Italian cardinal; bishop of Guastalia and, latter Como. Archbishop of Milan. Proclaimed Blessed by Pope St. John Paul II in May 1987.
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, 1910. Penned on heraldic-crested stationery. Excellent example. Despite his rather hurried scribbling, (for which he was consistent) we were able to deliver a summary. Reads: Letter addressed to the Curate of Taceno, in which the Archbishop sends his blessing, following a previous request, to the parish priest, Don Antonio Dell’Acqua, and to the parishioners, so that the upcoming holy missions of the zealous missionary Fathers of Rho, produce for all the good and dear parishioners of Taceno, fruits of sanctification and health. Let all the good parishioners of Taceno think that for a long time these missions will be the last, and let each one think that for him they could be the last. From Milan, November 17, 1910.
Early in his priestly career, Ferrari served as vice-rector of the Parma diocesan seminary and as a professor of physics and mathematics. In 1877 he was promoted to rector. He went on to serve as professor of fundamental theology, ecclesiastical history and moral theology and, in 1878, published the Summula theologiae dogmaticae generalis (A Short Summary of General Dogmatic Theology) which proved to be a highly respected work in the field.
Pope Leo XIII appointed Ferrari the bishop of Guastalla in 1890. A year later he was transferred to the Diocese of Como. The same pope raised Ferrari to the cardinalate in 1894 and he was transferred to the Archdiocese of Milan. Shortly after his appointment, he took the name Carlo as a middle name in honor of St. Charles Borromeo who once was cardinal-archbishop of Milan.
Among the cardinal’s diocesan priests was a newly ordained curate who taught Church history at a local seminary: Angelo Roncalli (the future Pope John XXIII). Roncalli had great admiration for him. On February 19, 1961, which was the 40th anniversary of the Cardinal’s death, Pope John XXIII delivered a eulogy in praise of Andrea Ferrari whose words and example had inspired Pope John throughout his life. Another priest, Father Achille Ratti, (the future Pope Pius XI) also came in contact with the Cardinal. Ratti had left seminary teaching to work full time at the Ambrosian Library in Milan. Ratti also succeeded Cardinal Ferrari as Archbishop of Milan after Ferrari’s death.
Ferrari suffered great physical pain in his final years, eventually succumbing to throat cancer. He is revered by the people of Milan for his holiness of life.