Two years later he decided to continue his studies, not in the seminary, but in Rome. There he attended lectures on sacred eloquence or preaching. The following year he went to the Dominican house of studies in Viterbo to study theology. While in Viterbo he lived with the parish priest and then was hired to teach the two sons of the Ctaci family who provided a room for him in their home.

Ordained a subdeacon in 1766 he became prefect of the seminary at Montefiascone, while continuing his own studies under two learned priests. Ordained a deacon in March of 1767 he became rector of the seminary at Bagnorea.

The Lent of 1768 Vincent preached the great Lenten sermons at the parish of Viteriolo and then returned to Rome to study at the Dominican house of studies on the Aventine. But he finally decided to join Father Paul's community. He went to the novitiate on Monte Argentaro in September of 1768, and took his vows a year later.

Father Vincent had just six years to absorb the spirit of the congregation from St. Paul. He was sent to Vetralla for two further years of scripture study and sermon writing.

In 1773 Father Paul put the former seminary prefect and rector in charge of the training of the young students for future missionary preaching at the newly acquired monastery of Sts. John and Paul in Rome. Eventually Father Vincent would write a manual on Sacred Eloquence.

In this way Father Vincent was able to be with St. Paul during the final years of his life. Paul saw in this young man the apostolic spirit of holiness he was bequeathing to his congregation. We are told that as he was dying St. Paul one day turned to Father Vincent Mary and told him he was entrusting the congregation to his care.

Vincent, like the others, missed the founder very much as he continued to prepare young Passionists for the missionary apostolate. He also went forth to preach missions as often as possible.

In 1780 he became rector of the Community of Sts. John and Paul. In 1781 he was elected provincial. He also served as provincial and general consultor. During this time that he published a biography of the founder. Father Vincent used the testimonies of eye-witnesses as given in the canonization processes. It is said that he wrote the life of St. Paul on his knees, out of reverence for the founder. His "Life" of Father Paul became a classic and was greeted with enthusiasm by many.

Shortly after his election, Pope Pius VII appointed Father Vincent as bishop of Macerata and Tolentino. Vincent was consecrated on June 26, 1801 and took possession of his two sees within a few months. He began his episcopal ministry with Passionist missions at both see cities, he himself doing some of the preaching. He insisted on the reform of the clergy, promoted studies among them, frequently met with pastors, visited the religious, tried to improve seminary education, etc. He was a post-Tridentine bishop who strove to live up to the council's ideals and the example of St. Charles Boromeo.

In spite of the earlier concordat with the pope, Napoleon invaded the Papal States. Pius VII was taken into exile to Fontainebleau in France, in May of 1812. Napoleon demanded of the bishops in the now occupied Papal States that they too take the oath of allegiance to himself. Vincent refused because his allegiance was to the pope as the temporal lord of the Papal States. In fact, he and the other bishops presented a common front by refusing to acknowledge the Emperor as the legitimate ruler of the papal domains.

Napoleon now required more. He decreed the suppression of religious orders. On June 2, 1810 he had the imperial decree published in Rome on the stately columns of the Campidoglio. All religious orders which were not engaged in hospital care or teaching were to be suppressed. The religious must leave their monasteries and return to their native towns. There they would be expected to take the oath.

During these years Bishop Strambi was exiled from his dioceses and confined to religious houses in Milan and Novara. There he proved a support to his fellow bishops and a source of strength to his people. He assisted his Passionist brethren as best he could.

When Napoleon was finally defeated, and the Treaty of Vienna restored the Papal States to the Holy See, Bishop Vincent returned to his episcopal sees and began the necessary reform and renewal. The pope had him come to Rome to give the retreat to the Cardinals, and then to the Roman clergy in 1820. When Pius VII died and was succeeded by Leo XII, Vincent resigned his two sees. The pope insisted that he live with him in the Quirinal. There he offered his life for the ailing pope and died on January 1, 1824.

Yes, at that very critical moment for the Church and for the new Congregation of the Passion, God had raised up a saintly man, priest and bishop, one honored by the Church in 1950 as a saint.

As the Vatican Council has reminded us, God calls Christians from both the lay and clerical states to the religious life. Father Vincent Strambi came to the Passionists as a priest who had been formed and educated in a small Tridentine seminary of that period, but who had also experienced university life in Rome and Viterbo. But even more he had shown the talent for teaching and training other young men for the priesthood. These talents and experiences he brought to the congregation at this critical period following the death of the founder and throughout the revolutionary suppressions and during the restoration.

As a Passionist Vincent was a man of prayer and community observance. He was also a zealous and effective missionary preacher. He helped to develop the methodology for Passionist missionary preaching and also exercised roles of authority and leadership in the congregation. As biographer of the founder he did much to preserve St. Paul's spirit for future generations.

As a bishop, Strambi was loyal to the pope and Holy See. He was a true pastor of souls, and not involved in political matters unless forced by circumstances of the times. He brought to the episcopacy a spirituality of prayer, prudence, and pastoral dedication.