Benedict Sestini

The Rev. Benedict Sestini SJ
File:Benedict Sestini.png
Born	Benedetto Sestini March 20, 1816 Florence, Italy
Died	January 17, 1890 (aged 73) Frederick, Maryland, U.S.
Citizenship	Italian, American
Alma mater	Roman College
Occupations	astronomer, mathematician, architect, priest
Employer	Georgetown College

Benedict Sestini, SJ (born Benedetto Sestini; March 20, 1816 – January 17, 1890) was a Jesuit astronomer, mathematician and architect, who worked in Italy and the U.S.

Career

Sestini was born in Florence, Italy, on March 20, 1816. He entered the Society of Jesus in Rome on October 30, 1836, and studied at the Roman College (now Pontifical Gregorian University) where he followed the courses of Vincent Caraffa, the professor of mathematics. He was appointed assistant to Francesco de Vico, director of the Vatican Observatory. Sestini was ordained in 1844, and then held the chair of higher mathematics at the Roman College.

He published a work of astronomy called Catalogue of Star-Colors in his Memoirs of the Roman College, 1845 and 1847. The second memoir includes the first, and forms the entire catalogue, except the twelve celestial charts that accompanied the first.

The Revolution of 1848 caused him to flee Rome. The second memoir was in the printer's hands then and the revolution prevented completion of the work. The colour catalogue is the first general review of the heavens for star-colours, from the North Pole to 30 degrees south of the Equator.

Sestini went the United States and lived mainly at Georgetown College for twenty years.

From 1848 until his retirement 1884, Sestini was intensely engaged in teaching mathematics to the Jesuit scholastics. He published a series of textbooks on algebra, geometry and trigonometry, analytical geometry, and calculus. He wrote treatises on natural science for the use of his pupils; some of these were lithographed and others were privately printed at Woodstock: Theoretical Mechanics in 1873; Animal Physics in 1874; and Principles of Cosmography in 1878.

At Georgetown Observatory, in 1850, Sestini made a series of sunspot drawings, which were engraved and published (44 plates) as "Appendix A" of the Naval Observatory volume for 1847, printed in 1853. The work was republished in 1898.

Sestini was the architect of St. Aloysius Church, Washington, DC, which opened in 1859.

Around 1869 Sestini collaborated with John Rudolph Niernsee on the architectural plans for Building 1 of the new Jesuit scholasticate (college) in Woodstock, Maryland (Woodstock College). He moved to the college when it opened in 1869 and stayed there until 1884.

Sestini founded the American Messenger of the Sacred Heart in 1866, and retained editorial control of it until 1885; during these years he was also head director of the Apostleship of Prayer in the United States. He had many difficulties to contend with in launching and sustaining the "Messenger", and in directing the League of the Sacred Heart.

His last astronomical work was from his observations of the total eclipse of July 29, 1878, in Denver, Colorado. A sketch of the corona as it appeared to him was published in the Catholic Quarterly Review.

Because his health was declining, he was transferred in 1885 to the novitiate in Frederick, Maryland, where paralysis eventually ended his career. He died there on January 17, 1890.

See also

• List of Roman Catholic scientist-clerics

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Benedict Sestini — Astronomer, mathematician, b. at Florence, Italy, 20 March, 1816; d. at Frederick, Maryland, 17 Jan., 1890. He entered the Society of Jesus at Rome on 30 Oct., 1836, and studied at the Roman College where he followed the courses of Father Caraffa, the distinguished professor of mathematics; endowed with mathematical ability, supplemented by keen sight and skill as a draughtsman, he was appointed assistant to Father De Vico, director of the Roman Observatory. He was ordained in 1844, and filled the chair of higher mathematics at the Roman College, when the Revolution of 1848 caused his precipitate flight from Rome; coming to America he lived at Georgetown College, except for a few years, until 1869. He was stationed at Woodstock, Maryland, at the opening of the scholasticate, and remained there until 1884. On account of failing health, he was transferred in 1885 to the novitiate, Frederick, Maryland, where paralysis terminated his career. In astronomy, his principal work is his "Catalogue of Star-Colors", published in his "Memoirs of the Roman College", 1845 and 1847. The second memoir includes the first, and forms the entire catalogue, except the twelve celestial charts that accompanied the first. The Revolution broke out at Rome when the second memoir was in the printer's hands, and prevented the completion of the work. The colour catalogue is important for two reasons: it is the first general review of the heavens for star-colours, embodying the entire B. A. C. catalogue, from the North Pole to 30 degrees south of the Equator; then, as the observations are now about seventy years old (having been made from 1844 to 1846), the "Catalogue" will be invaluable for deciding the question whether there are stars variable in colour. For these reasons it has been republished, with notes, at the Vatican Observatory, as No. III Publications, 1911. It is remarkable how few are the errors of identification, in view of the then existing difficulties, and how closely Sestini's general scale of colours agrees with that of the Potsdam catalogue.

At Georgetown Observatory, in 1850, Sestini made a series of sunspot drawings, which were engraved and published (44 plates) as "Appendix A" of the Naval Observatory volume for 1847, printed in 1853. His last scientific work as an astronomer was the observation of the total eclipse of 29 July, 1878, at Denver, Colorado. A sketch of the corona as it appeared to him was published in the "Catholic Quarterly Review". From his arrival at Georgetown (1848) until his retirement from Woodstock (1884) he had been almost constantly engaged in teaching mathematics to the Jesuit scholastics, and he published a series of textbooks on algebra, geometry and trigonometry, analytical geometry, infinitesimal analysis. These were works of sterling merit, but they never became popular with students or teachers; their severe analytic method was repellent to practical American taste; he had no sympathy with commercial mathematics, and furthermore the make-up of the books was not as attractive as the ordinary high-school and college textbooks. He wrote treatises on natural science for the use of his pupils; some of these were lithographed and others were privately printed at Woodstock: "Theoretical Mechanics" in 1873; "Animal Physics" in 1874; "Principles of Cosmography" in 1878. He founded the American "Messenger of the Sacred Heart" in 1866, and retained editorial control of it until 1885; during these years he was also head director of the Apostleship of Prayer in the United States. He was an indefatigable worker and had many difficulties to contend with in launching and sustaining the "Messenger", and in directing the League of the Sacred Heart, but he was supported in this labour of love by his cheerful disposition and ardent zeal for the glory of God. It was pleasantly said of him that he had two passions---one for pure mathematics, and the other for the pure Catholic religion.

SOMMERVOGEL, Bibliothèque de la C. de J., VII, 1159; Woodstock Letters, XIX, 259; XXX, 99; Messenger of the Sacred Heart, new series, V (1890), 161, 343, 435, 486.

Bibliography

Sources

• • Carlos Sommervogel, Bibliothèque de la C. de J., VII, 1159;
  • Woodstock Letters, XIX, 259; XXX, 99;
  • Messenger of the Sacred Heart, new series, V (1890), 161, 343, 435, 486.