RosminiThe son of a noble family, he studied philosophy in Padua before being ordained in 1821. In his writings and activities in support of the Italian nationalist movement, he participated in a renewal of Italian philosophy that, although it had little impact outside of Italy, was of great importance there.
Influenced by Maddalena di Canossa, founder of the Daughters of Charity, Rosmini organized in 1828 the Institute of Charity in Domodossola. Modeled on the Jesuit rule, the order required absolute devotion to the church and strict obedience to superiors; It was approved by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839.
The philosophical writings of Rosmini, starting with Nuovo saggio sull’origine delle idee, 3 vol. (1830; The Origin of Ideas), involved him in theological controversies throughout his life. His philosophy attempted to reconcile Catholic theology with modern political and social thought. The center of his philosophical system is the concept of being ideal, which is a reflection of God in humanity; the ideal being participates in the eternal truth and, therefore, is the indispensable means to acquire, through the senses, all other knowledge. In addition to serving as the supreme criterion of truth and certainty in logic, the ideal being is also the basis of the concept of the dignity of the human person in law and in politics.
Rosmini he welcomed the Italian nationalist movement, but was highly critical of its anti-clerical and anti-Catholic tendencies. In 1848 he came into close association with Pope Pius IX, and after the outbreak of the Roman revolution, he accompanied the pope into exile in November 1848. However, in 1849, two of his works proposing ecclesiastical reforms were included in the Index of forbidden books.
Rosmini he submitted to papal authority and retired to Stresa. However, in the year before his death, after further attacks and papal scrutiny, all of his works were declared acceptable to read.