Founded by St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539) as Sons of St. Paul and approved by the Holy See in 1533, we began to be called Barnabites in the late 1540's by the people who frequented our Church of St. Barnabas, the Order's historical motherhouse, in Milan, Italy.

Since our Constitutions of 1579, we are formally known as Clerics Regular of St. Paul (C.R.S.P.).

The beginnings of our Order were rather modest.

St. Anthony and his first two companions, Giacomo Antonio Morigia (1497-1546) and Bartolomeo Ferrari (1499-1544), simply petitioned the Holy See for the authorization to profess the three vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty before the Archbishop of Milan or his Vicar and begin common life in the diocese "in order to devote themselves more vigorously and unrestrictedly to God's gracious purposes and to probe more deeply into matters pertaining to God."

Soon God rewarded their unpretentious but profoundly spiritual dispositions by making their small community one of the reforming congregations that immediately preceded the epochal Council of Trent (1545-1563), along with the Theatines (1524), the Capuchins (1528), the Ursulines (1535), the Somaschans, and the Jesuits (1540).

Not only that, but St. Anthony, who also founded the Angelic Sisters of St. Paul in 1535 and the Marrieds of St. Paul about the same time, pioneered in other ways: his Sisters were to work outside the convent side by side with the Barnabites, and the laity were to work in full partnership with both, pursuing the highest standards of Christian holiness.

Doesn't this remind one of Vatican II (1962-1965)?

Anthony pioneered in yet other ways:

• he adopted a collegial system of government for his religious
• he substantially and permanently contributed to the format of the 40-Hour devotion, first celebrated in 1537 in the Cathedral of Milan
• he promoted frequent Communion, and he instituted the tolling of church bells at 3 p.m. every Friday as a devotion to Christ Crucified

His spirituality, inspired by St. Paul, was permeated by this trilogy:

• "pure self-contempt" (total selflessness)
• "pure honor of Christ" (Christ-centered spirituality)
• "pure service of our neighbor" (selfless ministry).

Our Founder's whole spirit is classically expressed in an exhortation etched in the mind and heart of every Barnabite since his earliest days of formation: