Stefano Gobbi
Encyclopedia
Father Stefano Gobbi was an Italian
Roman Catholic priest. He was born in the Province of Como
, Italy
and was ordained as a priest in 1964. He later obtained a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University
in Rome
. He founded the worldwide Catholic movement, the Marian Movement of Priests
(MMP) following an interior locution
that he reported in 1972 at the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
.
and was praying in the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
. He reported an interior locution
from the Virgin Mary. He did not claim a Marian apparition, but a locution, i.e. an internal voice. According to Father Gobbi, he later prayed to Saint Mary for a confirmation of the inner voice, which he reported as receiving in May 1972 while praying in the Church of the Annunciation
in Nazareth
.
Given that in 1972 some priests had given up their vocations and were reportedly planning to rebel against the Catholic Church, his inner voice urged him to gather other priests that would be willing to consecrate themselves to Immaculate Heart of Mary
and be strongly united with the Pope
and the Catholic Church. On 13 October 1972, on the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima
he and two other priests formed the Marian Movement of Priests
in a church in Gera Lario
near Como, Italy.
grew rather quickly and by September 1973 included over 80 priests when it held its first national meeting at San Vittorino, near Rome
.
In 1974, Fr. Gobbi started to hold prayer cenacle
s in Italy
for priests and laity. He now holds prayer cenacle
s all over the world. During the cenacle
Catholics are called to pray to Jesus
through Saint Mary, since it was through her that the Church, the Body of Christ
, was born. Some cenacle
s are for a few seminary
students, while others are attended by over 20,000 people.
The MMP is now based in Milan
Italy, with branches worldwide. The Marian Movement of Priests
in the United States was established in 1975, is based in St. Francis, Maine
, and received an official papal blessing
from Pope John Paul II
in November 1993. According to the MMP, its members now include over 400 Catholic cardinal
s and bishops, more than 100,000 Catholic priests and several million lay Catholics worldwide.
s as messages which he attributed to the Virgin Mary. The messages from July 1973 to December 1997 were published in the book: "To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons." These messages have now become the defacto hand book of the MMP.
has not taken an official position on the authenticity of Father Gobbi's interior locutions. Cardinal Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz
, OFM, Cardinal Ignatius Moussa Daoud and Cardinal John Baptist Wu provided their imprimatur
for Father Gobbi's messages. The MMP meets regularly in Rome
.
Fr. Gobbi had a close relationship with Pope John Paul II
, who also had a personal devotion to the Virgin Mary. Pope John Paul II
used to meet with and celebrate Mass with Fr. Gobbi in his private papal chapel in the Vatican
on an annual basis for several years.
, but continued to travel worldwide to hold prayer cenacle
s and promote the cause of the MMP. He died on 29 June 2011 after suffering a heart attack earlier that month.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
Roman Catholic priest. He was born in the Province of Como
Province of Como
The Province of Como is a province in the north of the Lombardy region of Italy and borders the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Grigioni to the North, the Italian provinces of Sondrio and Lecco to the East, the Province of Milan to the south and the Province of Varese to the West...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and was ordained as a priest in 1964. He later obtained a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University
Pontifical university
A pontifical university is a Catholic University established by and directly under the authority of the Holy See. It is licensed to grant academic degrees in sacred faculties, the most important of which are Sacred Theology, Canon Law, Sacred Scripture and...
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 founded the worldwide Catholic movement, the Marian Movement of Priests
Marian Movement of Priests
The Marian Movement of Priests is a Roman Catholic movement founded by Father Stefano Gobbi on October 13, 1972, the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima....
(MMP) following an interior locution
Interior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
that he reported in 1972 at the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
.
The pivotal event
On 8 May 1972 he was on a pilgrimage to Fátima, PortugalFátima, Portugal
Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...
and was praying in the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
. He reported an interior locution
Interior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
from the Virgin Mary. He did not claim a Marian apparition, but a locution, i.e. an internal voice. According to Father Gobbi, he later prayed to Saint Mary for a confirmation of the inner voice, which he reported as receiving in May 1972 while praying in the Church of the Annunciation
Church of the Annunciation
The Church of the Annunciation , sometimes also referred to as the Basilica of the Annunciation is a church in Nazareth, in modern-day northern Israel.-History:...
in Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
.
Given that in 1972 some priests had given up their vocations and were reportedly planning to rebel against the Catholic Church, his inner voice urged him to gather other priests that would be willing to consecrate themselves to Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
and be strongly united with the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and the Catholic Church. On 13 October 1972, on the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
he and two other priests formed the Marian Movement of Priests
Marian Movement of Priests
The Marian Movement of Priests is a Roman Catholic movement founded by Father Stefano Gobbi on October 13, 1972, the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima....
in a church in Gera Lario
Gera Lario
Gera Lario is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northeast of Como. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 942 and an area of 6.7 km²....
near Como, Italy.
Growth of the movement
The Marian Movement of PriestsMarian Movement of Priests
The Marian Movement of Priests is a Roman Catholic movement founded by Father Stefano Gobbi on October 13, 1972, the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima....
grew rather quickly and by September 1973 included over 80 priests when it held its first national meeting at San Vittorino, near 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...
.
In 1974, Fr. Gobbi started to hold prayer cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for priests and laity. He now holds prayer cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s all over the world. During the cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
Catholics are called to pray to Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
through Saint Mary, since it was through her that the Church, the Body of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, was born. Some cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s are for a few seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
students, while others are attended by over 20,000 people.
The MMP is now based in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
Italy, with branches worldwide. The Marian Movement of Priests
Marian Movement of Priests
The Marian Movement of Priests is a Roman Catholic movement founded by Father Stefano Gobbi on October 13, 1972, the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima....
in the United States was established in 1975, is based in St. Francis, Maine
St. Francis, Maine
St. Francis is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States on the Canadian border at the junction of the St. Francis River and the Saint John River. The population was 577 at the 2000 census...
, and received an official papal blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
from Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in November 1993. According to the MMP, its members now include over 400 Catholic cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s and bishops, more than 100,000 Catholic priests and several million lay Catholics worldwide.
The messages
In July 1973, Father Gobbi began to write his reported interior locutionInterior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
s as messages which he attributed to the Virgin Mary. The messages from July 1973 to December 1997 were published in the book: "To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons." These messages have now become the defacto hand book of the MMP.
Relationship with the Vatican
To date, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the FaithCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
has not taken an official position on the authenticity of Father Gobbi's interior locutions. Cardinal Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz
Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz
Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz was a Roman Catholic Cardinal....
, OFM, Cardinal Ignatius Moussa Daoud and Cardinal John Baptist Wu provided their imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
for Father Gobbi's messages. The MMP meets regularly 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...
.
Fr. Gobbi had a close relationship with Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, who also had a personal devotion to the Virgin Mary. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
used to meet with and celebrate Mass with Fr. Gobbi in his private papal chapel in the Vatican
Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
on an annual basis for several years.
Later in life
Prior to his death, Fr. Gobbi was officially based in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, but continued to travel worldwide to hold prayer cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s and promote the cause of the MMP. He died on 29 June 2011 after suffering a heart attack earlier that month.