Vincent Pallotti
| Saint Vincent Pallotti | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Missionary, Priest, Founder | |
| Born |
April 21, 1795 Rome, Papal States |
| Died | January 22, 1850 (aged 54) Rome, Papal States |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | January 22, 1950 by Pope Pius XII |
| Canonized | January 20, 1963, Rome by Pope John XXIII |
| Feast | January 22 |
Saint Vincent Pallotti (April 21, 1795 – January 22, 1850) was an Italian ecclesiastic, born in Rome, and a saint. He was the founder of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate later to be known as the "Pious Society of Missions" (the Pallottines). The original name was restored in 1947. He is buried in the church of San Salvatore in Onda. He is considered the forerunner of Catholic Action. His feast day is January 22.
Vincent Pallotti was born in Rome on April 21, 1795 to Pietro and Magdalena De Rossi Pallotti. He was descended from the noble families of the Pallotti of Norcia and the De Rossi of Rome. His early studies were made at the Pious Schools of San Pantaleone, and from there he passed to the Roman College. At the age of sixteen, he resolved to become a priest, and was ordained on May 16, 1820. Shortly thereafter he earned a doctorate in theology. Pallotti is described as small of stature, slight of built, with big blue eyes and penetrating glance.
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 urban areas of the city for most of his life. He organized schools for shoemakers, tailors, coachmen, carpenters, and gardeners so that they could better work at their trade, as well as evening classes for young farmers and unskilled workers. He soon became known as a "second St. Philip Neri". He once dressed up as an old woman to hear the confession of a man who threatened "to kill the first priest who came through the door".
On January 9th, 1835, Pallotti founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate. He expressed his idea in the following words: "The Catholic Apostolate, that is, the universal apostolate, which is common to all classes of people, consists in doing all that one must and can do for the great glory of God and for one’s own salvation and that of one’s neighbor." In July 11th of the same year, Pope Gregory XVI gave his approval.
The Society was placed under the protection of Mary, Queen of Apostles. During the cholera plague in 1837, Pallotti constantly endangered his life in ministering to the stricken. In 1838 the Society was ordered dissolved, as it was seen as a duplication of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Pallotti appealed this decision to the Pope and the order of dissolution was withdrawn.
On October 28, 2003, the Union of Catholic Apostolate was declared an International Public Association of the Faithful by a decree of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
In 1835 Pallotti formed the priests and brothers of the Union he called together into a community he called the "Society of the Catholic Apostolate". However, as soon as Vincent died in 1850 there was more trouble and presumably the original decree of dissolution was unearthed. When Vincent's last defender Cardinal Lambruscini died in 1854, the name of the Society was abruptly changed to "The Pious Society of Missions". This lasted until 1947 when "by a gracious act of the Holy See" the original name of the society was restored.
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