Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster
His views changed to opposition after the annexation of Austria and the introduction of Italian racial laws, which prompted vocal criticisms of anti-Christian aspects of Benito Mussolini's regime.[5] Schuster received his Confirmation on 2 April 1887 from Monsignor Giulio Lenti and made his First Communion on Pentecost 1890 in the church of Sant'Anna in Porta Angelica.[4] He served as an altar server at the Santa Maria della Pietà in Camposanto dei Teutonici church next to Saint Peter's Basilica.Schuster received his ordination as a priest on 19 March 1904 at the patriarchal Lateran Basilica in Rome from Cardinal Pietro Respighi (its archpriest).[5] Either in November or December 1926 he preached the spiritual exercises to Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (the future Pope John XXIII) at Saint Paul Outside the Walls.[7] After the signing of the Lateran Pacts of 1929, Schuster thought it was possible to christianize Italian society within the framework of the Fascist state, so he considered necessary to collaborate with it only if the scope and prerogatives of the Church were protected.On 21 March 1930, in the anniversary of the foundation of the Fasci di Combattimento, Schuster spoke of a "mission of salvation" being entrusted to the Duce, which caused confusion among some Catholics.[15] The Italian fascist and German Nazi press attacked Schuster during the war, without his suffering loss of esteem among his own flock in Milan.On 25 April 1945, the cardinal hosted in the archbishop's residence in Milan a meeting between Italian partisans and Mussolini in an attempt to reach a truce between the two parties.[citation needed] Following the end of the war, the cardinal made frequent attempts to emphasize the danger of totalitarianism that communism and fascism inspired.The Simon Wiesenthal Center released the documents to the public and asked the Holy See to investigate whether Schuster helped Rauff escape from Italy to Chile in order to evade justice.Pope John Paul II confirmed that Schuster had led a life of heroic virtue and accorded him the title Venerable on 26 March 1994.
BlessedO.S.B.CardinalArchbishop of MilanCatholic ChurchEugenio TosiGiovanni Battista MontiniCardinal-Priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai MontiAbbot of San Paolo fuori le MuraPresident of the Italian Episcopal ConferencePietro RespighiPope Pius XIKingdom of ItalyVenegono InferioreVareseCathedral of MilanSaint Peter's SquareVatican CityPope John Paul IIArchdiocese of MilanLateran BasilicaCarlo CremonesiSistine ChapelGustavo TestaAlfonso BerettaItalian CatholicBenedictinesreligious namecardinalateWorld War IIfascismannexation of AustriaItalian racial lawsBenito MussoliniBavariantailorBolzanoVincentiansbaptizedkidnappedMonsignorFirst CommunionPentecostSant'Anna in Porta Angelicaaltar serverSanta Maria della Pietà in Camposanto dei TeutoniciSaint Peter's BasilicaBasilica of Saint Paul Outside the WallsOrder of Saint Benedictnovitiateprofessedmonastic vowsDoctor of PhilosophyPontifical Atheneum of Saint AnselmordinationarchpriestTommaso Riccardinovice masterBasilio PompiliProcurator GeneralCassinese CongregationPontifical Oriental InstitutePope John XXIIICongregation for RitesCongregation for the Oriental ChurchesChurch of St. EdwardKing Vittorio Emanuele IIILateran Concordatco-consecratorsOrder of MaltaSaint Carlo BorromeocatecheticsCatholic Actionholinesspapal legateNostra Signora di CaravaggiomillennialEinsiedeln conventSwitzerlandNational Eucharistic ConferenceAssisipapal conclave in 1939Pope Pius XIIpapabileintactOrder of the Holy SepulchrebeatificationItalian fascismfascistLateran PactsFascist stateAlfredo RoccoFasci di Combattimentoinvasion of EthiopiaCrusades racial doctrinesItalian Racial Laws of 1938Italian partisansPertiniCadornarosolioGrazianitotalitarianismcommunismUnited States Department of StateUnited States ArmyFreedom of Information ActHolocaustWalter RauffHoly SeeSimon Wiesenthal CenterVerano BrianzaCongregation for the Causes of SaintsPositioheroic virtueVenerableglaucomaCardinal electors for the papal conclave, 1939IncorruptibilityList of beatified peopleLuciano CanepariThe Washington Post20th Century Press ArchivesCatholic Church titlesRector of the Pontifical Oriental InstituteMichel-Joseph Bourguignon d'Herbigny