Umberto Benigni
Encyclopedia
Umberto Benigni was a Catholic priest and Church historian, who was born on 30 March 1862 in Perugia
, Italy
and died on 27 February 1934 in Rome
.
A lecturer in Church history from 1885, one year after his ordination to the priesthood, he also engaged in journalism, at first locally, and became in 1893 editor in chief of the national daily newspaper L'Eco d'Italia. Due to a conflict with the Archbishop of Genoa
, he moved to Rome in 1895, working at first as an assistant in the historical research section of the Vatican Library
. In 1900 he began contributing to the newspaper La Voce della Verità, becoming its director in 1901, the same year in which he also became Professor of Church History at the seminary of the Diocese of Rome
.
In 1902 he was given a position in the Roman Curia
, and in 1906 was promoted to the post of Undersecretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs
, the forerunner of what is today the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.
Monsignor
Benigni proved to have special gifts for relations with the press. Beginning in 1907, he provided a daily news bulletin, La Corrispondenza di Roma, which became from 1909 to 1912 La Correspondance de Rome and in 1913-1914 Cahiers de Rome. This gave him influence over the contents of publications in many countries.
He set up among his contacts the Sodalitium Pianum
(Fellowship of Pius X), to report to him those thought to be teaching Modernist
doctrines.
His influence waned during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XV
(1914 - 1922) making him ecclesiastically an isolated figure. He became close to the Fascist
movement (in 1923 he founded the Entente romaine de Défense social) seeing in it an ally for his anti-Modernist and anti-liberal aims.
The writings and other documents in the possession of Monsignor Benigni at his death in 1934 can be consulted at the Vatican Secret Archives
.
Most present-day Church historians give a negative judgement on his activity and personality. They recognize his gifts of intelligence and organisation, but criticise his anti-Semitism, the coldness of his character and his spying on his opponents within the Church. They are divided in their opinions about the extent to which Pope Pius X
was aware of or approved his initiatives.
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
, 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 died on 27 February 1934 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...
.
A lecturer in Church history from 1885, one year after his ordination to the priesthood, he also engaged in journalism, at first locally, and became in 1893 editor in chief of the national daily newspaper L'Eco d'Italia. Due to a conflict with the Archbishop of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, he moved to Rome in 1895, working at first as an assistant in the historical research section of the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
. In 1900 he began contributing to the newspaper La Voce della Verità, becoming its director in 1901, the same year in which he also became Professor of Church History at the seminary of the Diocese of Rome
Diocese of Rome
The Diocese of Rome is a diocese of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy. The bishop of Rome is the Pope, who is the Supreme Pontiff and leader of the Catholic Church...
.
In 1902 he was given a position in the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, and in 1906 was promoted to the post of Undersecretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs
Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs
The Sacred Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected by Pope Pius VII on 19 July 1814 by extending the competence to the Sacred Congregation for the Ecclesiastical Affairs of the Kingdom of France , which Pope Pius VI had set up in 1793...
, the forerunner of what is today the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.
Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Benigni proved to have special gifts for relations with the press. Beginning in 1907, he provided a daily news bulletin, La Corrispondenza di Roma, which became from 1909 to 1912 La Correspondance de Rome and in 1913-1914 Cahiers de Rome. This gave him influence over the contents of publications in many countries.
He set up among his contacts the Sodalitium Pianum
Sodalitium Pianum
Sodalitium Pianum is Latin for "the fellowship of Pius" . It can refer to two different groups.-In Roman Catholicism:...
(Fellowship of Pius X), to report to him those thought to be teaching Modernist
Modernism (Roman Catholicism)
Modernism refers to theological opinions expressed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but with influence reaching into the 21st century, which are characterized by a break with the past. Catholic modernists form an amorphous group. The term "modernist" appears in Pope Pius X's 1907...
doctrines.
His influence waned during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
(1914 - 1922) making him ecclesiastically an isolated figure. He became close to the Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
movement (in 1923 he founded the Entente romaine de Défense social) seeing in it an ally for his anti-Modernist and anti-liberal aims.
The writings and other documents in the possession of Monsignor Benigni at his death in 1934 can be consulted at the Vatican Secret Archives
Vatican Secret Archives
The Vatican Secret Archives , located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated by the Holy See. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having primal incumbency until death, owns the archives until the next appointed Papal successor...
.
Most present-day Church historians give a negative judgement on his activity and personality. They recognize his gifts of intelligence and organisation, but criticise his anti-Semitism, the coldness of his character and his spying on his opponents within the Church. They are divided in their opinions about the extent to which Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
was aware of or approved his initiatives.