"Saint Vincent Pallotti was born in Rome on April 21, 1795. He was an Italian ecclesiastic and founder of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, later known as the ""Pious Society of Missions"" the members are known as Pallottines. Vincent Pallotti was ordained priest on May 16, 1820. Shortly after that he earned a doctorate in theology. He was given an assistant professorship at the Sapienza University but resigned it soon after to devote himself to pastoral work.
Pallotti worked selflessly looking after the poor in the city's urban areas for most of his life. He went to confession each day before Mass, during which he often had ecstasies, and then began his day's work, preaching in the churches and squares, visiting hospitals and prisons, and hearing confessions in the late hours of the night. Vincent dreamed of gaining everyone for Christ and founded the Society of the Catholic Apostolate and the Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate to carry out missionary work.
He realized the necessity of the lay apostolate. He organized schools for shoemakers, tailors, coachmen, carpenters, and gardeners so that they could better work at their trade and evening classes for young farmers and unskilled workers. This tireless laborer for Christ died on January 22, 1850 from a severe cold he most likely caught on a cold rainy night after giving his cloak to a beggar who had none. Pius XI called him the pioneer and precursor of Catholic Action. When Pallotti's body was exhumed in 1906 and 1950, examiners found his body to be incorrupt. His body is enshrined in the church of San Salvatore in Onda, Rome, where it can be seen. He was canonized in 1963 by Pope John XXIII. On April 6, 1963 he was named principal patron of the Pontifical Missionary Union of Clergy.
St. Vincent Pallotti, you answered God's call to serve Him; pray for the church to be blessed with many zealous missionaries of Christ."
Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
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