St.Robert Bellarmine

Third of ten children.
His mother, Cinzia Cervini, a niece of Pope Marcellus II, was dedicated to almsgiving, prayer, meditation, fasting, and mortification; his father was Vincenzo Bellarmino.
Suffered assorted health problems all his life.
Jesuit educated.
Became a Jesuit on 20 September 1560.
Taught Greek, Hebrew, and theology at Louvain, Florence, and Mondovi from1570 to 1576
when he was appointed to the chair of controversial theology at the Roman College.
Priest.
Became Rector in 1592.
Provincial of Naples in 1594.
Made a Cardinal in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII, he lived an austere life in Rome, giving most of his money to the poor. At one point he used the tapestries in his living quarters to clothe the
poor, saying that "the walls won't catch cold."

Defended the Apostolic See against the anti-clericals in Venice, and the political tenets of James I of England. Writer. Wrote exhaustive works against heresies of the day. Took a position fundamentally democratic - authority originates with God, is vested in the people, who entrust it
to fit rulers, a concept which brought him trouble with the kings of both England and France.

Spiritual father of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga.
Helped Saint Francis de Sales obtain formal approval of the Visitation Order.
Opposed severe action against Galileo.
Archbishop of Capua in 1602.
Preacher.
Defender of the faith against Protestants, especially against abuses in Germany and England. Revised Bible translation.
Wrote two catechisms.
Theological advisor to Popes Clement VIII and Paul V.
Taught catechism to children.
Head of the Vatican library.
Proposed as Pope.
Proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1931.

Died on 17 September 1621 in Rome

Beatified in 1923 by Pope Pius XI
Canonized in 1930 by Pope Pius XI