Benedetto Barberini was born in Rome on October 22, 1788. After joining the Church he acted as master chamberlain for Pius VII and for Leo XII who made him a cardinal on October 2, 1826. This appointment was made public only at the consistory of December 15, 1828.

Father de Mazenod met the cardinal a few times in Rome in 1825-1826. During a visit with the cardinal on December 9, 1825, he says that Bishop Barberini forgot ask for an audience Father de Mazenod had requested. On December 20, he decided to go see the Pope without having been granted a meeting. He nevertheless had to deal with Bishop Barberini. He wrote in his diary: “When I saw this worthy master, I was not surprised at his at his lack of concern. He is even more of a cipher than one could possibly think. That does not prevent him from being a good priest…”

On April 11, 1826, shortly before leaving Rome, Father de Mazenod met Bishop Barberini at a session of the academy of the Arcadians and the cardinal set up a papal audience for him for Saturday, the 15th.

Subsequently, Bishop de Mazenod made no mention of Cardinal Barberini who was Prefect for the Congregation of Ecclesiastical Immunity and died in Rome in 1863.

Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.