Our Theatine Priests The Montelores Catholic Community is Served by the Theatine Order, a Contemplative and Missionary Counter-Reformation Order Founded by St. Cajetan in the 16th Century.
The Theatine Logo
Logo Containing the Scriptural Admonition (In Latin): "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness." "Busca Primero el Reino de Dios y so Justicia." Matthew 6:33
Father Patrick Valdez
Brother Jesus Herrera
St. Cajetan, Founder of the Theatine Order - Painting by Gerard Quigley - Click on Picture to go to 'Theatine Spirituality: Selected Writings,' published by Paulist Press!
From 'A Catholic Dictionary,' by William Addis and Thomas Arnold, Benziger Brothers, 1893.
"This congregation of "Regular Clerks" who played a huge part in the Counter-Reformation, derived its name from Theate, or Chieti, of which John Peter Caraffa, one of its founders, was bishop. The idea of its institution arose in the mind of St. Cajetan, a native of Vicenza, who, having made his legal studies with great distinction at Padua, was appointed protonotary apostolic in the Roman Curia. He became a fervent member of the confraternity of the Divine Love;' and, thirsting more and more for the salvation of souls, he resigned his office and took holy orders. Family affairs caused him to return to Vicenza, whence he proceeded to Venice, and laboured there for a considerable time. On the advice of his confessor he again fixed his abode at Rome. The reform of the lives of Christians, and especially of the irregularities too common at that time among the clergy, presented itself to him as the object to which God willed him to devote his life. Meeting with Bishop Caraffa, who at the time was thinking of renouncing his preferments and joining the order of Camaldoli, St. Cajetan persuaded him to take part in the holy enterprise which he had matured. Two other men of piety and experience, Paul Consiglieri and Boniface de Colle, joined them; and these four, renouncing whatever benefices they had, founded the Theatine Congregation in 1524. It was approved by Clement VII the same year in a brief which permitted them to take the three ordinary vows, elect a superior, receive new members, and frame statues, imparting to them at the same time the privileges of the canons of St. John Lateran. They embraced a more than Franciscan poverty, for they bound themselves not only to have no property or rents, but to abstain from asking for alms, being persuaded that the providence of God and the unsolicited charity of the faithful would sufficiently supply their wants. Caraffa was elected the first superior; at the end of three years he was succeeded by St. Cajetan. By degrees the value of their services was recognized and their numbers increased. St. Cajetan died in 1547; Caraffa, having been elevated to the cardinalate in 1536, was elected Pope in 1555, and took the title of Paul IV. The congregation received many favours and made signal progress during his pontificate. Besides numerous houses in Italy, they established themselves in Spain, Poland, and Bavaria; with the aid of Cardinal Mazarin they opened a house at Paris. The learned Cardinal Thomassi and Father Ventura belonged to this congregation, which at the present day appears not to be found out of Italy. The Theatine nuns were founded by the B. Ursula Benincasa, who, having been suspected of being a visionary and a mystic, was declared by St. Philip Neri to be a soul truly enlightened by God; she died in 1618. (Helyot) If you are interested in reading some of the spiritual writings of the Theatine Order, please click on the picture to your right!"
From the Holy Card Commemorating the 450th Anniversary of his death.
"St. Cajetan whose 450th anniversary of his death occurs in 2006 (1480-1547) was born in Vicenza, Italy of a noble family. His parents were Don Gaspar di Thiene and Dna. Maria di Porto. He was the youngest of three brothers. He studied Civil and Canon Law at the University of Padua. He transferred to Rome to work in the Court of Julian the second. He assisted at the Fifth Council of Lateran. He was ordained a priest and became part of the 'Company of Divine Love.' In 1518 he returned to his city of birth, Vicenza. After his mother died, he dedicated himself to the founding and directing of hospitals to treat the syphletics in Vicenza, Verona and Venice. In 1524 with Juan Pedro Carafa, Bishop of Chiete, he founded the Clerics Regular who later would be called the Theatines. He was humiliated and martyrized in the plunder of Rome in 1527. After this Cajetan returned to Venice and during three years he directed the Religious Institute he had founded. In 1533 he transferred to Naples where he would die fourteen years later in 1547. It was in this city where he planted the yeast and ferment of reform that made him worthy of devotion with which the Neapolitans have always rewarded him. In 1629, Urban the VIII authorized public veneration to Cajetan and on April 12, 1671, Clement the Tenth inscribed him in the Catalogue of the Saints. St. Cajetan is the 'Heart' of the Catholic reformation, the founder of the Clerics Regular (Theatines) and that 'Great Man and Great Saint' that Christians acclaim as 'The Father of Providence' because he aids those who invoke him in their needs with great miracles. St. Cajetan, pray for us, that we may be worthy to obtain the promises of Our Lord Jesus Christ."
The Theatine Fathers Hymn
'Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God'
Prayer for the Intercession of St. Cajetan
God, father of all goodness, who with wisdom and love you submitted the earth to the dominion of humans, so that from it we would obtain needed apparel and sustenance, and thus contemplate your providence and greatness. Grant that through the intercession of St. Cajetan you heed the requests of those who humbly pray, and deliver us from all evil, through Jesus Christ our Lord . . . Amen!
The Montelores Catholic Community Church Office 28 E. Montezuma Ave. Cortez, CO 81321 970-565-7308 Parish Office Secretary - Rosa Sabido smm@fone.net Web Design Copyright 2011, Marilynn Hughes
