
or the colonial administration. In 1876, he rejected the imposition of a tobacco tax in order to avoid tobacco smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
into Spain. He argued that if the British Government
Government of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
wished to impose such a tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
, alternative employment had to be provided. He even traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in order to lobby the Members of Parliament for the order to be withdrawn. Scandella tried to enlist the wealthiest classes of Gibraltar join his cause, however, the members of the Exchange and Commercial Library refused. This created a serious antagonism against Scandella, which worsened upon his death and the election of the new Bishop, Scandella's secretary, Gonzalo Canilla.
He also vigorously rejected the alien
Alien (law)
In law, an alien is a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country.-Categorization:Types of "alien" persons are:*An alien who is legally permitted to remain in a country which is foreign to him or her. On specified terms, this kind of alien may be called a legal alien of that country...
orders in council that prevented Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
boys from attending his schools or refused to allow residence in Gibraltar to the children of native mothers and alien fathers (as it could incite illicit unions and the birth of illegitimate children). On the contrary, he rejected the presence of Maltese immigrants
History of the Maltese in Gibraltar
A Maltese community has existed in Gibraltar since shortly after the British conquest in 1704. Gibraltar, Malta and Cyprus were the three stepping stones whereby Great Britain controlled the Mediterranean and the vital route to the Suez Canal and thence to India...
on the grounds that they were mostly criminals, an opinion shared with the majority of the Gibraltarian society at the time.
External links
- Rt. Rev. John Baptist Scandella record in Catholic Hierarchy
- Rt. Rev. John Baptist Scandella biography in the web of the Diocese of Gibraltar