Annibale Maria di Francia
| Saint Annibale Maria di Francia | |
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| Born | 5 July 1851 Messina, Italy |
| Died | 1 June 1927 Messina, Italy |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 7 October 1990 by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | 16 May 2004 by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | June 1 |
Annibale Maria di Francia, or Hannibal, (July 5, 1851 in Messina, Italy – June 1, 1927) is a saint venerated by the Roman Catholic Church. His father Francis was a Knight of the Marquises of St. Catherine of Jonio, Papal Vice-Consul and Honorary Captain of the Navy. His mother, Anna Toscano, belonged to the noble family of the Marquises of Montanaro.
The third of four children, he lost his father when he was only fifteen months old. The sad experience of being an orphan would have profound effect on his life and made him deeply empathetic towards orphans. At the age of seven he enrolled in the College of St. Nicholas, run by the Cistercian Fathers. He was a devout child. Here under the guidance of his spiritual director, he was introduced to a devout life and he developed such love for the Eucharist that he was allowed to receive the Holy Host daily, something exceptional in those days.
He was only seventeen, when as he was at prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament solemnly exposed, he was given the "revelation of Rogate", that is, he deeply felt that vocations in the Church only come through prayer. Later on he found in the Gospel the very words of Jesus commanding such prayer: "Beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather his harvest". (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). These words became the main source of inspiration for his life and the charism which led his apostolate.
On July 11, 1909 he wrote to Pope S. Pius X: "From my youth I have devoted myself to the words of the Gospel: Pray therefore the Lord of the Harvest...In my charitable institutions, orphans, poor, priests and nuns, all pray incessantly to the loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary, to the Patriarch St. Joseph and to the Apostles, that they may provide the Holy Church with numerous and chosen laborers for the harvest of souls".
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