Ferrari, Bartolommeo

Ferrari, Bartolommeo (by some erroneously called Ferrera), a noted Italian monk, was born at Milan in 1497, of one of the first families there. He was left an orphan in youth, but distinguished himself by his piety and charity. In connection with Antonio-Maria Zaccario de Cremona and Giacomo-Antonio Morigia, a nobleman of Milan, he instituted the congregation of the Regular Clerks of St. Paul, sanctioned in 1530 under Clement VII, and confirmed three years afterwards by Paul III. Ferrari was elected superior in 1542, but governed his order two years only. The Barnabites (by which name his order was commonly known) spread over Germany, Bohemia, Savoy, France, etc., teaching in the principal universities. Soon afterwards women likewise ianited themselves into communities, and were called Angelice, observing the rules of the Barnabites, under the direction of the same fathers; but the discipline of this religious order did not keep its original purity very long. Ferrari died in November, 1544. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.