Gaspar del Bufalo

Gaspar Melchior Balthazar del Bufalo (January 6, 1786 – December 28, 1837), also known as Gaspare del Bufalo, was an Italian Catholic priest and the founder of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He was canonized as a saint in 1954 and is liturgically commemorated on October 21.

Life and Ministry

Born in Rome, Gaspar del Bufalo grew up in the servants' quarters of a noble family, where his father worked as a chef. Despite delicate health in his youth, which led to him being confirmed at a very young age and prayers offered for his recovery from an eye malady, he became deeply devoted to Saint Francis Xavier. He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1808 within the diocese of Rome.

Gaspar was actively involved in various ministries, visiting the sick and poor, and founding a religious organization for young people. He also established an evening society for laborers and farm workers, provided catechism for orphans, and set up a night shelter for the homeless. His refusal to take an oath of allegiance to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809 resulted in his exile and imprisonment for four years in northern Italy.

Upon his return to Rome in 1814, he was encouraged by Pope Pius VII to engage in preaching missions to reestablish order amidst the prevailing chaos. This led to the founding of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1815.

Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Gaspar del Bufalo founded the Missionaries of the Precious Blood at the abbey of San Felice in Giano, Umbria. Facing considerable difficulties, he worked to repair the abandoned monastery. In 1821, a time of significant lawlessness in the Papal States, Cardinal Cristaldi suggested that Gaspar and his missionaries establish mission houses in towns controlled by bandits. There, they were to preach, establish churches, and provide instruction. Between 1821 and 1823, six new mission houses were opened, and Gaspar famously negotiated peace with brigands, armed only with a crucifix.

His missionary efforts were often dramatic, with one contemporary describing his preaching as a "spiritual earthquake." He was known for his eloquence and devotion to the poor, particularly supporting the Santa Galla Hospice in Rome, and for his work with the brigands of southern Lazio. He faced opposition from both secular officials who profited from brigandage and from within the Church regarding the name and practices of his new society.

Veneration and Legacy

Gaspar del Bufalo was beatified by Pope Pius X in 1904 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1954. His feast day is observed on October 21. He worked tirelessly until his death on December 28, 1837, even ministering to those afflicted by cholera in Rome. His body was initially buried in Albano but was later transferred to the house of the Missionaries in Rome, where it remains today. He is particularly remembered for his devotion to the Precious Blood of Christ and for spreading this devotion widely.