Carlo Passaglia

Who was Carlo Passaglia?

Carlo Passaglia, Italian divine, was born at Lucca.

Passaglia was soon destined for the priesthood, and was placed under the care of the Jesuits at the age of fifteen. He became successively doctor in mathematics, philosophy and theology in the university of Rome. In 1844 he was made professor in the Collegio Romano, the well known Jesuit college in Rome. In 1845 he took the vows as a member of the Jesuit order.

In 1848, during the expulsion of the Jesuits from Rome which followed on the revolutionary troubles in the Italian peninsula, he paid a brief visit to England. On his return to Italy he founded, with the assistance of Father Curc and Luigi Taparelli D'Azeglio, the celebrated organ of the Jesuit order entitled the Civilid Cattolica. In 1854 came the decision of the Roman Church on the long-debated question of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin. Into the agitation for the promulgation of this dogma Passaglia threw himself with great eagerness, and by so doing recommended himself strongly to Pope Pius IX. But his favor with the pope was of short duration.

In 1859, when the war between Austria and France broke out, Passaglia espoused the popular side.